What makes Christchurch great?
Competitive Workforce
Skilled, cost-effective, stable
The Canterbury region had 521,832 people in the most recent census (2006), an increase of 8.4% since the census in 2001 and a bigger increase than the national figure (7.8%).
The biggest urban centre in the region, Christchurch City, has 348,435 people, around two-thirds of the region’s population. Neighbouring districts had recorded very high population growth between the two censuses. The district reflected these new commuter areas by collaborating to produce the Greater Christchurch urban Development Strategy and Action Plan (UDS) in 2007.
Visit the UDS website for more information.
40.5 percent of people in Christchurch (aged over 15 years) have a post-school qualification, compared with 39.9 percent nationally. A higher proportion of Christchurch workers are professional or technicians and trade workers (20 and 13 percent respectively, compared to 19 and 12 percent respectively nationally).
Education is important to New Zealanders with total public expenditure on education at 7.1 percent of GDP (2004; compared with USA 6.1 percent, Canada 5.9 percent, United Kingdom 5.6 percent and Australia 5.1 percent).1
There are currently 26,532 people (EFTs) engaged in formal study in Christchurch, with 547 PhD students and 3,185 studying at postgraduate level, 2,059 of which are in engineering, a particular strength for the city.2
Average hourly compensation costs for all employees in manufacturing for New Zealand were US$19.19, compared with US$30.56 (US), US$31.91 (Canada), US$34.75 (Australia) and US$36.66 (UK).3
Average weekly earnings in Canterbury in 2007 were $NZ785, compared to the national average of $820 and $874 in Auckland and $985 in Wellington. Average mean quarterly earnings in Canterbury in 2007 were $10,1204, compared to averages of $12,170 (Auckland), $10,170 (Waikato), $12,230 (Wellington) and a national average of $10,913.
Salary and wage rates (excluding overtime) make up 81% of total labour costs. Other add-ons include overtime payments, annual leave and statutory holidays, superannuation, Accident Compensation Commission premiums, motor vehicles available for private use, medical insurance and low interest loans.5
Worker turnover in Christchurch is also below the national average with 16.9% quarterly turnover in 2007 (compared to 17.6%) indicating lower recruitment costs for firms and more experienced employees. Worker turnover is also low in the Canterbury region, especially in agriculture, forestry and fishing, mining, electricity, gas, water and waste services and construction, where turnover levels were 88%, 91% and 91% of the national averages for those sectors especially.6
As a multicultural city, Christchurch is able to experience the benefits of diversity with 20.8% of citizens born overseas according to the 2006 census. This compares to the OED average of 10.2%.7
Since 2000 the city has been home to around 7000 new long term permanent arrivals.
Footnotes:
1 http://www.investmentnz.govt.nz/section/14339.aspx
2 Tertiary Education Commission-Regional facilitation 2009 CD Rom
3 United States Department of Labor: International Comparisons of Hourly Compensation Costs in manufacturing,
2007
4 http://www.stats.govt.nz/infoshare/SelectVariables.aspx?pxID=595e938a-1028-44f4-907e-de67749fa1cc
5 http://www.stats.govt.nz/products-and-services/hot-off-the-press/labour-cost-index-all-labour-costs/
all-labour-costs-jun08-hotp.htm?page=para004Master
6http://www.stats.govt.nz/infoshare/SelectVariables.aspx?pxID=595e938a-1028-44f4-907e-de67749fa1cc
7 http://www.stats.govt.nz/NR/rdonlyres/1109CE41-1A64-402F-B19C-99050FF39B8D/0/Immigration.pdf
What else makes Christchurch great?
- Research capabilities - universities, polytech, research facilities
- Transport - access for people and goods in and out x 24/7
- Telecommunications - virtually unlimited bandwidth
- Resource availability - plentiful, clean, reliable
- Lifestyle - diverse, accessible, fun!
Underpinned by much more...