The Ashburton District Council, in partnership with the Ashburton Guardian has launched a new feature on the Ashburton App designed to help local jobseekers find essential work during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The Essential Jobs button, which features inside the COVID-19 option on the app's homepage, lists available paid positions that are allowed to operate during the lockdown.

Locals are able to use the button as a directory to find and fill essential service vacancies.

Ashburton District Mayor, Neil Brown says the COVID-19 Alert Level Four lockdown has greatly impacted the district's workforce and businesses, and the new Essential Jobs button has been specially created to help meet the district's new employment needs.

"We are very excited to launch this new feature on the Ashburton App. These are very trying and uncertain times across the country. Here in the Ashburton District, we want to do what we can to help our people find work and ensure our supermarkets, trucking companies, health services, support agencies and other essential services are able to continue meeting the communities needs."

The feature is available for listing paying positions and only essential businesses can list their job vacancies. The positions must be temporary, as the feature is only designed for helping to connect jobseekers and employers while normal business is restricted during the COVID-19 response.

"We're pleased to be working together with the Ashburton Guardian to make this initiative happen. We hope it will make a real difference for people and families who have been left without work and need a job," Mayor Brown adds.

Businesses wishing to list their vacancies can do so inside the app by following the Essential Jobs button and emailing their listing to the Ashburton Guardian.

The Ashburton App is free to download from the Apple Store and Google Play​.​