Media Release

31 March 2009

The Department of Labour has launched SkillsInsight Tool, a new online jobs and skills information tool specifically designed to help government agencies, companies and other organisations in their human resources decision-making.

The ground-breaking SkillsInsight Tool, which brings together a wide range of data and other information about occupations and skills, is now available on the Department’s website www.dol.govt.nz/skillsinsight
Department of Labour’s Head of Labour Market Information, Monique Dawson, says the tool was developed to provide robust and up-to-date information about New Zealand occupations and the supply and demand for workers.

She says the tool is the first of a group of reports and tools being developed under the Department’s SkillsInsight Programme.

“These tools and reports aim to provide extensive labour market information that can help companies, local authorities and other organisations with making strategic human resource decisions.”

Users were asked for their information needs and their feedback has been incorporated into the development of the tool.

While the tool is expected to attract a wide range of users, Ms Dawson says it is expected to be especially useful in a couple of sectors.

“It is anticipated that users in the tertiary education sector will draw on the SkillsInsight Tool to target education and training investment more closely to the needs of the labour market”.

The SkillsInsight Tool provides a set of indicators for supply and demand for 96 occupational groups, including growth in demand from industries, replacements needed to cover retirements and demographic profiles of workers in each occupation.
Ms Dawson says the SkillsInsight Tool will be regularly updated to ensure users benefit from the most up-to-date labour market information.

ENDS