Job opportunities drop by half as COVID-19 bites

The country has seen a significant drop in advertised jobs by over half since the the first COVID-19 case was reported on March 13, 2020.

According to data from BrighterMonday Kenya, the drop in jobs listings across four months following the entry of the virus in the country is tabulated at 58 percent.

The decline in job listings has coincided with job losses as the employment sector feels the heat of the pandemic.

Job losses are estimated to be above one million as companies shut down and others downsize to survive the economic downturn brought by the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the employment sector hard across the world with job losses being recorded in millions. The Kenyan job market has not been spared by the scourge. There has been a drop in the number of jobs advertised on BrighterMonday and other job aggregators as COVID-19 took hold and lockdown measures were implemented,” said BrighterMonday Kenya CEO, Emmanuel Mutuma.

Job listings in hospitality and travel, building and architecture have been the worst hit especially by virus mitigation measures including cessations on movement and a ban on public gatherings dropping by 47 and 75 percent respectively.

Other job categories to register a dip in listings include consulting services, social services and project management.

Essential services have however marked great gains with listings on healthcare and safety for instance rising by 700 percent, trade at 327 percent and farming at 170 percent.

Job opportunities in real estate have equally increased by 125 percent as people dash to dispose property to stay liquid with cash.

Other industries including creatives, marketing and communication, legal services, human resource and administration have barely marked change in jobs listing.

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COVID-19 job losses

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