"Now more than ever we need to be upskilling our people in preparation for an upturn in the economy. This is also the time to be listening to our local industries and businesses to find ways that we can respond quickly to local needs. Tailored short courses and flexible delivery options are a key part of the solution to meeting the needs of people both in and out of employment" says Bay of Plenty Polytechnic Chief Executive, Dr. Alan Hampton.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic is well-placed to respond to changes in industry demand with their regional focus, strong community networks and strength in providing applied professional and vocational education which is developed alongside industry.

"It’s important to understand where the needs lie before we develop the solutions. We’re out there right now talking to our Local Advisory Committees, industry cluster groups and economic support agencies to develop a cohesive recession response package. This response packaged is expected to be available within the month. If you’re interested talking to us, please get in touch - we want to hear from you."

The recent nine day fortnight government initiative is a good start to help ease our country through the recession. However, this will have minimal benefit to the Western Bay of Plenty region since there are only a few companies employing over 100 staff that meet the very specific criteria for governmental resourcing.

"Our business sector is overwhelmingly comprised of small to medium enterprises employing less than 10 staff. Rather than waiting for Government to develop more initiatives for SMEs, we need to work together to develop our own solutions, quickly. Our region has a strong history of working together to find local solutions. The recession now challenges us to pull together to form a comprehensive response package" says Dr Hampton.