On 15 May, NEXT Park × High 5 Cafe series was successfully held at NEXT Park in Auckland, New Zealand. This session, themed “Working Together with MSD to Build Stronger Businesses & Communities,” was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), including Kinnart Trivedi, Lito Ombao (Regional Labour Market Advisors, Auckland), and Tess (Work Broker, Auckland). The MSD team shared the latest government resources and services available to support business growth and workforce development. The event was moderated by Andy Liu, Deputy Secretary-General of the NEXT Federation, Executive Secretary-General of the NZ China Commerce & Innovation Hubs and host of the High 5 Cafe series.
The discussion focused on practical workforce challenges faced by businesses, including recruitment, talent matching, workforce planning, and employee transitions. The MSD team shared how MSD helps businesses build stronger workforces through tailored workforce solutions, supporting employers to develop resilient and sustainable teams while responding to changing labour market needs.
With one of the country’s largest talent pools, the presentation showcased how MSD is supporting sustainable growth and creating opportunities that benefit both businesses and communities. Through employment coaching, skills training, job matching services, and employer support programmes, MSD continues to connect employers with job seekers and strengthen workforce participation across New Zealand.
During the interactive discussion session, business representatives shared experiences and raised questions relating to recruitment challenges, skills shortages, workforce training, and available government support. The exchange generated strong interest and engagement, with many participants noting that the session provided valuable insights into MSD’s workforce services and offered practical ideas to support future recruitment and talent development strategies.
NEXT Park × High 5 Cafe will continue to provide an open and professional platform for exchange and collaboration through its “Space + Incubation + Investment” model, connecting high-quality resources and promoting cross-sector cooperation across industry, assets, and capital.
The platform looks forward to engaging with more partners in the future to explore new opportunities and support innovation, investment, and sustainable growth.
For more information, please visit: www.nextpark.nz
New Zealand China Commerce & Inno Hubs
NZ China Commerce & Inno Hubs is a bilateral innovation initiative launched in 2025, led by NEXT Park in partnership with NEXT Federation, China Silk Road Development Capital Management Co., Ltd., Belt and Road Service Connections, TUS Holdings (GBA), and other partners.
Positioned around “Two Countries, Multiple Parks, Seamless Connectivity,” the initiative builds an innovation park network across key cities in New Zealand and China, delivering an integrated “Space + Incubation + Investment” platform.
The Hubs supports technology commercialization, cross-border incubation, and investment collaboration, fostering a connected and mutually beneficial NZ–China innovation ecosystem.