EMPLOYMENT
financial
5.1.1 ISSUE
There are age and gender inequalities in pay.
ASPIRATION
Christchurch is a place where people of all genders and ages are paid the same wage for the same work.
CONSIDERATION
5.1.2 ISSUE
The current wages are too low for everyone.
ASPIRATION
Wages are raised to a level that is fair and can support individuals and families.
CONSIDERATION
5.1.3 ISSUE
Tax rates for summer work and other short-term work is too high.
ASPIRATION
A tax system that is responsive to the duration of work contracts.
CONSIDERATION
There are age and gender inequalities in pay.
ASPIRATION
Christchurch is a place where people of all genders and ages are paid the same wage for the same work.
CONSIDERATION
- Ensure staff in the same or similar roles are paid the same wage
- Increase the starting out wage
- Provide support and education about employment law
- Make employment legislation clear for everyone by using simple language
5.1.2 ISSUE
The current wages are too low for everyone.
ASPIRATION
Wages are raised to a level that is fair and can support individuals and families.
CONSIDERATION
- Increase the minimum wage
- Implement the living wage
- Take in economic values when pricing the living wage
5.1.3 ISSUE
Tax rates for summer work and other short-term work is too high.
ASPIRATION
A tax system that is responsive to the duration of work contracts.
CONSIDERATION
- Introduce tax exemptions for holiday work
- Calculate tax differently for short term work
career pathways and opportunities
5.2.1 ISSUE
Starting a new business is expensive and difficult for young people.
ASPIRATION
Young people are able to access seed funding and start up support when starting a new business.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.2 ISSUE
Young people with disabilities struggle to gain employment and are unaware of employment rights.
ASPIRATION
All young people with disabilities are able to gain meaningful employment and have knowledge of employee rights.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.3 ISSUE
Lack of courses and further study provided outside of universities.
ASPIRATION
All young people are able to gain new skills and qualifications through a variety of forums and providers.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.4 ISSUE
A variety of stories about careers and pathways are not shared with young people enough.
ASPIRATION
Young people are exposed to a wide variety of different career paths.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.5 ISSUE
There has become a need for more qualifications for jobs which previously did not require formal qualification.
ASPIRATION
Christchurch is a city where skills and experience are valued as well as qualifications.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.6 ISSUE
Young people struggle to find a job, as they do not have the necessary skills and experience for a chosen field.
ASPIRATION
Young people are equipped with development opportunities and work experience to become active members of the workforce.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.7 ISSUE
Not enough young people are able to gain work experience at an early age.
ASPIRATION
Work experience is readily offered to those aged 15 and up, and equips young people with skills for their careers.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.8 ISSUE
Young people do not know about job opportunities available to them.
ASPIRATION
Young people know where to go to find out about employment opportunities and have support in gaining employment.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.9 ISSUE
There are a lack of flexible working opportunities for students.
ASPIRATION
Employers understand the busy schedules of employees, especially young people, and offer flexible working arrangements.
CONSIDERATION
5.2.10 ISSUE
Young people are not given adequate careers advice or given enough responsibilities and experiences to up-skill.
ASPIRATION
Young people are given advice on a variety of career paths, and provided with opportunities to gain experience and responsibilities in related fields.
CONSIDERATION
Starting a new business is expensive and difficult for young people.
ASPIRATION
Young people are able to access seed funding and start up support when starting a new business.
CONSIDERATION
- Introduce subsidies for start-up companies
- Investigate local councils or businesses investing in start-ups, with the condition that they employ locally
5.2.2 ISSUE
Young people with disabilities struggle to gain employment and are unaware of employment rights.
ASPIRATION
All young people with disabilities are able to gain meaningful employment and have knowledge of employee rights.
CONSIDERATION
- Provide more life skills training regarding employment, such as understanding of job processes, and what resources are available online through organisations like Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
- Create better connections with disability employment services
- Encourage decision-makers to employ people with disabilities
5.2.3 ISSUE
Lack of courses and further study provided outside of universities.
