Thirtyfive new employment centres across the country have been set up to work with employers and job seekers as part of a Government strategy launched today.

Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni says under Level 3 they will work over the phone and online, then being face to face engagement with clients, employers and providers when the country goes to Level 2.

A Keep New Zealand Working online recruitment tool also went live today to connect job seekers directly to employers as well as providing online training courses.

The ministry is also working with industry to provide quick upskilling, such as a new free online community health course with NZQA Unit Standards.

Ms Sepuloni says even before the COVID-19 crisis the ministry was ramping up employment efforts as part of the Government’s welfare overhaul, and it was able to quickly set up rapid response teams.

Over the past week, 7,694 more people came onto a main benefit, almost 7000 of them on Jobseeker Support.

There were two new confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported today.

One is linked to the Gladys Mary Rest Home cluster in Hawke’s Bay and the other is from the Marist cluster in Auckland.

There was also a probable case in South Canterbury.

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