Bay horticulture hand-up for ex-offenders growing

New Zealand Horticulture chief executive Mike Chapman is thrilled with the success of the pilot programme involving Corrections and the horticulture industry in Hawke's Bay. Photo/ File

Hawke's Bay's pilot programme of helping ex-prisoners find employment in the horticulture industry has been strongly applauded.

Corrections Minister Louise Upston said the initiative, which left prisoners with meaningful skills and qualifications, had been a win win for both Corrections and members of the horticulture industry.

"Corrections is appreciative of the support and leadership provided by the horticulture sector, which is helping change the lives of offenders and providing renewed hope for their families," Ms Upston said.

The agreement supports training packages that help prisoners become work-ready for employers and offer permanent career opportunities in horticulture to prisoners once released.

"The pilot provides practical training for eligible prisoners who want a career in horticulture and will stay within the Hawke's Bay area upon release," Ms Upston said.

In turn it provides the industry with trained and qualified employees who will help to fill continued labour shortages, which will then benefit the community.

Bostock New Zealand joined the programme last year and labour development and resource manager Vikki Garrett said it had been a great success.

"Corrections work alongside us and make sure they are putting the right people forward who show an interest in the industry and we have since made permanent appointments."

Ms Garrett said they fully supported the programme and with the prison right on the doorstep it was the least they could be doing to help integrate these people back into society.

Following the successful first year of the pilot programme Ms Upston now wants to expand the initiative into the Bay of Plenty.

Horticulture is New Zealand's fourth largest export industry, but there is a recognised shortage in permanent roles across the country especially around the East Coast, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Northland, Manawatu, Nelson/Marlborough, and Central Otago.

The programme will attract more people who are trained and qualified to fill these roles so the industry can achieve its targeted value of $10 billion by the year 2020.

New Zealand Horticulture chief executive Mike Chapman said there had been plenty of success stories and the formalisation of the programme last year and the success of the pilot showed it had the ability to work across the country.

"I think it is an excellent initiative and we give it our full support," Mr Chapman said.

Three ex-offenders have found employment through this partnership in the horticulture industry to date and while the number of placements appeared small, Ms Upston said new individual employer partnership agreements had been signed with four other large horticulture employers keen to support the initiative.