Programme Incubator

What it is

Programme Incubator is a ‘grow your own’ workforce development programme.  It introduces health professional role models to students and whānau/family.  The programme is an effective conduit of information to students and whānau on a range of health and wellbeing messages including: primary health, mental health, current health issues and emergency response information.

One of the strategies of Programme Incubator is to introduce students to the ‘touch’ and ‘feel’ of health - familiarising students with the health sector and its various roles.  

Programme Incubator aims to develop a regionally competent and appropriate workforce who are able to understand how to best apply health practices and address community health issues throughout New Zealand. 

This Hawke’s Bay District Health Board initiative supports the following key areas:​

  • awareness of range and depth of careers in the health sector

  • equity in Māori and Pacific staff representation

  • staff shortages and retention issues in rural-based DHBs.

How it works

Students come on site to the Hastings Hospital for three sessions where they meet and engage with a range of health professionals.  There are at least two different health professionals in each session, giving them a broad range of the different options available.  Through stories and experiences from health professionals, students are introduced to the wide range of career options within the health sector while learning valuable health and wellbeing messages. 

Programme Incubator is part of the “grow your own” pipeline at HBDHB, with student engagement starting at intermediate school and continuing through secondary school and into tertiary. 

Work experience opportunities are available for year 13 students which can range from a one-on-one talk with a health professional to a whole day shadowing someone from a chosen department.  

Other annual events managed by HBDHB Programme Incubator are the year 10 & 11 Health Careers Expo, Earn & Learn Expo, year 13 Transition to Tertiary Taster event, and internships (partnering with the Centenary Legacy Trust).

Programme Incubator began in 2007 with one school (Flaxmere College) and has grown over the past 10 years to work with 18 schools in the Hawke’s Bay region:

  • Central Hawke's Bay College
  • Hastings Boys' High School
  • Hastings Christian School
  • Hastings Girls' High School
  • Havelock North High School
  • Iona College
  • Karamu High School
  • Lindisfarne College
  • Napier Boys' High School
  • Napier Girls' High School
  • Sacred Heart College
  • St John's College
  • Tamatea High School
  • Taikura Rudolf Steiner School
  • Taradale High School
  • Wairoa College
  • William Colenso College
  • Woodford House