Employers may need to look offshore for talent with continued skill shortages across both construction and engineering, according to the latest Global Salary Survey.
Employment confidence is at its highest level in nearly six years and Auckland has overtaken Canterbury as the most confident region in the latest Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index survey.
The index rose to 109.9 in the June quarter from 108.4 in the March quarter. The June quarter level
is the highest since September 2008, when the global financial crisis was affecting sentiment. A number over 100 indicates optimists outnumber pessimists.
Still, the index remains considerably below the 135.9 peak in September 2007, a year prior to the global financial crisis.
Employment confidence was net positive for ten out of 11 regions, and Auckland overtook Canterbury as the most confident region.
"Auckland's unemployment rate deteriorated by more than the rest of the country during the recession, and has been slow to improve since then," Westpac chief economist Dominick Stephens said. "In that light, the latest survey suggests the region's job market is no longer underperforming."
