Auckland student job seekers soar, but fewer jobs available

More students are looking for work this year but fewer jobs are available, data from a student recruitment service has found.

Student Job Search (SJS) is a non-profit organisation which helps more than 25,000 students who enrol with it get 30,000 jobs earning more than $82 million each year.

Student enrolments with SJS were up 27 per cent with 5533 students enrolling in the last three weeks compared to 4351 for the same period last year, SJS spokeswoman Lorna McConnon said.

However, vacancies were down 20 per cent .

"Last year students weren't as proactive at job hunting during their first two weeks of semester but this year they are."

Students were filling vacancies almost as fast as they are listed on the SJS website, she said.

"Students are aware that there are less jobs around in this uncertain economic environment and they are being extremely proactive in response."

SJS enrolments from early 2008 to 2009:

* Auckland up 47 per cent

* Waikato up 21.3 per cent

* Manawatu and Hawke's Bay up 37.8 per cent

* Wellington down 12 per cent

* Canterbury, Nelson and Marlborough up 13.7 per cent

* Otago and Southland up 14.7 per cent

- NZPA