EMA Warns 60% of Employers Face Skills Crisis as New Zealand Nears November Election
Updated
Updated · HRD America · Jul 14
EMA Warns 60% of Employers Face Skills Crisis as New Zealand Nears November Election
2 articles · Updated · HRD America · Jul 14
Summary
More than 60% of EMA members now cite workforce readiness as a key concern, up from about 35% to 40% a few years ago, prompting the business group to make skills and employment-law stability central election demands.
EMA says rising 18-24 NEET numbers and employers' reluctance to hire unprepared young workers are dragging on productivity, with basic workplace skills and discipline increasingly lacking.
The group wants an integrated workforce strategy spanning immigration, education and employment, including faster recognition of overseas qualifications, expanded micro-credentials, annual skills-list updates and a Pacific fly-in, fly-out visa.
On employment law, EMA urged the next government to let the new Employment Leave Act bed in and avoid another overhaul, while backing index-linked minimum wages and reviews of dispute resolution and no-win, no-fee advocates.
It also warned New Zealand risks falling behind on AI as an ageing workforce and slow technology adoption collide, arguing policy stability across reforms would do more for business confidence than fresh political resets.
Is New Zealand's 'workforce crisis' about unprepared youth, or a generation rejecting low wages and poor quality jobs?
With AI already writing code, how can New Zealand's education system prepare students for jobs that do not yet exist?
Alarming NEET Surge in New Zealand: Root Causes, AI Impacts, and Policy Imperatives for the Future Workforce
Overview
New Zealand is facing a complex skills crisis in 2026, with a sharp rise in young people not in education, employment, or training. This is driven by rapid de-industrialization, a mismatch between what education provides and what employers need, and a labor market that fails to offer clear entry points for youth. Some industries, like insurance, struggle with visibility rather than actual shortages, while the growing impact of artificial intelligence and automation adds new challenges. Together, these factors make it harder for young people to find work and gain experience, deepening the crisis.