The future looks bright for the next generation entering the B.C. labour force, according to an economic analysis by Business Development Bank of Canada.
Pierre Cleroux, BDC91裸聊视频檚 chief economist, predicts the province91裸聊视频檚 health economy coupled with a shortage of workers will create a tremendous opportunity for appropriately skilled job seekers over the next decade.
Cleroux says B.C.91裸聊视频檚 current labour shortage is more acute in the Okanagan than other regions in Canada, noting BDC91裸聊视频檚 analysis found 45 per cent of businesses across the province report having difficulty hiring new employees.
He said the hardest hit industries are manufacturing, retail and construction, the latter two most widely evident across the Okanagan Valley by the plethora of job vacancy billboards signage outside businesses and construction projects delays incurred due to labour shortfalls.
Related: Health care, high tech jobs top B.C. employment forecast
Cleroux said the labour shortage is a reflection of the aging population demographics91裸聊视频攊n 10 years some 25 per cent of Canadians will be retired, compared to only 12 per cent a decade ago.
91裸聊视频淭he baby boomers are now starting to retire and there are not enough people coming up behind them to fill the jobs they are vacating,91裸聊视频� he said.91裸聊视频滻t is an issue for B.C. but it91裸聊视频檚 going to be an issue for the entire country moving forward.91裸聊视频�
The solutions to that problem, he says, lie in further technology investment to off-set labour shortfalls, employers continuing to seek greater operating efficiency, hiring more immigrant workers and marketing your workplace as a great place to work among existing and new employees.
Cleroux said the immigrant issue is particularly perplexing, as Statistics Canada data shows immigrants will account for about two-thirds of Canada91裸聊视频檚 population growth by 2022, and up to 80 per cent by 2032, yet currently only 18 per cent of Canadian entrepreneurs report looking to immigrant workers to fill their needs for skilled employees, according to the BDC report.
91裸聊视频淭he labour force is changing across Canada reflecting a greater reliance on immigrant workers and it takes time for those adjustments to become the new reality. These people are coming to this country and want to work, they are bringing considerable skills, so we need to adapt to this new reality.91裸聊视频�
Related: Who will care for fraily elderly?
Cleroux said having to dedicate more time to creating a marketing strategy to fill job postings can be daunting for time-stressed small business operators, but is necessary to remain competitive in a job market.
For B.C., Cleroux also downplayed the significance of increasing the minimum wage, saying it only makes lower skilled jobs more expensive to fill, making the trade-off opportunities to use technology to streamline production a more attractive option.
91裸聊视频淭here is a much better solution to help people with lower skills to get more employable skills and find better jobs, and that is education. Education is everything.91裸聊视频�
Cleroux said B.C. is also well positioned to benefit from the increasing growth demands of the technology sector across North America, as the province technology sector has a current annual growth rate of about five per cent.
91裸聊视频淭hat is a phenomenal growth rate and it91裸聊视频檚 not likely to change as technology advancement becomes more and more important to companies. It91裸聊视频檚 a great way to diversify an economy and evolve out of the dependence on resource-based industries like forestry and mining.91裸聊视频�
He said the healthcare sector will also continue to expand, another reflection of the aging population factor.
91裸聊视频淭hat is great news for young people. The number of healthcare jobs has steadily increased in recent years, and it is just the beginning. With our aging population, the demand for health service workers is going to explode.91裸聊视频�
To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.
<>
barry.gerding@blackpress.ca
Like us on and follow us on .
