'Healthy' outlook for job-seekers this year

The industry with the best growth last year was design and architecture. Photo / Thinkstock

The number of jobs advertised on Seek.co.nz grew only very slightly last year but the employment website says New Zealand ended 2013 in an "extremely healthy position" and that this year is looking positive.

Almost 252,000 jobs were advertised on Seek last year, up by about 1,000 from 2012, which is a rise of less than 1 per cent.

Close to half of the jobs were advertised in the Auckland region, while 17 per cent were posted in Wellington and 15 per cent in Christchurch.

While nationwide growth was flat, the number of ads for jobs in Taranaki was up 14 per cent from 2012 and up 13 per cent in Bay of Plenty.

Growth in Canterbury was around 3 per cent, with 5,000 ads being placed for trades and services jobs in the region. Seek general manager Janet Faulding said there was consistent demand for staff with skills to support the Christchurch rebuild.

The industry with the best growth last year was design and architecture and the number of jobs advertised in this category was up 59 per cent on the year before.

Jobs advertised in the trades and services section on Seek were up 28 per cent from 2012, with more than 20,000 being posted during the year.

The real estate and property sector also fared well, the number of jobs ads in this area growing 19 per cent last year.

Job ads in the construction category grew by 18 per cent over the period.

"We have ended 2013 in an extremely healthy position," Ms Faulding said.

"With the unemployment rate set to decline, the foundation has been set for a positive 2014," she said. "Competition will be fierce to attract top talent in the year ahead."

Seek rival Trade Me said it was still collating its job data for 2013 and was likely to release it next week.