Wellington Hire Wire - Issue Seven
Hello from Ailsa and Beccy,
This month’s Hire Wire is all about why buying local matters for your business, your team, and the community you work in.
We’ve recently joined the Buy NZ Made programme, officially putting our name to something we’ve believed in since day one. Keeping jobs, skills, and wages in our own backyard.
Josh has also been flying the flag for local hiring on a national stage, representing Key Skills at the RCSA’s inaugural Recruitment & Staffing Summit at the Beehive. It’s a big deal to have labour hire in the room where industry policy and priorities are being discussed.
And instead of just talking about the day-to-day, we’re taking a look at the “broader outcomes” piece of the puzzle. What tenders are really asking for, and how Key Skills is already delivering them.
In this issue:
Buy NZ Made - Why choosing local matters more than ever
From the Beehive to the building site - Josh on taking the local hiring message to the top
Broader Outcomes - What they mean, and how Key Skills delivers them
Thanks for backing us - and for backing local.
Ailsa & Beccy
Got something to add? A trend you’re seeing on site or in the office? We’d love to hear it. Send it through to wellingtonhirewire@substack.com.
Why choosing local matters more than ever
In construction, engineering, and manufacturing, timelines are tight and margins are thin. It’s tempting to pick the cheapest option or the biggest brand. But in labour hire, local often means better.
Local businesses are serving your community. They’re part of it. Same traffic. Same sports sidelines. Same weather warnings. They know your patch because they live and work here too.
At Key Skills, that local connection means faster turnarounds, better matches, and fewer headaches. We don’t send “a body”, we send the right person.
Why local works
Labour hire sounds simple. Call a recruiter, get a worker. But the difference between filling a shift and filling it well comes down to understanding your site, your crew, your safety rules, and your standards.
The recruiters best placed to do that are usually just down the road. In the last six months, we’ve had temps on site within hours, supplied pre-inducted staff for urgent ramp-ups, and placed tradies who live five minutes away. That’s the power of a local network.
The Buy NZ Services mark
The Kiwi-in-the-triangle logo you know from locally made products now applies to services too. It means:
Local: NZ-owned, operating here, and contributing to our economy.
Verified: You have to meet strict criteria to use it.
Clear: It’s your quick way to tell you’re dealing with a genuine local.
Key Skills is proud to be Buy NZ Services approved, Māori-owned, and Amotai-registered. That means when you work with us, your spend supports local jobs, local families, and local growth.
Buying local isn’t just feel-good marketing - it’s smart business. Shorter lead times, stronger relationships, and a recruiter who knows your name.
If you need labour hire in Wellington or the Hutt, we’d love to work with you.
Read more about choosing local here
From the Beehive to the building site
Last month, Josh swapped steel caps for a suit and headed to Parliament.
The RCSA’s industry summit at the Beehive brought recruiters face-to-face with MPs, Ministers, MBIE, and MSD to talk about the big issues - immigration policy, workforce regulation, AI, productivity, and getting more people into work, especially those who’ve been overlooked.
Josh made sure Wellington’s local hiring perspective was heard. The reality of “skills shortages” looks very different when you’re talking about real crews on real sites.
But if the Beehive was the view from the top, the site is the reality on the ground. Quoted in The Kākā, Josh said the last six months have been the toughest of his career, with so many people leaving the construction industry.
What’s different this time? Usually, when private work slows down, public investment steps in. This time, the Government has “pulled the pin” on everything, especially Kāinga Ora, leaving no safety net. Some industry veterans say it’s as bad as the early ‘90s.
It’s a big gap between the speeches and the scaffolding. But the conversations Josh had at the Beehive matter. They’re how we push for the right policy levers from immigration settings to public investment to keep our local workforce working and ready for the next upswing.
How Key Skills delivers broader outcomes
If you’ve seen a tender lately, you’ve probably noticed the phrase “broader outcomes.” It’s the bit that asks what else you bring to the table apart from just bodies on site. On paper, it’s about social value, sustainability, and community impact. In practice, it’s about whether the job leaves the community better off once the cones are gone.
That’s where Key Skills already plays. It’s not an extra box to tick. It’s how we work.
Keeping it local
We’ve had calls at 7am needing cover fast. Because we know our people and where they live, we’ve placed workers on site within the hour, sometimes before morning tea. That’s not just filling a shift. It’s money staying in the community, crews that keep moving, and less wasted time.
That’s why being Māori-owned, Amotai-registered, and holding the Buy NZ Services mark matters. Every booking with us backs New Zealand jobs and families.
Why Amotai matters
Getting accredited with Amotai took proof that we genuinely back Māori and Pasifika workers and suppliers. For clients, it means you’re meeting procurement targets many tenders now demand. If your RFP mentions “supplier diversity” or “social procurement,” you’ve got a credible answer just by working with us.
Better work for more people
Some of our best placements aren’t the obvious picks. Women who turn up and outwork the crew. Older tradies who mentor apprentices. Career-changers who bring hustle. When sites look past stereotypes, they get crews that are stronger, fairer, and better balanced.
Culture and respect
Being Māori-owned shapes how we treat people. We value relationships over transactions. We stay connected, check in, and make sure temps feel like part of the team. When people feel respected, crews work better and sites run smoother.
Working smarter
We place people close to home whenever we can. It cuts fuel, stress, and travel time — small changes that add up. We also support clients to reuse gear sensibly, saving money and reducing waste.
What this means for you
Tender documents call it “non-price attributes.” We call it how we do business. With Key Skills, you get more than skilled labour. You get proof that your project is delivering for the community and the client.
Because the best projects aren’t just finished on time and on budget. They’re the ones people look back on and say: that made this place better.
Need hiring support? Key Skills is here to help - let’s talk.