Answer extracted from the The Otago Opportunity podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How much larger is Dunedin Hospital's inpatients build than the outpatients build?
The inpatients build is approximately five times the size of the outpatients build in terms of floor space and stands 11 stories high. This significantly larger scale creates substantially greater opportunities for workforce placement and training compared to the earlier outpatients phase.
The distinction between the two construction phases matters for workforce planning. The outpatients build, which started three and a half years ago, was the initial phase of the Dunedin Hospital project. The inpatients build, which began in July of the previous year, represents the main expansion—a much larger undertaking in both scope and duration.
As Raymond Clark explains in the episode, this scale difference fundamentally shapes how Workforce Central Dunedin approaches job placement and apprenticeship opportunities. A larger build site with more floors and more complex construction phases means more contract roles, longer-term positions, and greater scope for training entry-level workers in real construction environments.
Training and placement scaled to construction demand
The workforce hub was specifically designed to address shortages identified during the planning stage. When Workforce Central Dunedin was conceptualized in 2017-2018, workforce shortage was identified as one of four critical risks to the hospital build itself. The inpatients phase, being much larger, represents the core opportunity where this risk mitigation strategy could have the greatest impact.
Over the course of the project, the job and skills hub has placed 312 people into employment and trained approximately 1,300 people in various competencies. These numbers reflect not only direct construction roles but also broader supply chain positions and support services needed across such a large build.
The 11-story height of the inpatients build also means extended construction timelines—giving the workforce hub more opportunity to develop local talent through apprenticeships and entry-level placements. The average contract lifespan for contractors on the hospital build runs approximately eight months, providing meaningful, sustained work experiences rather than short-term engagements.
"We put lots of people into jobs that had got nothing to do with construction because there we were and we were working and we needed to do something."
Raymond Clark — Operations Manager, Workforce Central Dunedin. A former primary school teacher who previously worked at the Department of Corrections, Clark has led this unique South Island job and skills hub since its inception, developing placement strategies that extend beyond direct construction roles to serve the broader ecosystem of the hospital build.
Discover more detail about the specific metrics and long-term impact of this initiative by listening to the full conversation with Raymond Clark, which covers how social procurement rules and government funding have enabled this workforce strategy in Dunedin.
See also
What awards and recognition has Workforce Central Dunedin received?
Workforce Central Dunedin won an award from Kuma, a Māori business collective, for being their best business partner. The organization has also earned recognition as a finalist in other industry awards for its work in workforce development and community engagement.
How many people has Workforce Central Dunedin placed into employment and trained?
Over five and a half years of operation, with three and a half years active on the hospital build, Workforce Central Dunedin has placed 312 people into employment and trained approximately 1,300 people in various skills and competencies.
What pastoral care and mental health services does Workforce Central Dunedin provide on site?
Workforce Central Dunedin provides a workplace nurse who visits once weekly to screen workers for blood pressure, eye testing, and muscle pain. The organization also offers broader pastoral care and mental health support services to ensure worker wellbeing on site.