Finding job tough work for many Bay families

It can be hard to fill skilled roles but there is competition for others, recruiters say.

The Hawke's Bay region has recorded a fall in unemployment in the last year, with more job hunters securing work, new figures reveal.

But the number of jobless has risen in the last three months.

In the Gisborne/Hawke's Bay area unemployment jumped from 7.6 per cent to 8.5 per cent in the last quarter, but dropped from 8.9 per cent year-on-year, according to Statistics New Zealand's Household Labour Force Survey.

The number of unemployed has risen across the region from 8300 to 9200 in the last quarter. A total of 98,500 people are currently in work, down from 101,200 in June.

However, a breakdown of the figures shows that in Napier, unemployment actually fell from 11.5 per cent to 8.8 per cent year-on year. In Hastings unemployment dipped from 8.3 per cent to 6.5 per cent during the same period. However Stats NZ warns the latter figures may be skewed due to the small sample size.

Nationwide, Statistics New Zealand recorded a 1.2 per cent increase in the number of people employed, lowering the national unemployment rate to 6.2 per cent.

Pipeline Recruitment director Ian Beattie, based in Napier, places job candidates in highly skilled roles. He said while he could not provide a region-wide overview on the statistics, there was huge demand for structural engineers to assess whether buildings needed earthquake strengthening.

In contrast, when Pipeline advertised an occasional administration role, it could be inundated with up to 200 applicants.

Sales jobs were also lacking, but that was "symptomatic of what we've been through in the last four to five years".

Last week, Hawke's Bay Chamber of Commerce chief executive Wayne Walford told Hawke's Bay Today he expected seasonal work in orchards and vineyards to increase over the summer.

Nationally, job numbers swelled in the last quarter as construction, retail and hospitality firms hired workers.

The last time the unemployment rate was lower than 6.2 per cent was in June 2009 - before the recession had caught up with the labour market. The average unemployment rate was just under 7 per cent through 2012.

However, Salvation Army territorial community ministries secretary major Pam Waugh said demand for foodbank services had steadily grown - up 2.6 per cent to the year to September. Demand was even higher in certain pockets.

A disruptive event in a community, such as the closure of a large employer, could cause local instability and hardship, she warned. "What we see in centres where unemployment is rising [is] people are under pressure.

"They're having to make some decisions about what [bills] get paid. There's also the pressure of wanting to get back into employment and that puts stress on people."

The Salvation Army had also seen an increase in new families using its welfare support services in recent months.

Many had never relied on welfare support before but were now in situations where one or both partners were facing reduced work hours.

The winter season and pockets of regional unemployment had contributed to the increased demand, Mrs Waugh said.