A new digital strategy to increase the skills of young people and small business owners is being introduced in the Western Bay of Plenty.
The Digital Enablement Plan - being implemented by Tauranga's Venture Centre - will be officially launched as part of Techweek, beginning May 11 at Toi Tauranga Art Gallery.
The project's origins go back to the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment's call in 2015 for local councils to submit digital strategy plans to ensure communities would make use of expanded access to ultra fast fibre broadband connections.
Tauranga City Council strategic planner Ross Hudson said both the Tauranga City and the Western Bay District councils worked with local agencies and experts to develop the plan.
Venture Centre won the request for proposals to lead the implementation. The councils' investment would initially cover an 18-month period, after which the project's success would be reviewed. Mr Hudson said final costs had yet to be settled, but would be split equally across the two councils.