Cristina Mikami moved from Brazil two and a-half years ago to complete a master of applied health sciences degree at the Southern Institute of Technology.
She completed the degree in October and started to search for opportunities in her area but has had no luck.
In the past couple of months, for example, she applied for 15 jobs but had only two interviews.
"I’m applying for all kinds of jobs in the health area. I applied for a job of caregiver, but I don’t know.
"I think people might think I’m overqualified for the positions, as I have 15 years of experience and degrees from here and back home. But honestly, I need any job as my husband works at Tiwai and we need to have some kind of security."
Mrs Mikami yesterday went to the Great South Job Search 2020 event which showcased Southland employment opportunities.
Great South’s Southland youth futures co-ordinator Allison Beckham said the event aimed to show all the opportunities in the region and help jobseekers in a "really welcome and non-threatening way".
The number of jobs available surprised her and she said the primary sector and its associated industries were the areas with more opportunities.
"We weren’t quite sure how many vacancies there would be this year because of the impact of Covid-19 in our economy, of course, but the number of vacancies in Southland is right back up to pre-Covid levels."
A Great South spokeswoman said the event last year had 520 jobs advertised for the Southland region and this year it had 633.
"So there has been an increase in the employment opportunities on offer."
James Hargest High School year 12 pupils Paige Hawkins and Phoenix Payne (both 17) said they were not worried about their job prospects.
Both wanted to study nursing at SIT and believed there would be opportunities when they completed the course.
"I believe we will not have problems finding jobs in the future.
"However, coming to an event like this, definitely makes us more comfortable with the pathway we chose," Paige said.
