Internet job ads rise in April

(AAP) - Internet job advertisements for skilled workers rose by 0.5 per cent in April compared to a month earlier, national data shows.
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations' internet vacancy index in April was 93.7 points, 12.6 points higher than in April 2010.
Its more up-to-date newspaper-based skilled vacancies index (SVI) fell by 0.4 per cent in May to 41.4 points, to be 11.1 per cent lower than in May 2010.
The department said last month that it was considering dropping the SVI because the trend among businesses was towards internet advertising.
The latest report is based on 239,000 internet job ads compared with just 1800 newspaper job ads.
Internet-based skilled vacancies increased for six of the eight occupational groups monitored by the department in April with the largest increases being recorded for professionals, and technicians and trades, both rising by 1.5 per cent.
Over the month, vacancies increased in all states and territories, except Tasmania and NSW, which declined by 2.6 and 1.1 per cent respectively.
Western Australia recorded the largest increase in April, rising by 2.4 per cent.
The largest increase over the year was recorded in the ACT, up by 30.3 per cent.