Job market sucks, but doesn’t blow as much online
Fewer Vic grads on the dole
Things may be looking up for Victoria University students and graduates looking for work.
The number of jobs available through Student Job Search has increased over the last few months, in keeping with a national trend.
A Labour Department report shows a 9.5 per cent increase in total job vacancies advertised online in the three months to the end of March 2010.
The unemployment rate has plunged unexpectedly from more than 7 per cent to 6 per cent in the March quarter, specifically among young men.
The number of people unemployed dropped by 25,000 during the quarter, while the number of people employed grew by 22,000.
Usually in the March quarter, temporary Christmas holiday jobs and seasonal farm work fade away and unemployment increases, says Statistics NZ.
The number of skilled job vacancies in Wellington advertised online has increased by 12.7 per cent in the same period, a hopeful sign for dispirited Victoria graduates.
Victoria University graduate John Owen left university in 2009 with an LLB and a BA in Religious Studies. He found the economic climate a difficult one to graduate into: “The normal job hunting websites were pretty bereft of opportunities compared to when I was idly looking around while I was doing my degree.
“Competing with skilled people who had suffered redundancy as well as the latest crop of graduates for the few advertised positions meant it was a pretty tough market to stand out in,” he said.
While on the rise, there are still fewer jobs available to students through Student Job Search compared with this time last year.
The amount of unemployed people aged 20–24 increased by 11,000 to reach 27,400 in the year leading up to December 2009. The flow-on effect for tertiary students is increased competition, Student Job Search reports.
“There is more competition for those jobs that tertiary students would usually fill, such as part-time, casual and summer roles. Student Job Search lists jobs for tertiary students only, which helps cut down on that competition.”
Nationally, job vacancies advertised online are still below the levels seen before the recession, the Labour Department study reports.
However, the report is optimistic: “The consistent increase in advertised vacancies over the last nine months is a positive indicator that the labour market is strengthening.”
Vacancies advertised online have increased by 23.1 per cent since the recessionary low of June last year, Employment Minister Paula Bennett said in April.
“It’s a positive sign in a labour market that, while weak, is still showing signs of hope,” she said.
Student Job Search is focused on helping students gain skills, work experience, graduate career opportunities and financial freedom by giving students friendly advice, helping them find work that fits around their study, and by reducing competition around employment. You can register online at www.sjs.co.nz.
