As students across New Zealand return to university next month, IBISWorld has highlighted key industries that are likely to provide significant employment opportunities in the years ahead. Skilled and specialised positions are projected to represent the majority of employment growth.
In particular, the Scientific Research Services, Post-production Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Activities, Computer System Design Services, Beer Manufacturing and Beekeeping industries are projected to record strong employment growth over the next five years.
‘New Zealand is forecast to benefit from its advanced knowledge base and strong global reputation for high-quality goods and services. Rising global demand for the goods and services which New Zealand specialises in is anticipated to translate into strong employment opportunities over the next five years,’ said IBISWorld Senior Industry Analyst Will Chapman.
Scientific Research Services
Employment across the Scientific Research Services industry is expected to grow at an annualised 3.4% over the five years through 2025-26, to approximately 9,700 workers. Industry revenue is forecast to grow at an annualised 3.9% over the five years through 2025-26 as both the private and public sectors increase R&D development.
‘The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of having a robust scientific research infrastructure, particularly for research related to public health. The pandemic will likely lead the New Zealand Government (Te Kawanatanga o Aotearoa) to invest more heavily in health-related research, boosting demand for scientific researchers,’ explained Mr Chapman.
This trend will likely include a large number of university graduates, as private and public sector firms recruit young scientists and researchers to accommodate rising demand. The industry’s average wage is also projected to rise over the next five years, as industry firms undertake increasingly sophisticated research.
Motion Picture Post-Production Services
New Zealand’s success in eliminating COVID-19 has boosted the country’s existing reputation as a favourable location for film production, encouraging greater investment in the Post-production Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Activities industry. Revenue is forecast to grow at an annualised 3.6% over the five years through 2025-26.
Rising demand for industry services is forecast to result in more employment opportunities, with industry employment projected to rise at an annualised 6.7% over the five years through 2025-26, to approximately 3,200 workers. In particular, demand is expected to grow for highly skilled employees, as industry firms compete with other visual effects and post-production service providers to supply cutting-edge technology to film producers globally.
‘New Zealand is home to some of the world’s leading post-production and visual effects studios, such as Weta Digital, which work on some of the largest blockbuster films. Government support for the screen sector, along with a lower risk of disruption caused by the pandemic, is anticipated to boost demand for industry services over the next five years’ said Mr Chapman.
Computer System Design Services
The Computer System Design Services industry is expected to grow at an annualised 4.9 over the next five years, as both government and the private sector increasingly adopt cloud infrastructure solutions. Although disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are anticipated to result in a decline in industry revenue in 2020-21, the industry is forecast to make a strong recovery over the next five years.
‘Industry employment is forecast to grow at an annualised 4.0% over the five years through 2025-26, to 41,500 employees. The industry’s average wage is also projected to rise as strong demand from the private sector contributes to intensifying competition for IT and computer professionals,’ noted Mr Chapman.
Businesses and government institutions have required increasingly sophisticated computer systems to accommodate internal and customer needs, and this trend is anticipated to continue driving industry demand following the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, industry firms will require more skilled IT professionals to design, build and maintain these systems.
‘For many industries, the temporary lockdowns caused by COVID-19 have highlighted the need to move critical business functions on line, and retain a flexibility to work from home where possible. This need is expected to support demand for computer system architects well into the future,’ explained Mr Chapman.
Beer Manufacturing
The Beer Manufacturing industry is expected to return to growth following New Zealand’s successful containment of the COVID-19 pandemic, after experiencing a 16.3% contraction in revenue in 2020-21. Over the next five years, employment is expected to rise at an annualised 5.6%, to approximately 2,800 people.
‘New Zealand’s small craft breweries are increasingly gaining attention in export markets, such as Australia and the United States, where unique and limited-edition craft beers have become increasingly popular. This trend is expected to boost industry demand over the next five years, despite an increasingly saturated local market,’ said Mr Chapman.
The industry has benefited from rising demand for craft beers over the past five years, with low barriers to entry encouraging new players into the industry. Strong demand growth for craft beer is anticipated to encourage smaller, popular breweries to expand and existing operators, such as DB Breweries and Lion NZ, to scale up their workforces over the five years through 2025-26.
‘The boom in craft beer is likely to create stronger demand for a range of professions, including brewery technicians, supply chain managers and sales staff,’ explained Mr Chapman.
Beekeeping
The COVID-19 pandemic has attracted consumers to honey’s antiviral properties. As a result, the Beekeeping industry is anticipated to grow by 14.7% in 2020-21. Revenue is expected to rise at an annualised 3.3% over the five years through 2025-26, as export markets continue to increase demand for New Zealand’s premium honey products.
‘Employment across the industry is expected to rise at an annualised 3.6% over the next five years, to approximately 2,300 people. Demand for apiarists is expected to be particularly strong, but beekeeping firms will also need skilled marketers and supply chain managers to excel,’ said Mr Chapman.
The COVID-19 pandemic is forecast to increase health consciousness trends among consumers globally, boosting demand for products perceived to have health benefits, such as manuka honey. Rising demand for pollination services is also likely to support beekeeping professionals over the next five years.
IBISWorld reports used to develop this release:
- Scientific Research Services in New Zealand
- Post-production Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Activities in New Zealand
- Computer System Design Services in New Zealand
- Beer Manufacturing in New Zealand
- Beekeeping in New Zealand
For more information, to obtain industry reports, or arrange an interview with an analyst, please contact:
Jason Aravanis
Strategic Media Advisor – IBISWorld Pty Ltd
Tel: 03 9906 3647
Email: mediarelations@ibisworld.com
