Graduate job bonanza tipped

The proposed Tauranga University will focus on qualifications relevant to the region, says Priority One strategic projects manager Greg Simmonds. Photo/John Borren

Future graduates at Tauranga's proposed university could walk out the door and into jobs if qualifications reflect the region's needs, local business leaders say.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers chief executive Mike Chapman said courses should be aligned to skills shortages across the Bay.

The Ministry for Primary Industries People Powered Future Capabilities report said horticulture would need 34,000 more workers in the next decade, most with qualifications.

Zespri was also aiming to triple its export to at least $3 billon by 2025 and had just launched a new graduate scheme to attract future leaders.

Mr Chapman said it could be an effective partner and it had already had a workshop with Priority One to identify areas and opportunities.

"We can help attract students, we can help with placement and course design. The forecasts from MPI are enormous ... the jobs will be here, they won't be in Auckland, but we just need the people to fill them."

House of Science director Chris Duggan said there was a huge need for a tertiary presence in Tauranga: "When I spoke with secondary students at the expo last year some of them weren't even aware of the cool science industries we have available locally.

"So having tertiary qualifications in those industries will strengthen those links between secondary and tertiary and therefore industry as well."

The primary industries also held untapped potential, she said.

Export New Zealand executive officer Anglea Wallace said a lot of its members were engaged with Priority One around the campus. There was a lack of skilled labour in specialised manufacturing and engineering, she said.

Priority One's Greg Simmonds said its key message had always been a tertiary provision that was niche to the region, aligned to industry and community needs.

Over the past few months, Mr Simmonds had conducted more than 100 interviews across the Bay of Plenty with businesses, community leaders and stakeholders.

Information on those outcomes would be released in August and its draft tertiary action plan would also be put out for public consultation before being finalised.

The campus was being developed in partnership with Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Waiariki Institute of Technology, Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi and the University of Waikato.

"It makes sense that we are not setting up in competition with each other and are looking at pathways from vocational learning right through to degrees."

Initial research showed areas such as automation, applied technology for the primary sector, coastal marine, environmental and restoration management, agri-chemical and pharmaceutical development, alongside freight logistics and supply freight management would be a focus.

The $88 million project was being funded by $15 million from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, $58.8 million from the University of Waikato and confirmation of Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust's $15 million contribution was awaited before it was all systems go.