The number of six-figure jobs advertised on in the popular job search TradeMe in New Zealand has jumped 20% in the past five weeks with experts saying demand for highly skilled workers remains strong despite predictions that unemployment is set to climb. The Sunday Start reported that companies are still after skilled workers. The $100,000-plus jobs section that was added to the TradeMe website just five weeks ago and has more than 1300 vacancies on offer including employers advertising for jobs like retailer buyer, tax manager, research professor, mine engineer and mechanical fitter. TradeMe says that they get over 40,000 hits for month.

However economists predict unemployment in New Zealand will rise from 3.9% to around 6% by the end of next year as the effects of the global financial crisis continue to hot many countries. Unemployment rate in New Zealand last reached that figure in mid-2000 but the good news that the predicted numbers will still be below our 20-year average of 6.2%.

Industries likely to experience job losses include retail, manufacturing, finance and insurance, business and the mining industry. At the same time there is drop for blue color employees. But still demand continues to grow for highly skilled workers in all sectors, with the notable exception of banking.