Construction leads strengthening labour market
Employers across the economy expect to hire more staff in the September quarter
Hot Topic
Long reads
Employers across the economy expect to hire more staff in the September quarter, with the mining and construction sector leading the way.
The latest Manpower employment survey, published today, showed employers in those industries expect to increase staff by 42%.
An active hiring pace is also predicted in the manufacturing sector, where employers expect to hire 23% more staff, the survey said.
Other industries are also upbeat about their employment prospects, with the services sector predicting an increase of 22%, transportation and utilities 21%, while finance, insurance and real estate employers expect to hire 20% more staff.
On a regional level, the survey showed that year-over-year, employers in Auckland and Christchurch are more optimistic than their Wellington counterparts, with Auckland having a net employment outlook of 20%, with Christchurch on 19%, while in Wellington the outlook stands at 14%.
However, the positive news for Christchurch is tempered by the fact the survey was carried out before yesterday's earthquakes, which may slow the predicted rate of reconstruction of the city.
The survey, conducted by interviewing 655 employers, found 26% of companies expected to increase hiring, with 9% planning a decrease.
It showed the labour market is at its strongest level since the country went into recession in early 2008.
Colin Williscroft
Tue, 14 Jun 2011
Tue, 14 Jun 2011
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
Construction leads strengthening labour market
15211