Learning and development

Training, workshops and programmes are offered to help you develop your career. We also have over 120 online courses. Development funds are available for individuals and teams.

Learning helps you to develop skills and reach your goals professionally and personally. At Wellington City Council we believe learning is for everyone regardless of your role, work location, or how long you've worked at Council.

We want you to have everything you need to take charge of your career. Our Whare Kura Learning Management System offers over 120 courses, including e-learning, face to face workshops and programmes. You can access this at any time to broaden your skills as part of your wider development.

Annual development funds

As part of how we award and recognise our kaimahi (employees), we provide an individual development fund that covers growth opportunities for high performers. Kaimahi who meet the criteria can apply for up to $4,000 per person.

We also have a development fund to support growth opportunities for our teams. Teams who meet the criteria can apply for up to $5,000 per team.

Leadership development programmes

Our leadership development programmes are designed for us, by us. They define the leadership culture that will allow us to deliver our strategic goals. And they are the promise of an investment in building leadership capability among us all – because we all have a leadership role in some way.

We offer a variety of programmes:

Leading People – is for emerging and early-in-career leaders. It is also for kaimahi who are in roles where influencing people, leading project teams, or showing leadership is a key part of what they do.

Leading Teams – helps new people leaders develop their knowledge to build a high-performing, customer-focused and engaged team. 

Leading Leaders – develops leadership attitudes, behaviours and skills to grow business units and address the strategic and operational issues that impact the Council.

Other development

At times there is the opportunity for Council kaimahi to take part in challenges that are facilitated externally with others from across local government and the public sector.

  • Taituarā Management Challenge is a simulation-based learning and networking programme tackling real local government issues. Participants take part in a one-day, fast-paced, pressure cooker simulation where they get to put their management skills to the test. Working alongside their teammates, kaimahi build a strong team spirit.
  • Smart Seeds is set up for high-performing emerging leaders. It's a challenge for all the Dragon's Den fans out there. Working with a group of professionals from around Wellington, kaimahi come up with an innovative, creative solutions to some of the complex challenges of today. Participants pitch their team’s proposal to a panel of experts in a showcase event.

It's definitely a place to progress and get opportunities for training and learning. I have been on so many courses in the last few years which has helped me to progress to where I am now.

Employee survey, November 2022