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Small businesses will now be able to benefit from a Government-funded Digital Boost skills training and support initiative.
The Digital Boost skills training is the first initiative to be launched from the Digital Boost programme, which is a partnership between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and the private sector to support thousands of small businesses in realising the benefits of using digital tools and technologies in their business.
To deliver the training and support, MBIE is partnering with The Mind Lab and Indigo, who have extensive experience in helping business owners develop the capabilities needed to take advantage of our rapidly changing digital environment.
Small business and strategic programmes general manager AJ Millward said the Digital Boost programme is an excellent example of the public and private sectors working together for New Zealand small businesses.
"Industry Leaders, small business owners and MBIE have designed this programme to meet the needs of kiwi SMEs as we adapt to the digital age and take the opportunity to come out of Covid-19 more resilient and future-focused."
The Digital Boost programme, including a digital applications and services directory, will become available in early 2021.
Find out more about the Digital Boost skills training modules at www.digitalboost.co.nz
New chairman for Priority One
Trustpower senior executive Simon Clarke has been appointed as the new chairman of the region's economic development organisation Priority One.
Clarke was appointed by the Priority One Board post its AGM in December and takes over from Brett Hewlett.
"I'm really excited to be taking over as chair from Brett who has done such a great job over the last five years," he said.
"I believe that relative to some other regions, Tauranga Moana is extremely well placed to flourish and prosper in a 'post-covid' world and 2021 is 'our moment' to accelerate our efforts. I'm looking forward to putting my shoulder behind the fantastic P1 team to get some positive stuff done."
Clarke was previously deputy chair and has been on the Priority One board for the last eight years.
He is an experienced senior executive and recently set up a governance and strategic consultancy, Matua Governance. Clarke is also Chartered Member of the NZ Institute of Directors.
"We are delighted to have someone of Simon's calibre and energy taking over as chair and I'm looking forward to working with him and the rest of the Board to accelerate sustainable economic development outcomes in the Western Bay," says Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt.
New purpose-built PGG Wrightson Taupō building
PGG Wrightson (PGW) opened its new purpose‐built Rural Supplies store this week to service the wider Taupō area.
The building is located at 14 Curlys Way in the new development off Broadlands Rd.
PGW's general manager of retail and water Nick Berry said the new 1232sq m purpose-built building allows for an improved customer experience with the opportunity to expand the existing product range and stock new products.
"We look forward to welcoming our loyal and new customers to this modern store."
The Taupō building is an integral part of the wider PGW store network, which has 92 Rural Supplies and Fruitfed Supplies stores throughout New Zealand.
In addition to the store, the building will accommodate representatives from the company's livestock business to support its farmer customers.
Fund applications open after Charity House sale
A total of $30,000 will be injected into the Rotorua community following the sale of the Toi Ohomai Charity House.
The Charity House project, which has been running since 2013, sees Toi Ohomai carpentry students build a home with support from industry partners.
Professionals McDowell Real Estate has been on board since the project's inception, using their expertise to market and sell the property.
The money raised is given to Rotary Rotorua Sunrise Charitable Trust to distribute throughout the community.
The latest house has recently sold, with the profit of $30,000 available to be dished out to various community organisations.
Toi Ohomai faculty dean of primary industries, trades and infrastructure, Brian Dillon, says it is great being in a long-term partnership with Rotary for the Charity House project.
Rotary Rotorua Sunrise past president and Charity House project co-ordinator Sue Gunn says it is an exciting and unique community project for Rotary to be involved with.
Professionals McDowell residential sales agent Paul McDowell says the company was proud to support the project on "a number of levels".
Expressions of interest from local charities are currently open until March 4.
The application form can be downloaded directly from the Rotary Rotorua Sunrise website.
Successful applicants will be presented with a cheque at a function at Toi Ohomai on March 31.
Westpac's February economic overview
There has been a big improvement in economic conditions and sentiment. But Westpac's chief economist Dominick Stephens says that doesn't mean the economy is fully mended or that interest rates are going to rise any time soon.
Westpac's economics team have published their latest Economic Overview, and have reached some surprising conclusions.
The overview concludes that a summer without tourists will cause a GDP decline of 0.7 per cent over the six months to March.
Inflation will reach 2.5 per cent by June, but will drop back to 0.8 per cent by June 2022.
The exchange rate will rise to 78 cents against the USD. The OCR will remain at 0.25 per cent until early-2024.
The big constant in Westpac's economic forecasts is house prices.
"The housing market has heated up much as we warned," Stephens says.
"We are now forecasting 17 per cent house price inflation in 2021, due to ongoing low-interest rates.
"But by the same logic, we continue to warn that when interest rates do eventually rise, house prices will fall."
Stephens says the latest alert-level lockdown won't necessarily alter the forecasts, so long as it is relatively brief and doesn't progress to level 4.
Mount-based company lead the way in USA
Mount Maunganui-based recruitment software company QJumpers has been named the Best Recruitment Software Provider - Southern USA - in the New World Report's recent Software and Technology Awards.
NWR's awards manager Laura Hunter said this respected award is indicative of the hard work, innovation, dedication and outstanding effort the team at QJumpers has shown over the past 12 months.
"They have excelled through, what can only be described as, turbulent times and
have therefore been crowned as one of our illustrious 2020 victors."
Established more than a decade ago, QJumpers began with the goal of simplifying the recruitment process for recruiters and candidates alike. The company offers an innovative cloud-based talent sourcing and applicant tracking system (ATS).
QJumpers chief executive Simon Oldham said even before Covid-19 hit, the mid-market was heading towards a remote hiring recruitment direction and the company's system has been developed specifically for this.
"Being able to source passive skilled talent from further afield or hire remote workers during the pandemic has been hugely beneficial."
Two dairy farmers join DairyNZ's Board of Directors
Cameron Henderson and Carlos Delos Santos have been selected to join the DairyNZ board, with each working alongside the directors for six board meetings. Cameron begins in March, while Carlos will join the board from December.
DairyNZ chair Jim van der Poel says the associate director roles have been providing the DairyNZ board with valuable input and contributions since the roles were established seven years ago.
"Every year the associate directors bring their unique knowledge and opinions which help shape board discussions and decision-making," says Van der Poel.
"It is exciting to have Cameron and Carlos joining us this year, as they both bring their individual strengths and experiences which the board will value having around the table.
"Their experiences will bring new thinking, as the sector progresses."
Rotorua-based Carlos Delos Santos, with his wife Bernice, are 50/50 sharemilkers with a 630-cow herd, which they milk on the Onuku Māori Lands Trust. Carlos is currently involved with the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards as well as being a board director for Vetora Bay of Plenty.
"I am really excited to be selected for this role, as it allows me the chance to gain knowledge on what occurs at DairyNZ board meetings and contribute to important sector discussions," Carlos says.
"During my previous roles I have tried to use my unique background to bring new perspectives to discussions, which I hope to do while in the role as well as making the most of this opportunity to grow my governance ability."
Cameron Henderson is Canterbury-based and farms with his partner Sarah. Currently he is the North Canterbury provincial president of Federated Farmers, and also holds other industry and regional governance roles.
Eleven other farmers have been associate directors with DairyNZ since the initiative was introduced in 2013. The associate director roles are non-voting and are for dairy farmers wanting to move into sector leadership.
Police reveal the identity of Tauranga pedestrian fatality injured in Pyes Pa crash.