High-growth firms on red alert as Kiwi tech talent receives boost

The New Zealand Technology Industry Association (NZTech) and consultancy company ICE Professionals have teamed up to better prepare recent graduates for careers in the tech sector.

The initiative will give high quality graduates a full year’s work experience across a range of organisations, as they transition into a tech career.

ICE Professionals CEO, Nuwanthie Samarakone says one of the biggest challenges for new graduates is access to a transitional environment that adequately prepares them for the fast-paced and demanding expectations in the rapidly growing tech sector.

"ICE Tech 360 provides the graduates with work readiness and job coaching and there’s also coaching for the employers," she says.

"The real drawcard of the programme is that it is an easy on-boarding mechanism for technology organisations to responsibly support our emerging talent.

“There will then be an opportunity to select and employ a number of work-ready grads at the end of the programme for participating organisations."

Samarakone says organisations in the tech industry struggle to seek out, develop and hire recent graduates effectively.

“This is largely due to a lack of time to train the grads and a lack of assistance in coaching them on an ongoing basis," she adds.

NZTech CEO, Candace Kinser says that the programme has received the support and backing of the NZTech Board and members.

“It’s an ideal fit for high-growth companies in particular who need great talent, and want to employ graduates but just don’t have the time or resources to find them and coach them early on," she says.