New programme to boost numbers of Pacific leaders in public service

Improving the number of Pacific people in senior management positions in the public sector is the premise behind a new programme to be launched by the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and Leadership Development Centre tomorrow.

The inaugural Pacific Senior Managers Leadership Development Programme is designed to provide new skills to meet the challenges and changes of the future, says the Ministry’s Chief Executive Dr Tukuitonga.

‘The leadership programme is a pragmatic and forward-thinking response to the challenge of bolstering the numbers of Pacific peoples in senior management positions.

‘Pacific peoples make up an increasing proportion of New Zealand’s population (7%), but for the last five years at least, the percentage of Pacific people in senior management positions in the public service has remained static and is very low (1.2%). We need a bigger pool of able Pacific applicants in these roles and strategies that encourage Pacific talent to move into training and development.

‘I see this programme as an exciting initiative and am proud to be teamed up with the Leadership Development Centre which has been providing executive training in Wellington since 2003.’

There are five workshops in the programme, running from October 2010 to June 2011. The Leadership Development Centre is running the programme and drawing on its experience with the Maranga Tira programme for Maori managers.

Twenty-one participants have been selected for this year’s programme from government departments and agencies.

What: Opening of Inaugural Pacific Senior Managers Leadership Development Programme

When: 9:00am, Tuesday 5 October 2010

Where: Travelodge, Level 7, 2-6 Gilmer Terrace, Wellington

ENDS

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