5:00AM
Wednesday June 25, 2008
Employers struggling to find competent staff to fill vacancies are facing the worst national skills deficit in almost a decade.
Statistics
New Zealand figures last week showed that, in the year to May, almost
44,750 New Zealanders migrated to Australia, the highest exodus of
Kiwis across the Tasman in more than a decade. At the same time, 13,555
Australians made the move in the opposite direction. The net annual
population outflow of 31,194 to Australia was the highest since 2001.
Organisers of the New Zealand Herald
Your Career Expo, to be held in Auckland on September 27-28, have said
competition for skilled workers is now an international phenomenon and
local employers have to be prepared to battle for the best workers.
Expo
organiser Michael Scott said employers needed to market their workplace
with the same intensity as they promoted their products and services to
their customers.
"The new economy means that the strategy
companies have in place for recruitment is a vital component of their
entire business plan," he said.
"Securing the right skills and the right cultural fit into an
organisation is as important as any other facet of doing business today.
"And with Australia facing its own skills crisis, employers there have no hesitation in hunting for good workers here."
The Statistics NZ figures showed Australia was the main destination for New Zealand migrants.
The
United Arab Emirates, in the middle of a construction-led economic
boom, was the only other nation with a net gain of people from New
Zealand.
The local population was topped up by net gains from the
United Kingdom (7256), India (4318), Fiji (2599) and South Africa
(2332) but the drain to Australia was at its highest.
The New
Zealand Herald Your Career Expo, to be held at the ASB Showgrounds,
will be the largest gathering of careers professionals in the country.
Exhibitors in four pavilions will provide careers counselling and answer questions from potential future employees.
"The market for labour is still intense," Mr Scott said.
"Unemployment
is still well under 4 per cent and businesses need to sharpen their
recruitment practices to attract the best candidates."
Source: NZ Herald (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/11/story.cfm?c_id=11&objectid=10518127 )
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