11 February 2013
Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and the Spatial Industries Business Association (SIBA) today welcomed the addition of the occupation ‘Other Spatial Scientist’ to the Government’s Long Term Skills Shortage List (LTSSL) – used to help identify industries that suffer from a shortage of New Zealand workers.
“Research commissioned through Victoria University into the capability of the spatial industry in New Zealand has confirmed a skills shortage in this area,” says New Zealand Geospatial Office Principal Analyst Geoff O’Malley.
“This is just one step towards addressing that. In the longer term we’ll work with schools to raise awareness of spatial sciences as a career option, and with universities to increase the tertiary level qualifications available in this area.
“This addition to the LTSSL reflects a collaborative effort between government, academia and industry. We all support the growth of the New Zealand spatial industry and, together, have put forward a strong and successful application.”
SIBA Geospatial Capability Lead Scott Campbell says New Zealand business is increasingly recognising the value of spatial information – but that, for the foreseeable future, demand outweighs the supply of skilled spatial scientists.
“This addition will help employers overcome the shortage of suitably qualified and experienced geospatial industry workers, and will help support the growth of the industry.
“By ensuring we attract skilled and talented spatial professionals to New Zealand, we can meet the demands of this growing industry. It also creates opportunities for our up and coming spatial scientists to work alongside international experts,” he says.
For more information, see ‘Other Spatial Scientist’ added to New Zealand’s long term skills shortage list
