Paul Goldsmith
The latest Jobs Online report shows strong growth in online job advertisements at 11.8% in the year to May 2017.
The report, released today by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), shows overall online job advertisements grew by 0.6 per cent in May, taking yearly growth to 11.8%
It is encouraging to see job advertisements growing strongly over the past year, particularly the sectors which are part of the growth story for our economy.
Hospitality industry growing
The biggest increases in online job vacancy listings were in hospitality and tourism (up 1.6%), and construction and engineering (up 1.4%).
Tourism for instance is New Zealand’s biggest export earner at $14.5 billion, and employs over 180,000 people.
The fastest growing occupations last month were in the construction industry, with job advertisements for machine drivers and operators increasing 2.6%, and labourers increasing 2.4%.
Construction vacancies in the March 2017 quarter were strongest in Auckland (up 2.6%) and will be expected to continually rise with ongoing developments – such as the recently announced 1500 new homes in Auckland’s Three Kings.
Additional $7 million investment
With the real need for more skilled workers, approximately 38,000 through to 2020, we announced yesterday a further $7 million investment in apprentices and industry training over the next four years, and it is pleasing to see that the jobs are already there for those industry trainees.
It is also good to see growth spread around our regions which is vital to the success of our national economy. Last month the number of online job advertisements increased in all ten regions, with Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough, and the West Coast growing the strongest at 2.3%.
Jobs Online measures changes in online vacancies from three online job boards: SEEK, TradeMe, and Education Gazette. It can be found HERE.
Paul Goldsmith is Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister in New Zealand.
