Ata mārie!

The Productivity Commission’s Fit for the Future report was released earlier this week. The report acknowledged the contribution migrants make, while also recommending transparent policy making and a focus on stronger links with education and training policies to ensure companies can get the skills they need. This is welcome news, as the latest PMI indicated that businesses are still faced with severe skills shortages. 

Below find out how you can get involved in the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation regional workshops, as well as more tech and procurement opportunities. 

Ngā mihi
Josh

New Zealand's manufacturing sector experienced a lower level of expansion during April, according to the latest BNZ - BusinessNZ Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI).

The seasonally adjusted PMI for April was 51.2 (a PMI reading above 50.0 indicates that manufacturing is generally expanding; below 50.0 that it is declining).  This was 2.5 points lower than March, and the lowest monthly result since August 2021.

BusinessNZ's Director, Advocacy Catherine Beard said that after steady expansionary results over recent months, the April result highlighted the fickle nature of what manufacturers are currently experiencing.

Read more ->>

Kiwis have always been innovators and creators and we want to help that sector grow further through our draft Advanced Manufacturing Industry Transformation Plan (ITP).

We are running a series of face-to-face regional workshops and thematic virtual workshops from June 1st to mid-July to hear your views around the initiatives and priorities we have identified to get there.  The draft plan has been co-created by business, unions, government, Māori, and wider stakeholders and now we want to hear your views.

Register for a workshop and help us make advanced manufacturing in Aotearoa New Zealand boom.

Click here to find out more and  to register your attendance at regional workshop

You have to think back to before the Global Financial Crisis to recall when inflation was last an issue that most small businesses needed to be concerned about. Even as recently as last year, many economic institutions argued the post-pandemic price rises would be short-lived. As discussed in last month's Blog,that view has undergone a major shift in 2022 and central banks across the world are responding with higher interest rates. While interest rate rises can be challenging for small businesses to deal with, inflation is likely to be worse as owners try to remain profitable in an environment of fast rising costs.

Widespread and fast rising inflation pressures

Inflation is rising across all major economies. Consumer prices in the OECD area rose by 8.8% year-on-year in March 2022, compared with just 2.4% in March 2021. This was the largest year-on-year increase since October 1988. 

Read more ->>

BusinessNZ agrees with a new report by the Productivity Commission, which supports the belief that immigration is good for New Zealand.

The Commission’s Fit for the Future report was released today. BusinessNZ Director of Advocacy Catherine Beard says it reinforces what many businesses already know, and that Government must be strategic in its approach to welcome international skills and labour back to New Zealand.

Read more ->>

The "Mobileheroes 2022 Connectivity Innovation Challenge" is the longest-running ICT tech contest in Taiwan. The organiser is inviting global startups to present their products/solutions by using ICT technology or AI. For example communication software, mobile communication and IoT applications.

Prize: Gold Medal winner will be awarded USD 30,000 in cash and Merit Award winner: USD 15,000.
Short-listed teams will be given access to mentorship, Taiwan’s Ecosystem and opportunities to meet with potential investors.

Registration open now until 30 June 2022. 

Download the Entry information here->>
For more information, please visit the official website here ->>

Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV) Webinar recording

Immigration New Zealand (INZ) held a webinar on 18 May 2022 about the job check requirements and visa application process for the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV).

You can view the recording of this webinar on the INZ YouTube channel here ->>

Radical lifestyle shifts motivated consumers to make intentional, mindful and ambitious decisions in 2021. Now, consumers are putting their plans into motion, taking chances and seizing the moment.

Businesses need to evolve as quickly as consumer behaviour is changing. Be the first to put the 2022 trends into action.

Download the report here ->>

Participate in the Fourth Bicentennial Schools RoadShow , and learn more about the procurement processes for the execution of new infrastructure projects.

The objective is to convene national and international companies from the construction sector , which in an integral, committed and efficient manner, execute our educational infrastructure projects , which will benefit more than 15,000 students in the districts of Carabayllo, Villa María del Triunfo and Villa El Salvador, in Metropolitan Lima, and to more than 7,000 students in the regions of Puno and Cusco.

The roadshow video is available here ->>

For updates on BusinessNZ advocacy and for the latest Advocacy Update, BusinessNZ's advocacy newsletter, have a look at the new advocacy the website here.

Don’t forget to check out our contract manufacturers directory if you are looking for contract manufacturing support or you are wanting to advertise your services.

More ->>

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