Southland Pop-Up Job Shop Success
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Nearly 50 job-seekers found jobs through the Southland Pop-Up Job Shop held earlier this year, a survey shows.
Results from a post-event survey show at least 47 job-seekers found employment as a result of the pop-up shops held in April.
Venture Southland chief executive Paul Casson said the survey results were extremely pleasing.
“To secure employment for 47 people is fantastic and shows the innovative work we have taking place in Southland to connect people with employment and career pathways,” Casson said.
The initiative was co-ordinated by Venture Southland with support from the Southland Chamber of Commerce and Southern Directionz.
Casson said the success of the initiative also supported the region’s goal of attracting 10,000 more people by 2025.
The survey found employment vacancies far exceeded numbers from last year’s pup-up job shop, with 724 jobs advertised in Invercargill, Gore and Te Anau.
Not surprisingly, farming jobs dominated across each location with roughly 50 per cent of all jobs advertised relating to the farming and agriculture sector.
The Southland Pop-Up Job Shop was first held in Invercargill in 2017, as part of Venture Southland’s co-ordinated response to Southland’s people shortage.
This year it expanded to have shops in Gore and Te Anau and offered seminars and advice on creating effective CVs, and lasting impressions in job interviews.
Venture Southland labour market coordinator Kirsten Diack said the shops had been successful in raising awareness about the number and range of jobs available in Southland.
“The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive and has been successful in connecting job-seekers with employment opportunities and advice,” Diack said.
Plans are underway to hold another pop-up job shop in the first half of 2019 and Casson was optimistic for further encouraging results.
“This is another way that we are working to future-proof Southland’s labour market,” he said.