Skills gap: Job ads on Seek rise to new record, applications fall 4 per cent

Every part of New Zealand recorded a growth in job ads over the past year. Photo / Yin Yang, Getty Images

From RNZ

The number of jobs being advertised continues to outpace applications, as business struggle to fill skills gaps.

Figures from the job website Seek show job ads rose 3 per cent in May to a fresh record, and were 15 per cent higher than a year ago.

However, applications had fallen by 4 per cent.

"Job ads continue to grow to record heights, and interestingly, there has also been an increase in the number of full-time roles being advertised, compared to part-time, casual and temporary roles," Seek country manager Rob Clark said.

Full-time roles made up 74 per cent of all roles advertised on the website prior to the pandemic but it had jumped to 81 per cent of all roles.

Clark said the shift was occurring because firms that relied on casual workers could not afford to lose them.

"While the pandemic saw many Kiwis reassessing how much of their life was spent at work, it appears as though businesses are keener than ever to secure talent in full-time roles, perhaps with the lure of flexibility and hybrid working as a compromise.

There was a sharp increase in demand for workers from the hospitality and tourism, retail and community services sectors.

Clark said it was encouraging to see tourism firms looking to hire staff again, as they had been hit hard by the pandemic.

However, they were now struggling to find staff in time for what would be their busiest winter in three years.

"For these businesses, the reopening of borders for international skilled and student visas from July offers some hope that fresh talent may be on its way."

Every part of the country recorded a growth in job ads over the past 12 months.

However, some regions reported declines over the past month.