A gathering that happens every two years will bring the best minds on the future of work together with Auckland employers, industry, education providers and youth for a lively and interactive day.
As reported, the Future Ready Summit examines current and future workforce trends thereby helping Auckland businesses and the people to become future ready in the face of technological disruption, changing skills needs and new ways of working.
The event is developed and hosted by Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED). ATEED is the region’s economic development agency and an Auckland Council-controlled organisation.
Nearly 300 people are registered to gain practical advice from the insights and experiences of leading experts, case studies and panel discussions.
Speakers, who are experts in different fields, are lined up to share what they know. There is an expert on how to develop human potential in the digital economy.
Another expert will share learnings from the Auckland Council’s automation journey. Meanwhile, another expert proposes that training is dead and that to succeed in the future of works era, a life-long learning must be embraced.
Apart from providing a place for businesses, industry and education providers to connect and share learnings, this year’s summit involves Auckland’s youth.
This will provide a conversation between employers and the workforce of tomorrow, and empowering the next generation of leaders.
Auckland’s future workforce will be represented by young people, who will share their workplace stories and vision for the future of work.
Auckland’s changing workforce
The future of work is a hot topic around the world but it needs to be examined and planned for at a local level.
Auckland’s workforce is ageing, with longer life expectancy and better health care creating opportunities for older people to engage in work.
At the same time, Auckland’s rapidly growing population is young and diverse, with nearly 40% born overseas and young Māori and Pacific people representing over a third of Aucklanders aged below 24 years.
This mix is unique to Auckland, so when considering how to best prepare a city for the future, it is not a case of applying a one-size-fits-all approach.
Additional insights will be provided at the event, with the release of research findings on Auckland’s future skills needs as well as an associated insight paper, Future Ready Auckland: Driving economic development through technology and transformation.
Research findings
ATEED’s initial work estimated that more than 270,000 jobs in Auckland will be changed by automation. To address this, they set out to better understand the region’s future skills needs and how technology will change workforce skills and requirements.
The research showed that although Auckland’s employers and industry are enthusiastic about the opportunities that emerging technologies create, many are not adopting available technology.
Reasons for not adopting are as follows:
- Insufficient capability to scope, procure and implement new technology
- Limited understanding from organisational leaders and governance
- Budget constraints associated with the scale of investment required
The research findings are concerning because it is critical that Auckland businesses understand the future is happening now.
The benefit of the Future Ready Summit is that it provides a forum to foster connections between those already preparing their workplaces and workforces for the future and those that are just starting out and seeking guidance on their future ready journey.
As New Zealand’s largest city, both in terms of population and size of the economy, Auckland’s economic performance has a significant impact on the economic success of the nation.
