Hawke's Bay DHB takes out top EEO Trust award

A programme that gives secondary-school students hands-on experience of health careers to encourage them into the sector has taken the top prize in the EEO Trust Work & Life Awards 2011.

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board won the Supreme Award for Programme Incubator, which engages teenagers with health workers and the jobs they do in a bid to encourage them into the skill-short sector. Students of Māori and Pacific Island heritage are a particular focus, as the DHB wants to build a health workforce more representative of its community.

The programme uses a lively mix of resources, visiting speakers and field trips. Students take part in activities such as listening to each other’s hearts and lungs, taking each other’s blood pressure and handling instruments.

Programme Incubator Manager Wynn Schollum says doctors, nurses and other health workers readily volunteer their services. “The collective approach is what makes it magic.”

Dr Philippa Reed, EEO Trust Chief Executive and one of five Awards judges, says Programme Incubator is an effective way to inspire today’s teenagers to become tomorrow’s health professionals. “The DHB is aware the current talent shortage is only going to worsen, and it’s taken a proactive, teenage-friendly and long-term stance to moulding our future health workforce.”

Hawke’s Bay DHB piloted Programme Incubator in 2007 at decile 1A Flaxmere College; 18 schools in the region plus the New Zealand Correspondence School are now involved. A total of 72 students from last year’s intake are now pursuing health-related tertiary study. The programme has been extended to five other DHBs, involving 16 other schools.

The EEO Trust Work & Life Awards, now in their 14th year, celebrate organisations that actively invest in their businesses by investing in their workforce. The Awards attracted more than 45 entries, and were celebrated by 400 people tonight at an Auckland War Memorial Museum dinner. Hon. Hekia Parata, Minister for Ethnic Affairs and Minister of Women's Affairs, presented the Awards.

Hawke’s Bay DHB took the top award after winning its category, Tomorrow’s Workforce, which celebrates innovative responses to future labour-force challenges.

Highly commended in Tomorrow’s Workforce was accounting and consulting firm Deloitte, for its effective use of social marketing tools in graduate recruitment.

The Skills Highway Award, supported by the Department of Labour, celebrates workplaces that can demonstrate how helping improve their employees’ reading, writing, maths and communication skills has improved business outcomes. The winner was Auckland firm Cardinal Logistics, which backed ambitious expansion plans with an ambitious – and highly successful – investment in staff upskilling. Highly commended was roading and infrastructure company Stevenson Group, which gave its employees tools to lift their communication skills.

The Diversity Award celebrates organisations making the most of their diverse workforces and went to Bupa Care Services for its Personal Best training programme that helps staff see life through residents’ and clients’ eyes. Highly commended in this category was North Harbour yoghurt manufacturer EasiYo Products, where the diversity of the company’s export market is reflected in the diversity of its workforce.

The Work & Life Award celebrates organisations creating environments in which people have flexibility and autonomy to meet their work commitments and their out-of-work responsibilities. The winner is URS New Zealand for an approach that allows staff great independence in managing their workloads. SKYCITY Auckland was highly commended for its Connect service, which helps support the company’s large, multicultural and largely young team.

The Walk the Talk Award goes to a leader who exemplifies excellence in managing a diverse workforce. Kevin Hatley of the Learning Support Centre at Wellington’s
Newlands College won for an approach that inspires students and parents – and ensures disabled employees’ talent is not overlooked.

The story videos from last night's awards ceremony are on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/eeotrust

EEO Trust Work & Life Awards 2011 – winners and entrants

Supreme Award
Hawke’s Bay District Health Board

Tomorrow’s Workforce
Winner: Hawke's Bay District Health Board
Highly commended: Deloitte
AUT University (two entries)
Department of Corrections
Framework
Immigration New Zealand
Spectrum Care
Vodafone New Zealand

Skills Highway
Winner: Cardinal Logistics
Highly commended: Stevenson Group
Framework
Snap Fresh Foods
Spicers Paper

Diversity Award
Winner: Bupa Care Services
Highly commended: EasiYo Products
Blueprint for Learning
Canterbury Business Association
EnZed PC Services
Giltrap Prestige
Microsoft New Zealand
Learning Support Centre, Newlands College
The National Foundation for the Deaf Inc

Work & Life Award
Winner: URS New Zealand
Highly commended: SKYCITY Auckland
Auckland Regional Dental Services
Dispute Resolution Services
Hamilton City Council
Harbour Sport
Kiwibank
Lyndale Liners
Mars New Zealand
Pukekohe Resthome
Turuki Healthcare
Vodafone New Zealand
Westpac
World Vision New Zealand
YES Disability Resource Centre
YWCA Auckland

Walk the Talk Award
Winner: Kevin Hatley, Newlands College
Assoc. Prof. Pare Keiha, AUT University
Dianne Das, Computers in Homes
Gay Barton, Drake New Zealand
Jill Greathead, EnZed PC Services
Kerri Thompson, ANZ New Zealand
Lindsay Zwart, Microsoft New Zealand
Louise Carroll, The National Foundation for the Deaf Inc
Sonia Thursby, YES Disability Resource Centre