Erin Simpson has an extensive career in the Horticulture sector starting in the 1980s. His experience gives him a robust and insightful understanding of the skills needed by employees and employers to be effective in the workforce of tomorrow. He is passionate about ensuring skills and training today are agile, adaptable, and fit for purpose and that vocational education and training is visible and accessible for all across Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Erin’s governance experiences span community, education and industry groups and he currently sits as Chair of the NZ Agricultural Education Trust, Growsafe, a Director of Tātau Tātau Horticulture and Chair of Muka Tangata the workforce development council for the food and fibre industries . In past executive roles, Erin has represented the Pipfruit sector on government advisory groups around capability, skills and workforce development with the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Tertiary Education Commission.