The transport and storage sector has been singled out as one of the areas with the best job prospects in Q12016.
That’s according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey released today.
According to the survey, provincially, employers in KwaZulu-Natal report the strongest hiring intentions for the first quarter of the year, while employers in the Eastern Cape report the weakest.
While 13% of employers anticipate an increase in staffing levels, 6% forecast a decrease and 77% expect no change. Once the data is adjusted to allow for seasonal variation, the outlook stands at +5%.
Hiring intentions decline by 2 percentage points when compared with the previous quarter and are 6 percentage points weaker year-over-year.
Lyndy van den Barselaar, managing director of Manpower SA, believes there are good reasons why the South African employment market is expected to provide encouraging signs for job seekers in the January to March time frame. “Following a year fraught with economic and labour market hardships, South African employers are cautiously optimistic going into 2016. For some businesses, the New Year will mean new employees, and for 77% the New Year will mean no change in the number of employees. Stability in the job market creates opportunities for foreign investment into some of the country’s main industries, creating opportunities for growth. The festive season also provides growth for many industries, helping to spur growth within the first quarter of 2016.”
Job growth is forecast in four of the five regions during the January-March time frame. Employers report the strongest hiring prospects in KwaZulu-Natal, with a net employment outlook of +8%. Elsewhere, outlooks stand at +6% in three regions – Free State, Gauteng and Western Cape. However, Eastern Cape employers anticipate an uncertain hiring climate, reporting an outlook of -1%.
“KwaZulu-Natal is South Africa’s second largest economy, housing two of the country’s largest and busiest ports. The city of Durban is currently experiencing an increase in construction for business and residential purposes, indicating an increase in investment into business and the tourism industry in the region. This, together with an increase in imports into South Africa, is contributing to the positive employment outlook for the province,” explains Van den Barselaar.
