Kiwis look across the Tasman to attract IT talent

New Zealand is experiencing a technology boom like never before.

The success of innovative Kiwi businesses like Xero, Orion Health, ERoad and Fisher & Paykel Healthcare has seen the tech sector flourish and it's expected to become the country’s largest exporter by 2020.

Today the technology industry in New Zealand is diverse and sophisticated; it’s a hub for innovation and competes successfully on the world stage.

The only thing holding it back is talent and it is looking to Australia for help.

With a new digital marketing campaign branded the “The Innovation Islands” launched by the NZ Government and Workhere, the country has turned its attention to attracting Australians, Kiwi ex-pats and other nationals who may be looking for a balanced and affordable lifestyle, while working on some of the world’s most dynamic and rewarding work in the tech industry.

The success of New Zealand firms on the global stage has attracted significant investment into the country, with high profile investors, including James Cameron, Peter Thiele and Seek founder, Paul Basset, fuelling thousands of businesses across software development, rocket science, robotics, video game development, mobile apps, wearable tech, health tech, payment systems and a range of other fascinating niche technologies.

The Innovation Islands website links to a broad range of jobs currently on offer, profiles the companies that are hiring for tech roles, provides information about their location, as well as featuring industry news.

Steve McGill, GM of Attraction, Settlement and Protection at Immigration New Zealand, says that the Government recognises the tech sector’s need to attract top talent so it can continue to grow.

“Attracting Kiwi ICT expertise back to New Zealand is important to us, but we also welcome talented Australians and other nationals who are looking for a new challenge to join us across the ditch," he says.

Jonny Wyles is the Managing Director of Workhere, the company who developed the campaign, says they haven’t called the campaign the Innovation Islands for nothing.

“New Zealand really is a breeding ground for new thinking and today is at the forefront of the industry because of the technologies themselves – software development and cloud-based business models – that make it possible to deliver work from anywhere in the world," he says.

“To give people an idea of what it is like to work in the New Zealand tech industry, we video interviewed a selection of people that have recently crossed the Tasman and included this content on the site, so people can hear the real stories for themselves.

"Top of the list seems to be a fantastic work-life balance, spending less time commuting while enjoying a great salary and unrivalled standard of living.

"Relatively smaller businesses with less hierarchy and the ability to get ahead faster in your career also comes through strongly.”