On Tuesday 22 November, in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, we hosted our first-ever Hanga-Aro-Rau Summit: Mānuka takoto, kawea ake – Rising to the challenge.

With over 400 attendees (110 in person and more than 300 online), we were ecstatic to see our industries’ genuine interest in embracing action.

Our research into the effects of COVID-19 on the manufacturing and engineering sectors showed us the stark reality we face, and we know that no single organisation, business, or agency can solve the current and future workforce challenges.

This summit was an opportunity for all attendees to confront these issues and share their experiences and innovative thinking to improve outcomes for their sectors.

We are grateful to our diverse range of presenters who provided honest kōrero and brought forward thought-provoking discussions. Although some topics were uncomfortable, presenting our attendees with a wero – we were humbled by how all our attendees chose to take it on.

Our summit has come to an end, but the work to address the workforce development needs of our industries is only beginning. We are excited to see how the wider ecosystem will utilise this experience and the shared deep discussion to rise to the challenge.