Tech: NZ’s fastest growing employer?

New Zealand’s tech sector has seen a surge in hiring, with local companies Vend and Raygun announcing close to 200 new roles this year, as both companies prepare for global growth.

With over 2,830 jobs created in 2017, an estimated 3,200 in 2018, and a growing number in 2019, technology is the fastest growing sector within New Zealand.

NZTech CEO Graeme Muller says growth in the tech industry is gaining momentum, as NZ technology firms see growing success overseas.

“The NZ tech sector continues to grow at a rapid pace creating new jobs faster than any other part of the economy. All parts of the tech sector are growing, from software as a service, hi-tech manufacturing, agritech, healthtech to fintech. We are seeing growth in exporting and an increasing demand for people with great digital skills.” 

Auckland-based point-of-sale software company, Vend, credits its current recruitment drive of 125 new staff, to being on the cutting edge of retail technology and having an innovative best-in-class software platform, which is leading to exponential market growth. While Wellington software company Raygun has announced 70 new roles to service its increasing growth and success in the US. 

“We’re always on the lookout for amazing engineers; we’ve got a genuinely world-class technology stack and a fantastic team who build and run our systems, right here in Aotearoa. It’s a privilege to be contributing towards the massive growth of NZ’s tech sector by providing truly career defining opportunities for people,” says Vend’s Chief Engineering Officer, Ben Gracewood (pictured above)

According to the Digital Nation Report, written by the Digital Skills Forum, ICT accounted for $16.2 billion of GDP in 2015, and makes up 9% of the economy, employing almost 100,000 people. The report also highlighted a significant skill shortage, noting that in 2017, 14,000 new jobs were created in the tech sector, yet only 5,090 students graduated from computer science or information technology studies the year prior.

WellingtonNZ spokesperson Matthieu Carrere, says there is a significant shortage of IT skills in New Zealand in what is a rapidly growing market, and internships are becoming increasingly important to keep up with the growth.

“We are seeing an emerging trend of Business-to-Business and Software-as-a-Service technology companies, who have clear market propositioning, scale. We are here to help support these companies with their growth and commend technology companies who are taking on interns and encouraging the next generation into technology roles.”

Raygun CEO, John-Daniel Trask (pictured below) says encouraging the next generation of New Zealanders into technology is becoming extremely important and equipping them for today’s roles is necessary for the industry.

“We’re seeing a need for more young people to come into the industry. The future is going to be filled with more and more tech jobs, so teaching and encouraging technology throughout our children’s education will be important. As an industry we need to make sure we tell our story and show that NZ tech is an exciting industry to be a part of – taking on the world from right here in New Zealand.” 

Raygun are advocates of internships and provide training and development opportunities through programs such as Summer of Tech, Summer of Biz, Enspiral Dev Academy and school programs that teach New Zealand children about technology.

There are currently roles available at both Raygun and Vend.