The Tron might be a tongue in cheek nickname for Hamilton but The Cultivate Trust really do believe Hamilton is the city of the future.
Of course, that includes the Waikato, as the group aims to capitalise on the burgeoning technology industry in the region through their campaign ‘Tech in the Tron’, which aims to attract 500 skilled tech workers and their families to the Waikato.
Trust chair and Hamilton-based Soda Inc’s chief executive Erin Wansbrough believes not many people outside of the region know about the tech groundswell that is happening in the Waikato and the trust wants to change that.
“Our core drive is to find a way in which we can showcase the exceptional businesses that are here. Like many New Zealand regions, we tend to be humble in nature and hide our light under a bushel.”
Behind the initiative is a collective of private businesses, education providers and public entities interested in growing the Waikato technology ecosystem. They all share the same woes when it comes to growing their business capabilities and that is attracting talent.
“There is one large pain point common to all in this industry, and that is the challenge to get enough quality talent to fuel their business growth. There is a hunger for a wide range of skill sets, and in particularly there are two main choke points in the talent funnel. One is the volume of people starting out in their career …and secondly the technically skilled workers. Many businesses, but particularly tech businesses in New Zealand, would tell you a similar story.”
Kickstarted last year, the Cultivate Trust and the subsequent Tech in the Tron initiative isn’t taking lightly the current global economic downturn. Erin says, now more than ever, Kiwi high growth technology businesses will be at the forefront of navigating this global environment.
“Their performance and growth is directly connected to the performance and health of larger economic regions. They also have an insatiable need for talent to fuel growth, however the current supply is falling well short of demand. The need for talent is broad, from graduates through to experienced and highly skilled people. It is acutely felt across the New Zealand technology industry and it is not going away. It must be solved if this export economic growth is to be realised.”
The Waikato region continues to be the most diverse and strongest economic region in New Zealand, she says, and it is also one of the fastest growing technology regions in the country and as such the need to address the access to talent is of upmost priority.
“The Cultivate Trust was formed with a focus on addressing the supply of strong talent into the Waikato region to fuel our technology businesses. In doing so it will not only result in strengthening this local economic growth, but due to the significant size of this region, it will strengthen the resilience of New Zealand’s economy,” Erin says.
Showcasing the Waikato, making solid business connections, and attracting and growing talent is what underpins the trust and the campaign.
Between July and December 2022 Tech in the Tron campaign had over 1 million engagements and created 2.5 million impressions across various social media channels.
Scrolling through the Tech in the Tron Facebook page you get insights into the lives of people working in the industry, great tech projects, the latest research and development programmes, invites to networking opportunities and, of course, a snapshot of the variety of things on offer and available to do in the region.
Radio DJs, television hosts, comedians, you name it, they are sure to have a Hamilton one-liner in their repertoire, Tech in the Tron aims to alter those perceptions.
“It used to be a place that people would bypass, it would rarely be a destination of choice, let alone considered as a growing city with strong career options. We were very aware that many external to the region still hold this out-of-date perception and we have to change that if we are to ever make significant inroads to the talent supply challenge,” Erin says.
“We also knew in order to achieve a significant paradigm shift it would require a visual and engaging marketing campaign if it was to have impact. Hence #techinthetron was brought to life to ‘show and not tell’ reality of what is on offer within the Waikato. To make visible and lift the curtain on the vibrant and diverse culture, the variety and number of globally focussed tech businesses, and the career opportunities that exist.”
Originally from Auckland, Erin knows the cost that comes with big city living and having moved to Hamilton four years ago, she has found a new lease of life living in the Tron.
