Matthews Eyecare has recruited two optical assistants through the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) Flexi-wage scheme.

The first candidate was recruited in the Waikato region back in December 2021 and the second in the Tasman region in April 2022. Both are progressing in their roles and are now permanent staff, said Matthews’ human resources manager Sarah Brown, adding her experience dealing with MSD/Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) has been nothing but positive. “I was already aware of the scheme and have used it in previous roles, but quite a lot of work has been done to promote optics as a career path. This is a wonderful mechanism that MSD has to support employment initiatives.”

By offering a wage subsidy for the first 24 weeks, the scheme removes some of the concern from the recruitment process, Brown said. “What I like about the scheme is it de-risks the recruitment and makes an employer more open to move forward with a candidate they otherwise might not have considered. The scheme changes depending on what the government perceives as a priority; currently, it’s about getting young people into jobs providing a long-term career path.”

Brown said she found WINZ easy and flexible to work with. “Their process is straightforward, they’re very responsive and they make it simple. I was expecting it to be more bureaucratic, but it was really very easy.” Another bonus is WINZ offers advice to help a new team member settle into the workplace, she said. If there is an issue, WINZ can get involved to support both the employer and employee.

Although the employer doesn’t have to commit to continue beyond the 24 weeks, Matthews wouldn’t use the scheme for short-term requirements, she said. “The intention of the programme is getting people into long-term employment and that’s how I like to use it.” Brown now intends to investigate if WINZ will agree to support the hired optical assistants to enrol for the certificate level IV in optical dispensing later than the stated 24-week cut-off period. “We already have people lined up to do the certificate course, so we couldn’t put them through straight away. They need to wait their turn. But if we could access the support when they’re ready, it would be very useful.”

The Flexi-wage scheme is helping to build awareness of optics as a career option for people, Brown said. “I’d really encourage independents to consider using it. It’s a great way for a small practice to manage the risk of giving someone an opportunity.”

For more, see: www.workandincome.govt.nz/employers/subsidies-training-and-other-help/flexi-wage.html