Job vacancies in the mining and resources sector are again on the rise following a seasonal period slump.

DFP Recruitment’s Mining and Resources Job Index for March showed a strong bounce in job vacancies with a 6.8 per cent increase for March.

The data revealed the downward trend in the latter part of 2018 had receded, with the March resurgence the largest monthly increase since the recruitment specialist’s record-keeping began in 2013.

Leading the March boost was permanent job vacancies, with an 8.2 per cent spike for the month, resulting in a 14.5 per cent higher figure year-on-year.

While temporary/contractor job vacancies remain down (5.8 per cent) in yearly comparisons, they were also up 3.8 per cent for the month.

In state-by-state analysis, Western Australia is holding up strongly with 3.1 per cent growth in March to be up 6.4 per cent for the quarter.

The previously weak Queensland market enjoyed a buoyant month (rising 11.9 per cent), reversing the recent downward trend.

Metal ore mining continues to have the greatest market share of vacancies, accounting for almost half of all opportunities.

The volatile sector of coal and mineral mining vacancies had a positive month, rising 17.4 per cent, while oil and gas was the only sub-sector to fall (3.3 per cent) in March.

Of the individual job categories, operational management continuing its promising start to the yea, leading the way with an 11.1 per cent March rise.

“Opportunities for Engineers have been very flat of late and they rebounded 9.2 per cent in March which is promising,” DFP Recruitment CEO Robert van Stokrom said.