Students and parents will be able to make more informed career and study choices following today’s release of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s new Occupation Outlook report.

Data released by SEEK today reveals new job ads increased by 3.9% year on year to January 2013. Auckland and Canterbury led the growth, both boasting healthy increases in new job ads over the last month, 2.6% and 2.5% respectively.

The IBR reveals that 51% of businesses in New Zealand are finding ithard to source skilled workers - well above the global average of 39%. Of these figures, 17% found it very difficult, 34% difficult, 11% easy and 3% very easy.

Almost a third of all employers (30.8%) cite enhancing performance / productivity of their existing team as their top HR priority for 2013, according to the latest Hudson Report: Employment Trends released today.

The Westpac McDermott Miller Employment Confidence Index rose to 99.1 in the December 2012 quarter, up slightly from 98.9 in the September 2012 quarter.

The CTU wishes everyone a safe and happy summer holiday, and wants to remind workers of their rights during the holiday season.

Continuing areas of skills shortage, upward pressure on salaries and the need for more innovative workforce planning and talent management are all key trends that will influence the employment sector in 2013, according to recruiting experts Hays.

Over 250,000 job opportunities were listed on seek.co.nz in the 12 months to November 2012, up 4% on 2011, reveals data released by New Zealand’s largest job site today.

As more businesses are turning to temporary workers, forward thinking employers are just as considered as to how they engage with their contingent workforce as they are with their permanent staff, say recruiting experts Hays.

One year after winning the historic case for payment of sleepovers for disability support workers, the Service and Food Workers Union has filed another landmark case.

The Public Service Association is accusing the Ministry for Primary Industries of deliberately provoking a dispute and risking industrial action by seeking to reduce the conditions of employment for staff.

New Zealand’s top recruiters were announced last night at the 2012 SEEK Annual Recruitment Awards (SARAs) in Auckland, with 180 of the country’s top recruitment talent in attendance.

Statistics New Zealand’s report on an increase in the gender pay-gap was extremely disappointing to read and disheartening for young women currently sitting NCEA and tertiary qualifications, a University of Canterbury (UC) professor said today.

University of Canterbury students have plenty of opportunities for jobs in 2013 as the post-quake rebuild swings into action.

"The National-led Government has just stripped away the rights of New Zealand’s most vulnerable workers by removing the much-needed protections of Part 6A of the Employment Relations Act," said Service and Food Workers Union Ngā Ringa Tota National Secretary John Ryall today.

The EPMU’s Jobs Crisis Summit held today in Auckland has called for concrete action to tackle the jobs crisis and support high value manufacturing in New Zealand.

NZ Bus has met yesterday with Tramways and First Union regarding the existing pay offer for bus drivers.

A new study has revealed that young people are far more likely to choose a job based on whether they find the work personally fulfilling, rather than on the level of compensation.

New data from SEEK New Zealand has revealed an increase in activity from job seekers nationwide over the month of September.

The Māori Party is strongly opposing the Starting Out wage package, which establishes a youth wage at 80% of the minimum wage in New Zealand for 16 and 17 year olds in the first six months of work with a new employer.

Candidate confidence in New Zealand is on the rise with people looking for new and better opportunities, according to the latest Hays Quarterly Report.

"Statistics NZ figures showing near-record low increases in hourly rates will be no surprise to the country’s lowest earners," said Service and Food Workers Union National Secretary John Ryall. "They are a growing group of working poor and they just got poorer."

New Zealand Income Survey results for the June 2012 quarter showed no significant increase in income from all sources since the June 2011 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Miners from Solid Energy’s Spring Creek and Huntly East mines will travel to Parliament on Tuesday to plead with the Government to save their mines and the communities that depend on them.

While GDP growth of 0.6 percent in the three months to June is encouraging, unemployment rose in the same quarter, with few prospects for an improved jobs outlook. "We are seeing GDP growth at a modest rate," says CTU economist, Bill Rosenberg, "but where are the jobs?"

Spring Creek miners and their families will lead a community ‘March for Work’ in Greymouth on Tuesday calling on Solid Energy and the Government to secure the future of the town and ensure the mine stays open.

The Unite Union and Burger King reach resolution in their dispute. Whilst the parties have agreed to keep the details confidential the Unite union believes it’s members will be very pleased with the outcome.

The Public Service Association says a living wage would go some way towards addressing the historical pay inequity facing thousands of women workers who provide support to the elderly and disabled.

New Zealand's labour force is projected to keep growing, driven by an increasing population and people working into older ages, Statistics New Zealand said today.

Recent high profile cases of workplace bullying highlight New Zealand’s legislative weaknesses in this area, say academics from Massey University and AUT.