Go With Tourism Awarded $2 Million To Build New Zealand’s Tourism Workforce | Scoop News – Scoop

Friday, 2 September 2022, 11:17 amPress Release: Go With Tourism

Go with Tourism an initiative that specialises ingrowing New Zealand's tourism and hospitality workforce has been awarded $2 million from the International Visitorand Conservation Levy (IVL) to continue their efforts intackling the industrys current skills shortage.

Thefunding was announced this morning by Tourism MinisterStuart Nash.

In his speech, Minister Nash emphasisedthe connection between delivering a world-class visitorexperience and mounting pressure on tourism and hospitalityworkers to meet growing tourist demand.

Like anyindustry, success depends on those working within it. Thismeans investing in our people and deepening the talent pool.This investment [in Go with Tourism] will be vital inbuilding the tourism workforce back up.

The $2million investment will cover a 12-month period from October2022. It enables Go with Tourism to expand upon currentworkstreams that connect jobseekers with employers, promotestudy and career opportunities to youth, and challengeindustry perceptions.

Go with Tourism ProgrammeDirector, Heidi Gillingham, says that attracting workersinto tourism and hospitality is the top priority for theyear ahead. The next 12 months worth of talentattraction is what we have been gearing up for since welaunched in 2019. We have built a good reputation, partneredwith thousands of businesses and established ourselves inclassrooms around New Zealand; now, with this funding, theindustry can be assured that a dedicated and well-preparedteam will lead the way in tackling workforce challenges anddoing our utmost to fill tourism and hospitality roles inboth the short and long term.

Thank you to theGovernment for continuing to support our greatwork.

Go with Tourism was developed by Ttaki AucklandUnlimiteds legacy organisation Auckland Tourism,Events & Economic Development (ATEED) to address skillsshortages in the Auckland region. Four months afterlaunching in April 2019, the Government announced theinitiative would receive $5.2 million from the IVL to expandthe programme nationwide.

Covid-19 forced Go withTourism to temporarily pivot its strategy to redeployingdisplaced tourism and hospitality workers into other jobs;however, by July 2020, the team returned to their originalmandate and has since achieved wins suchas:

With funding confirmed, Go withTourism can continue to offer their services, free ofcharge, to best assist employers, educators, students andjobseekers nationwide. The team also look forward toproviding their clientele with new and improvedopportunities for recruitment or training.

Werein strategy mode, says Gillingham. We know exactlywhat we want to achieve in the next 12 months and wereexploring fresh, innovative ideas and new collaborations toensure we meet these goals.

To connect with Go withTourism, or for more information, please visit gowithtourism.co.nz

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Go With Tourism Awarded $2 Million To Build New Zealand's Tourism Workforce | Scoop News - Scoop