Media Release

17 February 2010

A 1.7% increase in job advertisements for skilled employees in the three months to the end of January 2010 may be an early indication of brighter times ahead in the job market.

The figure comes from Jobs Online, the Department of Labour’s monitoring of job vacancies advertised on the Internet. Dr Dafydd Davies, the Department’s acting Head of Labour Market Information, says the increase in advertisements for skilled employees is welcome.

“It’s pleasing to see that there has been a 9 percent growth in skilled job vacancies in the six months to January 2010 and that the demand for new jobs is continuing.

“Companies will only employ new skilled staff if they believe the economy is on an upward trend. Obviously, employers have a positive outlook for future economic growth.”

Jobs Online was launched in December 2009 and collates data from New Zealand’s leading online advertisers Trade Me, Herald Jobs and Seek.

The Jobs Online monthly report can be found at http://dol.govt.nz/publications/jol/report/index.asp

More for information about Jobs Online go to http://dol.govt.nz/publications/jol/methodology/

ENDS