28 November 2011 It's about securing a future

As Canterbury's high school students make the decision about their future, the recent events in the region have given them another factor to consider: what will this region look like as the rebuild progresses and, importantly, what opportunities remain for staying to help shape that future? 

Likewise, employers need to know what the areas of need will be - and where they are going to find the specialists to fill the roles of the future. What skills will their workforce need?

What industry will we be dependent on to drive the region forward?  Construction and physically rebuilding our spaces?  Agribusiness?  IT? Where are the shortages now and where will they be in the future?

Lincoln University is New Zealand's specialist land-based university.  What this means is that staff and students - current, past and future - have a specialist role to play in how we use our land.  'Land-based' is used in the broadest sense and expertise exists not just in the realm of developmental and sustainable 'farming' - for which the University is well-known - but also in landscape architecture, commerce, software & IT, viticulture & oenology, social science, tourism, commercialisation of products, sports & recreation, world-leading research, pest-control, best practice on farm, plant and soil science and many more.  

Guests on 1 December will hear from a number of expert speakers from within the University as well as outside, as they look at the workforce trends, where tomorrow's employees will come from to do the jobs that we need doing here in Canterbury and further afield, and what the University's specialists are already involved in.  
Speakers will commerce at 6.00pm in the Landscape Architecture Building, Lincoln University campus (park in Orchard Carpark - gate 3 - off Springs Road). 

• Professor Roger Field, Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University
• Steve Wakefield, GM of Economic Recovery, CERA
• Simon Worthington, Workforce Strategist, Canterbury Development Corporation
• Professor Caroline Saunders, Agribusiness and Economic Research Unit, Lincoln University
• Dr Sam Carrick, Soil Scientist, Landcare Research
• Neil Challenger, School of Landscape Architecture, Lincoln University
• Dr Suzanne Vallance, Faculty of Environment, Society and Design, Lincoln University

The evening is open to all interested parties and media are very welcome to attend.  If you have special requirements around recording/filming set up please contact Tafflyn Bradford-James on 027 44 11 493 or tafflyn.bradford-james@lincoln.ac.nz prior to 2pm Thursday 1 December.