Jobs are expected to be more available in Northland this summer.
Jobs are expected to be more available in Northland this summer.
Job vacancies are scarce in Northland but a recruitment boss expects they will pick up over summer.
Online, skilled job vacancies were steady this August compared to last August in Northland, says the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). August vacancies were up slightly on July.
MBIE's Jobs Onlinemonthly report measures the changes in job vacancies advertised by businesses on three internet job boards - Seek, Trade Me and the Education Gazette.
Adecco job agency Whangarei manager Jamie Rosemergy said vacancies were unusually low heading into the summer season.
However, there were lots of jobseekers around because Northland unemployment rates were high. Some, who had sold properties in Auckland and made a considerable profit, then came to Northland for the lifestyle and were looking for jobs, too. Others were living and working in Auckland and coming home to Northland for the weekends.
Mr Rosemergy said the economy was showing signs of growth but some employers were still tentative about hiring additional staff because of factors such as dairy prices and the threat of a summer drought. Some businesses that had come though the tough times could now manage business with the staff numbers they had. But he expected things to pick up over the next month or so. He said there was usually a period over summer where the roading, tourism and retail industries all took off.
He said skilled roles, such as in healthcare, engineering and the electricity sectors, were always available. However, staff weren't available to fill them.
Nationally, skilled vacancies advertised online in August decreased by 0.1 per cent and total vacancies increased by 0.3 per cent.
Skilled vacancies increased in five out of eight industry groups. The largest increase was in the hospitality and tourism industry, while the biggest decrease was in information technology. Skilled vacancies increased for trades' workers and technicians but fell for managers and professionals.
In the year to August, the biggest increase in skills vacancies was in the education and training industry. The biggest decline was in information technology.
Vacancies increased for trades workers and technicians but decreased for professionals in the year to August.
