Tech Week ready to help

Interested in how tech can help with plants, unsure what an NFT is or just keen to find out how to rent eBooks and movies from the library?

Northland’s Tech Week has you covered. Techweek22 is a national celebration of tech and innovation presented by NZTech from May 16 to 22.

NZTech is a not-for-profit membership organisation whose purpose is to connect, promote and advance tech ecosystems and help the economy grow to create a prosperous digital nation.

The week showcases and celebrates Kiwi innovation with a mix of live, virtual and hybrid events, to give all of us access to the brightest tech minds in Aotearoa.

Graeme Muller, chief executive of NZTech, the organisers behind Techweek22, says the festival is critical for the New Zealand tech industry.

‘‘Our digital technology sector is one of the fastest-growing parts of our economy. It generates billions of dollars in exports and creates thousands of jobs each year. Yet, despite this exciting growth, we have a skills shortage in the industry,’’ Muller says.

‘‘This results from a lack of local training and a drop in skilled migrants coming from overseas. Techweek aims to encourage participation and inspire Kiwis to learn, adopt and hopefully consider tech as a career.’’

This year’s theme is Connect for a better tomorrow – Hono mai e whai hua ai ā taihoa, and Muller says there are significant economic opportunities for New Zealand if we make the tech industry a focus

‘‘Kiwis have always been good at solving problems. Using the same old No 8 wire thinking, we are now seeing code and algorithms being used in innovative ways that improve people’s lives in New Zealand and around the world,’’ Muller says.

‘‘We just need to develop our rangatahi with the skills to take us to the next level. There’s no reason New Zealand can’t be seen globally as a tech hub.’’

He says it’s essential for Kiwis to know that the tech industry offers a wide variety of career options.

‘‘Tech isn’t about coding in a dark room. There are jobs for everyone across a range of disciplines – communications, the arts, science, medicine, education, and music.’’

This year’s programme includes events that help Kiwis embrace tech within their existing businesses – from transforming everyday systems like accounting to learning what skills to look for when hiring for a digital future.

Techweek22 is on from May 16 to 22 with more than 330 events happening across the country.

In Northland, events are schedule from Kaitaia to Whangarei. Find the event to suit you at techweek.co.nz.