An extra 5000 people have picked up work in the Bay of Plenty in the last year, contributing to the lowest September quarter unemployment figures in at least the last five years.
Despite almost 10,000 extra working-aged people calling the Bay home in the past two years, employment has outpaced the growth with an extra 13,500 people in work since September 2014.
The unemployment rate has also fallen to a five-year September quarter low of 5.1 per cent, down from 5.8 last year.
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stan Gregec said there had been strong demand for construction-related industries but the city still had a way to go before it could provide for the large number of unemployed or under-employed professionals.
"There are scores of highly skilled professionals in Tauranga who can't find jobs at the level they are qualified for," Mr Gregec said.