Bay jobseekers with a disability are struggling to get employment - despite their skillsets. Photo / Getty Images
The Bay of Plenty Times is taking a look back at some of the memorable stories of 2021 that featured in Money. Here's what made headlines from January to April.
January 23
The idea of retiring at 65 has become "old-fashioned" as more people continue to work past retirement age in the Bay of Plenty.
Stats NZ estimates about 16,300 people in the Bay aged 65-plus are still employed - up from 12,300 in the September 2019 quarter. However, finding a new job at retirement age wasn't easy.
Commission for Financial Capability retirement commissioner Jane Wrightson said retirement was about choice.
But The Staffroom Ltd Tauranga director Jill Cachemaille said it was difficult for candidates in the 65-plus age group to find employment.
"Childcare could be a good option, handyman and caretaking can be suitable for physically fit people. Perhaps a bakery or food preparation might be another option. Retail would be ideal where the value of customer service is appreciated."
January 30
Some buyers desperate to get on the property ladder are offering $20,000 to $30,000 more than the asking price and a record jump in loan applications has caused bottlenecks with the banks.
Chris Rapson, owner of Rapson Loans and Finance, said it was flat out and it was taking twice as long to get loans processed.
Ownit Rotorua manager and registered financial adviser Hayley Hubbard said some loan applications that would normally take five days ''are taking 10 days just to get looked at''.
Kiwibank borrowing and investments manager Richie McLay said application volumes in the past six months are up 7 per cent on the year before.
February 6
The Western Bay of Plenty is expected to have 25,000 new jobs by 2038 with experts predicting strong growth this year despite Covid-19. Horticulture, agriculture, building, construction and IT are just some industries tipped to employ more people while experts say the rebound has been strong.
1st Call Recruitment managing director Phil van Syp said it had its best year last year ''which is just crazy''.
Priority One chief executive Nigel Tutt said most of its business members were insulated from the bad effects of the pandemic last year and there was business growth across many sectors.
February 13
Heavyweights in the trades say a broad-brush approach to the Government's apprenticeship scheme is draining funds that should go to sectors hardest hit by the skilled labour shortage.
Plumbers, electricians and building representatives were also concerned people were training for the wrong reasons or employers were using them as cheap labour.
But the Ministry of Education said the Apprenticeship Boost was designed to help employers retain and take on new apprentices.
BCITO provides training across 15 trades and has 1500 active apprentices in the Bay of Plenty including 660 in Tauranga and 190 in Rotorua.
Chief executive Toby Beaglehole said it was great to see more employers taking on apprentices.
February 27
Kiwifruit packhouses are offering workers more money and flexible shifts in a desperate effort to avoid a labour crisis as another record-breaking harvest looms.
Packhouses spoken to by NZME are offering major incentives - including flexibility across shifts alongside roles that could lead to fulltime employment.
Starting rates will be $22.10 an hour compared with last year's average hourly packhouse rates of $19 to $20.
EastPack chief executive Hamish Simson said about 3200 seasonal jobs were available and the company had ''tried to make a bit of noise around the opportunities''.
March 13
Millions of dollars of international student revenue has been stripped from language providers in the Bay - causing job losses and pushing some centres to the brink.
Rotorua English Language Academy principal Chris Leckie said the academy would have closed without government funding and would lose $900,000 in tuition fees and $200,000 in homestay fees this year.
Aspire2 International Tauranga Campus manager Poonam Khirsariya said it had to downsize and would see further staff reductions to match falling international student numbers.
But Education Minister Chris Hipkins said it was not possible to predict precisely when additional international students would be approved for entry.
April 3
Workplace discrimination and Covid has meant Bay jobseekers with a disability are struggling to get employment - despite their skillsets.
The Government has introduced a Working Matters Action Plan to ensure disabled people and those with health conditions have an equal opportunity to access employment.
However, Workbridge chief executive Jonathan Mosen said discrimination was a"huge problem".
CCS Disability Action Bay of Plenty service manager Paula Young said disabled people make great employees and bring many benefits to employers and the workplace. "They just need the opportunity to do so."
'We have been very patient, but our patience is at an end,' says firefighter.
