Student Job Search Statistics Show A Return To Pre-Pandemic Activity

Students submitted 100,000 applications for more than 15,700 job opportunities via Student Job Search (SJS) in the last 3 months (July to September 2025).

The number of job listings marks an 11.6% increase compared to the same quarter in 2024 and is more than the same period in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic.

SJS Chief Executive Louise Saviker says this shows the student job market is not only recovering but evolving, with short-term, flexible work leading the charge.

“It’s heartening news as we head towards the summer months, traditionally the peak season for student employment,” she says.

SJS supports equitable outcomes for students and has recently recorded a 230% increase in placements of disabled students.

“We are also seeing higher engagement and steady placement growth from Māori students."

Despite the increase in vacancies in Q1, student demand surged well ahead of vacancy growth with the number of student applications up 28.2% year-on-year. The gap between the number of students eager for work and the number of jobs being listed remains.

“Whether you are a business owner or a household employer, you can be part of the solution – especially as we head into summer and students are out in force looking for summer work, alongside graduates looking to utilise their new-found skills and start their careers.

The current economy dictates that employers are increasingly favouring short-term and flexible work arrangements, leaving a gap in permanent part-time and full-time opportunities,” Louise says.

This mismatch highlights the ongoing imbalance between short-term income needs and longer-term career pathways, particularly for graduates.

“Deliberate attention is needed to ensure these students are not left behind. Here at SJS we encourage potential employers to remember that we all started somewhere, and today’s students are tomorrow’s experts – they just need an opportunity,” she says.

“Students who register with SJS are actively looking for work, and we are well placed to connect them with the right job opportunity to meet employer needs, including with our graduate program SJS Recruit that provides personalised candidate matching.”

Take a chance on a student and list a job with Student Job Search today – www.sjs.co.nz.

About Student Job Search

As Aotearoa’s largest student employment service, Student Job Search (SJS) is a charitable organisation dedicated to championing student employment and facilitating positive outcomes for employers and students.

Through connecting students and employers, we help reduce financial hardship, set students up for the future and provide employers with access to a talented workforce.

As a purpose-built student employment service, we support students with real job opportunities that provide income, experience, and connection. We work hard every day to ensure the integrity of our service to students.

We cater to all tertiary students, not just university, as well as helping graduates up to two years after study and high school students in the lead-up to starting tertiary study.

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