A website connecting seasonal jobseekers and employers has seen a huge surge in activity as summer fruit and meat processing activity picks up after winter.
In the past month, the Ministry of Social Development’s Work the Seasons online jobs platform saw a 169 percent jump in the number of horticulture jobs posted by employers, from 271 in September to 728 in October.
At the same time, there was a 25 percent increase in the number of new jobseeker registrations, from 875 to 1097. In total there are 1064 live job vacancies on the website.
The free website is intended to make it easier for people aged over 15 years looking for work, or getting back into work, find the job they need and for employers to find the right person for the job.
Job seekers can search a wide variety of seasonal jobs to find continuous employment. These include positions in horticulture, viticulture, meat processing, seafood, tourism and hospitality.
Almost 87 percent of the new jobs listed last month are in the horticulture and meat processing industries across nine regions.
Meat manufacturer Silver Fern Farms employs 1,200 new processing staff throughout the year with Work the Seasons being one its key recruitment channels.
National Recruitment and Retention Manager Allan Poy said seasonal work can be a good option for many people looking to get back into work and gain the skills they need for their next job.
“The Work the Seasons website allows us to get in touch with the right people at the right time," said Poy.
“Last season, we had real difficulties finding enough people for all the jobs we had – but Work the Seasons and changes to government policy mean we’re well ahead of where we were last year and are looking forward to a busy season.”
In total there are now 10,707 job seekers registered on the website along with 507 employers.
The Minister of Social Development Carmel Sepuloni said the Government is committed to providing seasonal workers with better training as well as work opportunities.
“The Work the Seasons website is a practical partnership between the Government and business with input from seasonal industry associations from the horticulture, viticulture, hospitality, tourism, seafood and meat processing sectors," said Sepuloni.
“Workers can see what work is coming up, and when and where that work is, across New Zealand. The numbers of people accessing the website show the platform is filling a valuable and much-needed role in the jobs market."
Carmel Sepuloni
Minister of Employment Willie Jackson said the Work the Seasons website helps address key employment issues for job seekers and employers.
“We need to address skills and labour shortages and make opportunities like these more visible so we can support the seasonal demand in regions," Jackson said.
“The Work the Seasons platform makes it easier for New Zealanders to connect directly with seasonal employers to start their employment pathway.”
The Facts
- Free service provided by the Government connecting industry and job seekers
- Recruitment solution for employers
- Targeting job seekers (e.g. MSD clients, students, retirees, overseas workers) within seasonal industries (e.g. tourism, horticulture, forestry) to help them improve their employability skills
- International governments (Canada and Falkland Islands) have expressed interest in the replicating the programme
- 507 employers and 10,707 job seekers on the platform since March 2018
