The engagement process for Regional Skills Leadership Groups (RSLGs) is well under way. Face-to-face engagements have so far taken place in Taranaki, Canterbury and Te Tairāwhiti, with the West Coast up next. Both the Canterbury and Te Tairāwhiti engagements were undertaken alongside Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) officials speaking on other aspects of the RoVE. This joined-up approach proved very helpful in giving stakeholders the full picture of the key changes.

Feedback from regions has provided some useful insights into how the RSLG framework might work on the ground. Emerging themes from this feedback include the need for:

• RSLGs to be regionally-led, Government-enabled
• RSLGs to make sure community groups, concerns and soft skills are taken into account when developing the regional workforce plan
• A mechanism for local tertiary providers to provide input into the RSLGs advice.

Further face-to-face engagements are planned in the Hawke’s Bay, Waikato, Nelson/Tasman, Marlborough, Wellington, and Whanganui-Manawatū regions before Christmas, with visits to the remaining regions scheduled for early next year. Feedback from stakeholders is also welcome at any time through the RSLG inbox: rslg@mbie.govt.nz