Job Lab: Pop Up Employment Lab
Site-Specific Activation and Economic Capacity Building Project
Emerging out of AwhiWorld’s Strandlab innovation initiative, Joblab was a pilot CBD activation and recruitment project in Feb 2020 co-created by AwhiWorld, NorthChamber and Ministry of Social Development and events company Snap Events.
Joblab was a pop-up installation that turned empty shops in The Strand Shopping Centre (Whangarei CBD) into a recruitment and employment showcase for Te Tai Tokerau.
Employers and training providers had multiple opportunities to showcase their businesses, connect with potential employees and generate course participants via seminars, job matching and an expo area. Jobseekers attended seminars and interviewed for roles with a number of them placed into training or jobs at the end of the month.
Industry sectors showcased included:
- Week 1 3-7 February – Focus on retail, hospitality, administration, aged care
- Week 2 10-14 February – Focus on NZ Services
- Week 3 17-21 February – Focus on civil construction and trades
- Week 4 24-28 February – Focus on primary industries and creative technologies
Joblab was yet another innovative project activating Whangarei’s CBD and supporting the spirit of place. It was resourced by all partners who provided either direct finance (in the case of MSD), staff, or in-kind hours. For more information, videos and images go to the JobLab Facebook Page
