Hays Construction
JANUARY - MARCH 2012
Hotspots
Despite a slowdown towards the end of 2011, we noted strong demand for intermediate level Quantity Surveyors with estimating experience and intermediate level Project Managers to commence early this quarter.
Civil infrastructure Project Managers, Project Engineers and Senior Quantity Surveyors are also sought, along with Project Quantity Surveyors and Project Managers with main contractor experience. This need is being driven by an increase in civil infrastructure and wastewater treatment projects for the North Island. Candidates are required to have local construction experience and knowledge.
Also needed are Structural Engineers, Geotechnical Engineers and Civil Engineers to help with the rebuild work in Christchurch.
Overcoming skills shortages
Employers are hesitant to recruit candidates without secured work, but we have also noted some are being unrealistic on timeframes in which to recruit staff which is making the process all the more challenging. They are looking for candidates who are willing to be flexible in terms of locations and works.
Employers are becoming more reliant on hiring experienced professionals from overseas to fill the skills gap in the local market. Candidates from England, South Africa and Ireland are moving to New Zealand to secure employment while others are relocating domestically. Some employers are also willing to consider graduates and there has been more flexibility on salaries to help secure the best talent.
The coming quarter
The coming quarter will see a rise in both temporary and permanent appointments. Companies in Wellington have become more open to the use of temporary and contract options to maintain flexibility in regards to demand in the market.
Employer trends
Employers have put unrealistic timeframes on their recruitment activity, often expecting candidates to be able to commence their role straight away. We have also seen demand for local experience increase which means that new migrants are finding it much harder to secure a job. There is expectation for all candidates to have experience gained in New Zealand.
Salaries are slowing increasing in Christchurch at the intermediate level and recruitment decisions are being made very quickly when companies are finding someone they like. Sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses and relocation assistance are becoming more common.
Candidate trends
There is still a good supply of candidates arriving from Europe with a high percentage of them being skilled at the intermediate level as well as a number of quantity surveying graduates from the UK. Candidates from the local market are becoming increasingly harder to find.