ASPIRATION
All young people are able to gain new skills and qualifications through a variety of forums and providers.
CONSIDERATION
- Increase support for alternative education providers
- Offer more courses in the community, outside of education institutes
5.2.4 ISSUE
A variety of stories about careers and pathways are not shared with young people enough.
ASPIRATION
Young people are exposed to a wide variety of different career paths.
CONSIDERATION
- Break down barriers at schools to gaining access to information
- Use available community resources to hear from individuals regarding careers
5.2.5 ISSUE
There has become a need for more qualifications for jobs which previously did not require formal qualification.
ASPIRATION
Christchurch is a city where skills and experience are valued as well as qualifications.
CONSIDERATION
- Offer more career-related training
- Place less emphasis on needing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees and more emphasis on skills and experience
5.2.6 ISSUE
Young people struggle to find a job, as they do not have the necessary skills and experience for a chosen field.
ASPIRATION
Young people are equipped with development opportunities and work experience to become active members of the workforce.
CONSIDERATION
- Increase accessibility to seasonal jobs such as fruit picking
- Introduce programmes for young people to gain work experience, internships and mentoring
- Hire young people as paid interns
- Encourage apprenticeships
- Assist young people in writing curriculum vitaes that are targeted towards their chosen field
- Increase access to careers counselling
- Encourage employers to lower expectation that work experience is a necessity
- Place more emphasis on development of young people within employment
- Incentivise employers to hire more young people
- Assist young people with disabilities in finding jobs
- Make job searching websites accessible to all young people e.g. Student Job Search
5.2.7 ISSUE
Not enough young people are able to gain work experience at an early age.
ASPIRATION
Work experience is readily offered to those aged 15 and up, and equips young people with skills for their careers.
CONSIDERATION
- Provide young people aged 15 and 16 opportunities to gain work experience
- Encourage employers to offer more work experience to young people
5.2.8 ISSUE
Young people do not know about job opportunities available to them.
ASPIRATION
Young people know where to go to find out about employment opportunities and have support in gaining employment.
CONSIDERATION
- Increase availability of entry-level jobs and courses, where basic qualifications and skills can be gained
- Provide a public space for young people to find out about employment opportunities
- Provide more online support in job searching
- Promote alternative career paths through exposure to different fields
- Provide more information about careers and less generalisation of application processes through community workshops
- Raise awareness about the workforce and the various opportunities on offer
- Encourage young people to aim as high as possible when it comes to their careers
- Offer more specific job opportunities to match young people's skills
5.2.9 ISSUE
There are a lack of flexible working opportunities for students.
ASPIRATION
Employers understand the busy schedules of employees, especially young people, and offer flexible working arrangements.
CONSIDERATION
- Employers offer flexible working arrangements for young people, such as offering extra hours for holidays
- Offer more working holiday opportunities
- Offer fruit picking opportunities
5.2.10 ISSUE
Young people are not given adequate careers advice or given enough responsibilities and experiences to up-skill.
ASPIRATION
Young people are given advice on a variety of career paths, and provided with opportunities to gain experience and responsibilities in related fields.
CONSIDERATION
- More work experience opportunities are available
- Introduce public careers advisors that are open to young people who are not at school and provide support
- Provide more opportunities for young people to gain responsibilities in their chosen fields
employment support
5.3.1 ISSUE
Criminal records prevent some young people from gaining employment.
ASPIRATION
Young people with criminal records are not discriminated against by employers and are an active part of the workforce.
CONSIDERATION
5.3.2 ISSUE
There is not enough knowledge about workers' rights and where to go for help.
ASPIRATION
All workers are confident of their rights and have knowledge of where to go for support.
CONSIDERATION
5.3.3 ISSUE
Employment pressures negatively affect the wellbeing of young people.
ASPIRATION
Young people are well prepared and supported to enter the workforce.
CONSIDERATION
5.3.4 ISSUE
There is insufficient support provided for working parents.
