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Monday, 23 January 2023

The diversity of Aotearoa

It is time to update some of Aotearoa's diversity statistics (original posts are here) which show the make up of Aotearoa New Zealand, while noting that this year (2023) is a census year; so by late this year or early 2024, we will have statistics which are five years closer to today. 

The 2018 census and other statistics suggests that Aotearoa is consists of:

  1. Over 5 million of us: and between 2013 and 2018, our population increased 10.8% (Statistics New Zealand, 2018) 
  2. 17% Māori; 15% Asian, 8% Pasifika, 2% other, and the remainder Pākehā (Statistics New Zealand, 2019) 
  3. 51% female and 49% male (Statistics New Zealand, 2019)
  4. 18% with a bachelor's degree or higher from a range of disciplines; 17% with diplomas or certificates (this may include trades); 30% with a secondary qualification; 19% with no quals; and 17% that doesn't seem to be counted anywhere but may be tradespeople if they are not in the cert/dip group (Statistics New Zealand, 2013)
  5. Socially we span a range of backgrounds with 6% in Socio-economic status 1 (the 'upper' class); 6% in 2; 28% in 3; 21% in 4; 19% in 5 and 20% in 6 (Statistics NZ, 2006a)
  6. 27% born overseas, 73% born in New Zealand (Statistics New Zealand, 2019)
  7. We are getting older as a nation: our median age is 37.4 years (Statistics New Zealand, 2019). Ages with 50% over 42 years of age and 50% under 42; broken down into 18% 15-24, 41% 25-44, 38% 45-64, 8% 65+ (EEO Trust, 2012) 
  8. 16% with differing disabilities (Statistics New Zealand, 2006b) 
Women - who are a majority: a 'major minority' (Statistics New Zealand, 2019) - do not tend to identify with mathematics or science, which appears to be a key driver in limiting entry into the engineering fields, with American women making up "45% of the work force, yet only 16% of scientists and engineers" (Osborn & Zunker, 2016, p. 69; Betz, 1997). 

These statistics seem to be similar in New Zealand, along with Māori and Pasifika peoples also being under-represented in science and engineering. Where New Zealand is different to the US is that 60% of the law graduates in Aotearoa are women (New Zealand Law Society, 2020), and 45% of doctors (Medical Council of New Zealand, 2017). Doctors of Māori ethnicity are also increasing, with 16% of graduates identifying as Māori, up almost 4% on 2016. Further, women doctors are expected to outnumber men in 2015 (Medical Council of New Zealand, 2017).

It is good to see the shifts to a clearly more multi-cultural society. 


Sam

References:

Betz, N. E., & Hackett, G. (1997). Applications of self-efficacy theory to the career assessment of women. Journal of Career Assessment, 5(4), 383-402. https://doi.org/10.1177/106907279700500402

Consedine, R. (2012). Anti-racism and Treaty of Waitangi activism - Government and community anti-racism organisations, for Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 15 November 2012. http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/document/26683/race-relations-brochures

EEO Trust. (2012). Workforce Demographic Trends. http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/content/docs/reports/FINAL%20Workforce%20Demographic%20Trends%202012.doc

Medical Council of New Zealand. (2017). The New Zealand Medical Workforce in 2017. https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Publications/Workforce-Survey/c3f49fa2d2/Workforce-Survey-Report-2017.pdf

New Zealand Law Society (2020). By the numbers. https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/law-society-services/women-in-the-legal-profession/by-the-numbers#:~:text=Over%2060%25%20of%20law%20graduates,or%20directors%20in%20those%20firms

Osborn, D. S., & Zunker, V. G. (2016). Using Assessment Results for Career Development (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Statistics New Zealand. (2019). New Zealand as a village of 100 people: 2018 Census. https://www.stats.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Infographics/New-Zealand-as-a-village-of-100-people-2018-Census/new-zealand-village-of-100-people-2018-census.pdf

Statistics New Zealand. (2013). New Zealand Census 2013. http://archive.stats.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/profile-and-summary-reports/quickstats-about-national-highlights/cultural-diversity.aspx

Statistics New Zealand. (2006a). New Zealand socio-economic index 2006. http://archive.stats.govt.nz/~/media/Statistics/surveys-and-methods/methods/research-papers/nz-socio-economic-index-2006/nz-socio-economic-index-2006.pdf

Statistics New Zealand (2006b). Disability Status By Place of Residence, Age Group, Sex and Ethnic Group, 2006. http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/modalexports.aspx?exporttype=excel&FisrtDataPointIndexPerPage=&SubSessionId=6b20dd2f-aa09-44f4-9566-8f580ab9cc35&Random=0.7374431257710761

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