WELLINGTON, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand needs coordinated national action to strengthen its digital skills pipeline as demand for advanced technology capabilities grows while the domestic talent supply comes under pressure, a new report showed Monday.
The report by Tech New Zealand, a not-for-profit NGO, said declining participation in key school subjects, limited entry-level opportunities, lower international recruitment and rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, cloud and software capabilities were contributing to the challenge.
New Zealand's technology sector comprises more than 24,000 firms and contributes about 24 billion NZ dollars (about 14 billion U.S. dollars), or around 8 percent of gross domestic product, the report said.
"At the same time, the foundations of our future workforce are under pressure. Fewer students are taking the science, technology and math subjects that underpin digital careers, and too many graduates are struggling to get the early work experience they need," Tech New Zealand CEO Graeme Muller said in a statement.
Participation in technology subjects of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement, New Zealand's main qualification for secondary school students, fell by about 2 percent annually between 2015 and 2024, while the share of students taking science, technology and math subjects declined to below 75 percent.
The report called for stronger digital education, digital apprenticeships, paid internships and better coordination among industry, government and education providers. ■