Growth areas in the South Island
Technology, construction, engineering and tourism –work opportunities abound in the South Island.
We have a chat to Hays New Zealand managing director Adam Shapley about the top growth areas for those looking to move forward, train, or change tack with their careers.
Construction continues
Strong construction activity is still evident across the entire South Island, says Shapley.
This is led by commercial construction, but the infrastructure sector remains strong and Christchurch’s residential construction market is still busy thanks to increased activity in the retirement village sector and group housing.
‘‘As a result, experienced professionals including quantity surveyors, estimators, project managers, site managers and storepersons are all in high demand. So are carpenters and skilled tradespeople,’’ he continues
Chippies and construction professionals aren’t the only ones needed to meet the high demand within the industry.
There is also a lack of skilled project coordinators, executive and personal assistants in centres such as Christchurch, Queenstown and Dunedin.
Although some of the larger construction projects have been completed in Canterbury, there is no easing in demand.
As a result, qualified electricians also in demand, as are
qualified carpenters who can sign-off work.
Engineering activity
This is another active market.
Civil engineers with experience across multiple sectors are in demand in Christchurch for land development work.
‘‘12D modelling experience is increasingly required, however there is a shortage of candidates with experience using this software,’’ says Shapley.
Storm water and three waters engineers are also sought in response to the many new land developments in Christchurch, and the continual need to maintain and upgrade existing network systems.
They are also required for larger infrastructure projects throughout the South Island.
Structural engineers are needed in Christchurch too, due to the high volume of work in the commercial, residential and industrial sectors, and the demand for candidates with local experience well exceeds supply.
Seismic engineering is unique in New Zealand, which is why employers look for candidates with local experience.
Information technology
Shapley says that IT is a very active area, and there is a particular need for development and operations engineers.
‘‘They are in huge demand to support business transformation and accelerate the delivery of applications while maintaining quality,’’ says Shapley.
Other IT skills in high demand include .NET Developers to develop software, business intelligence developers to mine an organisation’s data for greater customer insights, and front-end developers with SilverStripe expertise.
‘‘This is a popular content management system and a New Zealand-based product that many organisations use,’’ Shapley continues.
Developing industries
In accountancy and finance, the focus on business partnering has seen employers of traditional accountants look for candidates with strong business intelligence and analytical skills.
‘‘Candidates who can provide insights when communicating this data in a meaningful and relevant way to key stakeholders are highly sought after,’’ he says.
Another trend impacting demand is the renewed focus on process improvement skills.
With automation impacting office financial processing, as organisations face seek to maximise efficiency, accountancy professionals who have experience working with robotics or innovation are increasingly valued.
In the call centre market, employers are adding to their teams, which is creating job opportunities for contact centre professionals who wish to advance their careers.
‘‘Jobs such as quality assurance and team leader, as well as additional senior roles and promotions, are all available,’’ says Shapley.
Many organisations are reversing their decisions to offshore their call centre and are reestablishing it in New Zealand, which his is keeping vacancy activity buoyant, he says.
In human resources, as in accounting, business partners are being highly sought after.
‘‘As highly respected employee champions, they set the bar high and continue to drive organisations forward by developing new, strategic and bold innovative methods,’’ Shapley explains.
Demand is growing for financial advice providers with a level five qualification, due to new legislation around financial advisors.
By the end of 2021, this will be a requirement for all insurance and finance advisers providing advice to their clients.
Chief marketing officers continue to move their marketing spend from traditional advertising channels toward marketing technology and personalisation.
‘‘Innovations in how customer data is used to improve targeting and communication triggers have highlighted key skill shortages that are driving recruitment activity,’’ says Shapley.
‘‘Candidates who can provide insights when communicating this data in a meaningful and relevant way to key stakeholders are highly sought after.’’ Hays New Zealand managing director Adam Shapley.