Figures from SEEK have shown that job ad growth has remained strong in key regional areas, with increases in Gisborne (14.5 per cent), Taranaki (13.5 per cent) and Tasman (9.5 per cent). Meanwhile the West Coast (12.5 per cent) and Hawkes Bay (4.5 per cent) have led salary growth year on year.
The SEEK New Zealand Employment Report has identified a slight dip in job ads in comparison to the same period in 2018 with a downturn of 1.1 per cent in jobs advertised year on year.
SEEK New Zealand general manager, Janet Faulding says: “Although job ad growth has softened by 1.1 per cent for New Zealand, the regions are performing well, showing positive job ad growth in the last quarter of the decade in Gisborne, Taranaki, Tasman, Northland, Wellington and Hawkes Bay, Southland, Manawatu, West Coast and Waikato. This indicates plenty of opportunity for job seekers in these areas as we look to the new year.
“Gisborne, which was up 14.5 per cent, saw plenty of activity across multiple industry sectors including Trades and Services, Community Services & Development, Administration and Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics. Taranaki saw Healthcare & Medical and Trades & Services sectors contributing to job ad growth, which was up 13.5 per cent for the quarter.”
According to BNZ’s senior economist, Craig Eber the slight softening in job ad listings should not be reason for worry as yet: “Rather than being widely experienced across the country, the softening is clearly being affected by a resumed fall in Canterbury. Counter to that, 10 out of the 15 regions measured in the Employment Report are still trending higher than the same quarter a year ago,” he said.
Elsewhere, New Zealand’s average advertised salary shows an increase of 1.7 per cent to $80,822. The three major cities (Auckland 1.9 per cent, Canterbury 1.3 per cent and Wellington 1 per cent) all experienced salary growth, and the biggest increases are apparent in the regions of the West Coast (12.5 per cent), Hawkes Bay (4.5 per cent) and Otago (3.7 per cent).
