Recruitment Trends in 2017

Is it a good time to be looking for jobs in New Zealand? Outlined below are a few areas of growth and concern that we have seen in the job market over the past year.

Residential Construction: Around 100,000 affordable houses are planned to be built in a ten-year plan. Most notably in Auckland, the construction industry has built momentum in a snowball effect, leading to further growth in 2018.

Commercial Construction: Projects in Christchurch during the cities rebuild have led to our consultants renaming Christchurch – “the sunrise city“. Commercial construction activity in Christchurch remains very high. Other major cities such as Auckland and Wellington also remain in a period of high activity.

Election: Labour’s drive centers on infrastructure regarding housing and roads. They plan to cut net immigration numbers by about 20,000 to 30,000 a year, but still allow skilled migrants to enter the country after proof of a company’s adequate search of local talent. For many technical recruiters of highly skilled workers, immigration changes are not a large problem.

Automation: New Zealand’s manufacturing industry continues to expand year by year. We have recently seen a trend towards automation and robotics to increase competitive advantage. There is no better time for automation to be further introduced to New Zealand’s industry with barriers in geographical isolation and talent shortages. “Hire for the Future” explains how manufacturing companies can stay on top of this trend.

China and Dairy: China’s domestic milk supply is forecast to grow, but not as quickly as demand. Demand for infant formula and UHT in China has seen strong growth. For New Zealand, the best part is that the trend is set to continue as affluent consumers prefer imported goods over domestic goods.

Temp/Contract:

Rise of flexible lifestyle, flexible headcount: In the past two years we have seen a rise in companies using temporary and contract hiring methods. This method hits two birds with one stone, we have seen a demand for a more flexible lifestyle and employers desire for a flexible headcount.

If you wish to understand these trends better or jump at the opportunity that many industries are currently offering, talk to one of our experienced recruiters who can walk you through the process. We currently have vacancies open all over New Zealand, so call us on 0800-171-000 or email your CV to conor@trs.co.nz.