ASPIRATION
All employees are able to fulfill their obligations to both work and family, and have a good work-life balance.
CONSIDERATION
Criminal records prevent some young people from gaining employment.
ASPIRATION
Young people with criminal records are not discriminated against by employers and are an active part of the workforce.
CONSIDERATION
- Encourage a broader range of employers to hire young people with criminal records
- Develop a recruitment agency that places young people with criminal records into meaningful work
5.3.2 ISSUE
There is not enough knowledge about workers' rights and where to go for help.
ASPIRATION
All workers are confident of their rights and have knowledge of where to go for support.
CONSIDERATION
- Legislation should use simple, direct language and be easy to read
- Increase education of contract law
- Increase education around different wages
- Increase education of unions
- Utilise school environments to educate on employment rights and raise awareness of unions
5.3.3 ISSUE
Employment pressures negatively affect the wellbeing of young people.
ASPIRATION
Young people are well prepared and supported to enter the workforce.
CONSIDERATION
- Offer more work experience and internships
- Offer mentoring for those seeking to enter the workforce
- Provide support for improving curriculum vitae skills
5.3.4 ISSUE
There is insufficient support provided for working parents.
ASPIRATION
All employees are able to fulfill their obligations to both work and family, and have a good work-life balance.
CONSIDERATION
- Increase paid parental leave
- Increase support for working parents
- Offer more child care options
- End stigma of fathers not taking parental leave
employment relationship
5.4.1 ISSUE
Some employers are not youth friendly and safe for young people.
ASPIRATION
Employers in Christchurch are certified as youth friendly and are committed to employing young people.
CONSIDERATION
5.4.2 ISSUE
Once employed, there is not enough training given by employers.
ASPIRATION
Young people feel supported in their workplace and able to fulfil their role through sufficient training.
CONSIDERATION
5.4.3 ISSUE
Discrimination in the hiring process is a serious concern.
ASPIRATION
All employers adopt hiring practices that are free of discrimination and unconscious bias.
CONSIDERATION
5.4.4 ISSUE
Young people’s volunteer experience is not viewed as being work experience.
ASPIRATION
Young people are able to gain meaningful employment after volunteering.
CONSIDERATION
Some employers are not youth friendly and safe for young people.
ASPIRATION
Employers in Christchurch are certified as youth friendly and are committed to employing young people.
CONSIDERATION
- Create a youth employment pledge for businesses to join
- Certify businesses as youth-friendly and safe
- Increase education about what a good employer is through online portals
- Encourage employers to stick to set days for payment, to increase consistency and ease confusion
5.4.2 ISSUE
Once employed, there is not enough training given by employers.
ASPIRATION
Young people feel supported in their workplace and able to fulfil their role through sufficient training.
CONSIDERATION
- Provide more training within the workplace and give more responsibilities
- Increase training for interns
5.4.3 ISSUE
Discrimination in the hiring process is a serious concern.
ASPIRATION
All employers adopt hiring practices that are free of discrimination and unconscious bias.
CONSIDERATION
- Improve education on discrimination in hiring, particularly regarding gender, sexuality, disabilities and race
- Encourage blind CV reading
5.4.4 ISSUE
Young people’s volunteer experience is not viewed as being work experience.
ASPIRATION
Young people are able to gain meaningful employment after volunteering.
CONSIDERATION
- Increase development opportunities on offer in volunteer roles
- Employers value skills and experience gained by volunteering, equal to the work experience
other
5.5.1 ISSUE
There is a lack of support/incentive for corporations to do business in New Zealand.
ASPIRATION
Companies view New Zealand as a great place to do business, and create more jobs in the local market.
CONSIDERATION
There is a lack of support/incentive for corporations to do business in New Zealand.
ASPIRATION
Companies view New Zealand as a great place to do business, and create more jobs in the local market.
CONSIDERATION
- Offer ideal conditions or more incentives for large companies to operate in New Zealand
- Encourage large companies to keep their factories and significant numbers of jobs in New Zealand