ABOUT US

Middle Earth and Professionals Down-under are committed to the building of sustainable development partnerships between the public, private, and voluntary sector to foster the creation of value in the built environment in both the public and private realm.

The promotion of sustainable development is a key element to this ethos and is delivered through the provision of a wide range of professional resource management planning advice and support to the New Zealand planning and development community by Middle Earth Consulting's principal Bruce Hawkins.

We are also keenly aware of the critical human resource constraints within the system imposed by shortages in the supply of relevantly skilled and motivated development professionals.

Hence the vision for the establishment of the temporary professional employment model in New Zealand via “Professionals Down-under” so that skilled and enthusiastic young development professionals from off shore can be encouraged to broaden their personal and professional horizons with a working holiday Down Under.

Through Professionals Down-Under we are

• Committed to sustainable development partnerships between the public, private, and voluntary sector to foster the creation of value in the public and private realm.
• Experienced in recruiting planners in New Zealand (1600 CV’s read, 160 interviews held and 40 staff recruited in the past 5 years).
• Keenly aware of the critical human resource constraints within the system imposed by shortages in the supply of relevantly skilled and motivated development professionals.
• Working in UK in the late 80’s gave an insight into the merits of international exposure to different planning systems environments for the professional development of staff.
• The successful import of two UK arborists to in New Zealand has given insight into the potential of overseas markets to meet some of New Zealand’s needs.
• Experienced town planners from the UK adapt well to the New Zealand system and with a little assistance can quickly come to grips with it.
• Hence the vision for the establishment of the UK temporary professional employment model in New Zealand.
• The vision is to encourage development professionals 30yrs old and under to broaden their personal and professional horizons with a working holiday in the Southern Hemisphere using New Zealand’s reciprocal working holiday visa agreement with the UK, Ireland, USA and Australia.
• While they are here encouraging them to spend some of their time in New Zealand working in their chosen profession.
• For example young British nationals can visit NZ for no more than 2yrs.
• While they are in New Zealand young UK professionals can work here on a temporary basis for no more than 1 yr of that time.
• I have established links with two highly experienced personnel professionals to augment my skills in this area.