“The realities of living and working in a large congested city can feel like a mug’s game at times, with the cost falling well short of the benefits. When we decided to make a change and began to assess alternatives, the Waikato region quickly stood out as the destination of choice. It was not just the career prospects on offer, or the more favourable property market, proximity to quality schools, flowing traffic or significant increase in time available that were appealing. What set Hamilton apart from other choices was its scale and the variety of strong growth businesses, particularly tech businesses. It was clear Hamilton was poised to be the city to watch in regard to its economic growth, prosperity and employment opportunities. Add to this its convenient geographic position; operating as an inland port, and the close proximity to Auckland enables one to easy connect and do business in Auckland, without the personal cost that comes with large city living. It had so many boxes ticked.”
Alongside the usual social media suspects like Facebook, TikTok and Instagram, the trust runs the Tech in the Tron website, as an easy and welcoming entry point for people who reach out wanting to learn more. The trust ensures that every contact is quickly and warmly followed up, by either a direct contact with a campaign ambassador or trust supporter.
“The ambassadors have been such a point of difference. It’s that Kiwi hospitality which is authentic and I think it is making us stand out as it is rare to find deep business network so easily accessible,” she says.
“Most of the inquiry we have received has been from business people asking about what businesses are here, what jobs are available and how they might become introduced into this network. The interest is most often driven by either an individual looking to further something from a business development perspective or it is from a person looking to explore career opportunities… and the response has been strong.”
The initial formation of the Cultivate Trust was driven by a segment of business leaders in Hamilton’s tech industry with the group being quickly underpinned by Hamilton City Council, the University of Waikato and Te Waka. The businesses that lead the way in supporting the establishment of the trust and bringing the campaign to life were Gallagher Group, IT Partners, Aware Group, Company-X, Enlighten Designs, Lightwire, LIC, Tuatahi First Fibre, Soda Inc, Shift72, Tompkins Wake, Deloitte and The Instillery.
Whilst it might seem counter intuitive that businesses would collaborate rather than compete for such scarce talent, Erin says, the number of businesses involved continues to grow strongly.
It is recognised what works for one will work for all, and that collaboration will add power to the project.
Subsequently the trust remains resolute in its focus to solve the pain point that is common to all, and will continue to do all it can to grow the volume and quality of talent required to fuel the tech community.
Whilst looking to attract talent from around Aotearoa and the world, Cultivate doesn’t want to forget about grassroots and Erin has her eye on how to support graduates into careers in the Waikato, and to attract them and keep them in the region as they begin their careers.
“It is known that universities across New Zealand have continued to compete on the global stage for student enrolments and have suffered a significant hit to their international student numbers in recent years. We need to support efforts to grow student numbers if we are to continue to address future talent needs. We believe as an industry if we become more visible and accessible to all tertiary students we will see more flow through into jobs,” she says.
“Our research has shown that international students have a preference to study and work in cities with fewer of the pain points that come with the hustle, bustle, congestion and cost of living in a large metropolis. As a region we’re already placed on the front foot to attract these students and subsequently employ and retain these graduates. We have also learned that it is not that students don’t want to work as an intern or start their career here in the Waikato, they just don’t know where the businesses are or the opportunities that exist, and they wouldn’t have a clue whose door to knock on,” she says.
Creating authentic, fun and welcoming networking events is one way that Tech in the Tron can breach the divide.
“It actually comes down to laying the foundations and doing the basics consistently well to support and enable those early in their career to become connected. To understand the landscape, the businesses and opportunities available to them in the Waikato, and to also create engaging ways to easily connect with and be warmly introduced to potential employers. The trust has a number of such activities planned for the coming year that will make it easier for this talent to connect and get a foot in the door.”
Building upon the strong, positive response to initiatives implemented in 2022, Erin says the trust have some bold plans underway this year.
“We know to fix the size of ‘talent funnel’ and ensure it is always flowing we must lean into efforts of improving diversity and removing barrier to entry. This will enable us to increase the size and volume of our talent funnel as it will enable us to reach an untapped and deep source of talent.”
Associate Minister for Revenue Dr Deborah Russell and Company-X co-founder/director Jeremy Hughes.
Ingrid Leary tries a VR simulation
