STRATEGIC PAPER #110 - FUTURE JOBS FOR OUR RANGATAHI IN THE NORTH
Stopping the Brain Drain
For too long, our beautiful home in Taitokerau has operated like a leaky bucket. We watch our raw logs, our precious data, and worst of all, our talented rangatahi get shipped away to benefit outside markets. Our regional youth NEET rate sits at 14.5 per cent, and Māori unemployment is high at 10.3 per cent compared to the national average of 3.4 per cent. It breaks my heart to see our people struggling when there is so much vital work to be done right here on our own soil.
To fix these structural leaks, we are moving toward Te Ōhanga Mauri, the Economy of Life Force. This is all about keeping our wealth, our energy, and our people cycling within our local communities. By focusing on real local career options for our rangatahi, we can build a strong, self-sustaining economy. We want to guide our young people into meaningful paths that look after the land, the culture, the people, and our local wallet.
Solid Practical Foundations
The single biggest demand in our region right now is in building and construction. Back in 2022, we had a shortfall of over 8,400 vertical construction workers, and that gap is still keeping our families out of good homes. We need rangatahi to step up as house builders, carpenters, and machine operators. By learning these trades, our youth can work with local timber to build warm, dry houses for our whānau, stopping the housing shortage that forces our workers offshore.
This practical, ground-up approach aligns deeply with the timeless wisdom left for us. As taught by Ihu (Yeshua's name in the Paipera Tapu), true wisdom is shown by taking action and building on solid ground.
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. - Matthew 7:24, Ethiopian Orthodox Bible
Ge'ez text: እንግዲህ ይህን ቃሌን ሰምቶ በተግባር የሚያውል፣ ቤቱን በዐለት ላይ የሠራን ብልኅ ሰው ይመስላል።
Te Reo Maori, Paipera Tapu, 1868 translation: Na, ko te tangata e rongo ana ki enei kupu aku, e mahi ana hoki, ka whakaritea e ahau ki te tangata mahara, i hanga i tona whare ki runga ki te kamaka.
Caring for Our Whānau
Another massive area where our rangatahi are desperately needed is in healthcare. Right now, nearly 48 per cent of our health and social services workforce will reach retirement age by 2033. We need at least 989 nurses immediately to fill this gap. Becoming a nurse or a community health worker is a beautiful way to care for our people. Our goal is to move away from just managing sickness and instead focus on a preventative Mauri Ora model, where a healthy home and good environment keep our people well from the start.
Working Our Own Land
We also need our young people to look to the land. Through initiatives like the Ngāwhā Innovation & Enterprise Park, we are creating spaces where we process our own resources instead of exporting them raw. Rangatahi can find excellent careers as fruit growers, orchard workers, and timber mill workers. Whether it is growing berries in Kaikohe or processing local wood, these careers keep our nutrients and our jobs right here in the North.
Clean Energy and Technology
Finally, the future belongs to clean energy and tech. We need clean energy technicians to manage our local geothermal steam networks, providing local power for local people. We also need computer support technicians and mapping specialists. These tech paths allow our rangatahi to build secure local databases and map our sacred sites, protecting our local history from being scraped by international tech companies. By investing in our youth, we ensure that Taitokerau remains a shining light for the rest of the world.
