Working In Nelson-Tasman

Seafood and aquaculture employs more than 1,500 people in full-time and seasonal positions in:

• commercial fishing and processing
• aquaculture (mainly the farming of mussel shellfish and salmon).

Much of the work is based in Nelson, which is home to the largest fishing port in Australasia. The port caters for small local inshore boats and large factory trawlers. There are also several large, well established seafood processing plants.

Job opportunities include:

• marine farm and aquaculture workers, supervisors and operations managers
• general or qualified fishing deckhands (currently in demand)
• seafood processors (onshore and at sea)
• fishing skippers
• marine engineers.

Some work is seasonal, and opportunities increase coinciding with specific fishing seasons (for example, hoki season runs from late June to September).

Seasonal work opportunities abundant in horticulture

Nelson-Tasman’s horticulture industry employs around 3,500 people, with most working in apple and pear growing (2,200 workers).
Many jobs, such as fruit picking and tree pruning, are seasonal. Workers are in such high demand during peak periods that occasionally employers resort to importing labour from overseas.

The Government has recently extended permits for overseas workers employed in horticulture so people can work for longer to help counter the shortage of workers in this industry.

Wood and paper product manufacturing is a well-established and important industry in the Nelson-Tasman region. In 2007 the industry grew by 2.3%, and there were around 820 people employed in around 108 businesses.

Forestry and logging activities are forecasted to increase by 43% by the year 2016, which will lead to more jobs. It should stimulate growth in wood and paper product manufacturing jobs.

In wood and paper processing, areas with good opportunities include:

• paper stationery manufacturing
• plywood and veneer manufacturing
• pulp, paper and paperboard manufacturing
• wood chipping.

More building leading to more quarrying jobs

Population growth in the region is causing some industries to grow rapidly, including the quarrying of materials for construction work.
In 2007, gravel and sand quarrying and construction material mining had the largest income and employment growth in the region. This was because of strong and increased demand from the building construction industry (which is closely linked to population and business growth) regionally and nationwide. This demand is expected to decline over the next few years as building and construction slows.

Jobs available in gravel and sand quarrying and construction material mining include:

• operating heavy machinery
• driving trucks
• quarrying
• managing quarry sites.

Demand for community services increasing with population

The community services industry had the second highest income growth rate (14%) and third highest employment growth rate (17%) in the region in 2007. This includes work in areas such as:

• child care
• accommodation for the aged
• residential care services.

Growth is due to the region’s growing population, with many retirees moving to the region because of its good climate and beautiful scenery. As the ageing population grows, so do employment opportunities in areas such as care giving and rest-home management.

Business services and retail growth

Other industries that continue to grow fast in employment and income generation include business services (such as legal and accounting, marketing and management services) and food retailing.

Industry type	People employed
Agriculture	4,844
Business Services	3,119
Health Services	2,823
Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants	2,210
Food, Beverage and Tobacco	1,983
Personal and Household Good Retailing	1,946
Construction Trade Services	1,816
Education	1,782
Food Retailing	1,744
General Construction	1660

Source: Business and Economic Research Limited, ‘Regional TA Database’, March 2007.

Job title	Number of Vacancies
Personal Care Workers	256
Housekeeping and Restaurant Services Workers	252
Salespersons and Demonstrators	168
Specialised Managers	138
Labourers	138
Market Farmers and Crop Growers	112
Building Caretakers and Cleaners	112
Building Frame and Related Trades Workers	109
Packers and Freight Handlers	104
Nursing and Midwifery Professionals	100

Source: Department of Labour, ‘Job Vacancy Monitor’, December 2007, (www.dol.govt.nz).