Future Auckland Leaders Profile:  Ian Scott

I was lucky to work for the Committee for Auckland in the capacity of Programme Manager. Even luckier, the programmes I ran were a product of the Future Auckland Leaders programme. I was employed by OMEGA – Opportunities for Migrant Employment in Greater Auckland. OMEGA supported job-ready, experienced and capable professionals who had relocated to Auckland and who had been granted the right to work.  The programmes helped them to connect to the labour market.  This was the brainchild of a previous FAL cohort and I ran the mentoring and internship programmes. 

OMEGA started shortly before the GFC, so the timing was less than ideal for people who were new to the market and who were competing for jobs with established talent. Immigration was at an historic high and the number of job opportunities was declining rapidly as the financial crisis worsened.  The Auckland business community really stepped up and we matched over 350 people to corporate mentors and placed 15 plus people into paid internships.  These programmes helped new migrants who were unemployed and underemployed (typically in low-wage economy jobs such as taxi drivers, cleaners and labourers) into roles more aligned to their professional skills and capabilities.  I am very proud to have been involved with OMEGA, and of the dedicated team who worked so hard to support these new Kiwis and to enable them to bring their skills, knowledge and expertise to our City. 

Today, I am the General Manager of Client Solutions for Randstad, the world’s largest recruitment and HR services company. I lead our commercial engagements, our operational compliance and support and, as a member of our EDI&B committee, I lead the Māori and Pasifika engagement pillar. My experience of FAL, and my continued exposure to the work of the Committee for Auckland, supports me greatly in my role as a business and civic leader. The intellectual property contained within the Committee members, FAL alumni and the wider networks are incomparable and are critical to the future growth and health of our largest city, Tāmaki Makaurau. I feel privileged to be a part of the Committee whanau and remain fully supportive of the organisation’s goals.