Te Mahi me te whai moni | Employment and income

Te Mahi me te whai moni: Te whakatū wāhi mo ngā mahi whaitake, whai moni
Employment and income: Creating space for meaningful well-paid jobs

Local businesses and sectors are actively competing for skilled workers, both within and outside of Kāpiti. The skills shortage is one of our greatest challenges and most of our businesses are small or sole traders (only 45 businesses in Kāpiti have more than 50 staff).

The pool from which employers can pull from is small. For example, our labour force participation rate is below 55% compared to the national average of 70%. This is due to Kāpiti having the region’s highest proportion (27%) of people over 65 years of age and some young people leaving the district to pursue tertiary and vocational education elsewhere.

Attracting business and skilled jobs

We are looking to attract businesses to the coast with a focus on manufacturing, technology, accommodation, and tourism sectors as well as creating an environment for new innovative start-ups to establish themselves and thrive.

The future of work

Kāpiti has been recognised as New Zealand’s number one remote-working district to be, according to the Westpac Redform Survey. Of note:

• We are currently home to some major tech entrepreneurs who work remotely.
• Kāpiti Coast had the highest fibre broadband uptake of all New Zealand’s regions between March 2020 and March 2021, meaning it increased the region’s capacity by almost 30% and made it one of the most connected provincial areas in the country.
• The district is only a one-hour drive (74.7km) from the capital, so it’s easily accessible to big city amenities and a flexible working approach for those working from a Wellington base.

Income

Not only do we want people to have access to a range of employment opportunities, we want our people to have access to meaningful and well-paid jobs. In March 2023, Kāpiti’s average household income was $106,663, which has grown at around 6% a year over the last 6 years. Kāpiti’s economic performance (just before the COVID pandemic until March 2023) was one of the strongest in the country in terms of GDP growth. So, our economy has remained strong through challenging times.

Kāpiti’s Economic Development Strategy is about to be refreshed. As part of this process, we’re keen to hear how we can best support growth of key sectors and improve access to higher-paid jobs, while creating a more vibrant economy and destination.

Have your say has now closed for this topic.

View the ideas that were shared below:

1. Me pēwhea e kaha ake ai te tautoko a te kaunihera, te kāwanatanga rānei i ngā pakihi?
   Where could Council or government better support business?
2. Me aha e pai ake ai te whai mahi me te whai moni i te rohe nei?
   What needs to happen to improve employment and income opportunities in the district?