NLIS 8
May 10, 2005
(Human Resources, Labour and Employment)
Initiatives will increase access
to information about jobs and workers Joan
Burke, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, today announced two
initiatives to help address current and future labour market challenges in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
"Newfoundland and Labrador faces a number of labour market issues such as skills
shortages and an aging population. In addition, the province is competing on
both the national and international scale to keep and attract skilled workers,"
said Minister Burke. "These current issues are expected to continue and have an
increased impact on our labour market in years to come. It is vitally important
that government, along with stakeholders including workers, employers, educators
and students work together to find the right solutions to address these
challenges."
"One of the main concerns stakeholders have identified is the need for better
labour market research and increased access to information," explained Minister
Burke. "I am pleased to announce the Department of Human Resources, Labour and
Employment, with the support of our partners including business, labour and the
federal government under the Labour Market Development Agreement, is currently
undertaking two new initiatives that will provide relevant information
stakeholders can use as an active tool to respond to labour market challenges."
The Strengthening Partnerships project will provide information on regional
labour markets across the province. Regional profiles will be developed through
consultations planned for fall 2005 and a provincial labour market symposium in
winter 2006. The project will provide information sharing and networking
opportunities for stakeholders and will report on a wide range of labour market
indicators and trends.
The department is also undertaking the Identifying Skills Gaps in the Labour
Market initiative. This initiative will help identify labour supply and demand
imbalances and provide information to help students and workers identify current
and future job opportunities. A provincial labour market Web site and a guide to
labour market programs and services will be developed. Surveys, such as an
expatriate survey, will also be carried out to gather information about our
labour force and future skills demands.
Both projects will be administered by a management committee with representation
from Human Resources, Labour and Employment; Innovation, Trade and Rural
Development; Education; and the Rural Secretariat along with community groups
including the Federation of Labour, the Employers� Council, and other community
stakeholders.
"If we are to address the future challenges facing our workforce, access to
current and reliable labour market information is vital," said Federation of
Labour President Reg Anstey. "We would like to commend government for
recognizing these issues and for bringing together the key partners necessary to
move them forward."
"Businesses in the province are finding it increasingly difficult to find
skilled workers in both new and traditional industries," said Marilyn Tucker,
President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Employers� Council. If we are to move
forward effectively in addressing those challenges, and achieving the economic
growth we all desire, it is critical that we have a universal understanding of
where the skills gaps are, and that we work together to address them. These two
projects will help achieve those objectives, and we are committed to working
with government as they move forward."
"These initiatives will provide far-reaching benefits for a variety of sectors,"
said Minister Burke. "Businesses may be more inclined to invest in our
communities if they are aware of the quality and number of skilled workers
living in the area. Workers can better plan for the types of training and
education they should invest in if they know what skills will get them a job.
Our educational institutions can develop and offer programs and courses that
reflect the needs of the work world and will get students jobs once they
graduate. These types of approaches will be much easier to develop if our
province has user-friendly easily accessible information and resources for the
entire province."
"Increasing access to current and reliable labour market information and
strengthening our labour market partnerships are the primary objectives of these
initiatives," said Minister Burke. "They will provide a solid foundation to
support better informed decisions, more successful employment outcomes and the
continued development of a competitive and prosperous provincial economy."
Media contact: Jacquelyn Howard, Communications, (709) 729-4062, 689-2624
BACKGROUNDER
Strengthening Partnerships in the Labour Market/
Identifying Skills in the Labour Market
Newfoundland and Labrador, like all provinces across the country, is facing
particular labour market and employment challenges. These challenges include a
change in demographics including an aging population.
In 1971, for every person aged 55-64 preparing to retire, there were three young
people, aged 15-24 that could be potential new entrants to the labour market.
Today that ratio is one to one. According to the latest population forecasts, by
2019 there could be almost two retirees for every one new entrant into the
labour market. The province also possesses the lowest fertility rate,
immigration rate and the highest rate of net out-migration in the country, all
contributing to the aging population and population decline.
Along with changing demographics, Newfoundland and Labrador faces an economy in
transition. Traditional industries need to adjust to new technologies to compete
in the global market, and there are constantly new emerging knowledge-based
industries. Both will require a good supply of skilled labour.
Challenges are not just related to what�s taking place at home. Newfoundland and
Labrador faces competition from other jurisdictions across Canada and the world.
An increasing proportion of our out-migrants are our skilled youth, many of whom
we are losing to other provinces. Many provinces, such as Alberta, who have
their own labour market strategy to increase the proportion of workers they can
attract across the country and new immigrants. Most modern economies are facing
similar challenges to this province and will be competing for our skilled labour.
These labour market issues will contribute to potential labour shortages, yet we
do not have accurate and current information that detail the extent of these
potential shortages and what areas and industries they will most likely occur.
Furthermore, regions and communities across the province have different labour
market challenges and opportunities. Stakeholders such as the Federation of
Labour and the Employers� Council have stressed the need for more detailed
information about these differences to enable people at the local level to plan
for future challenges.
In response to these challenges and identified needs by stakeholders, the
Department of Human, Resources, Labour and Employment (HRLE) initiated the
Identifying Skills Gaps in the Labour Market and Strengthening Partnerships in
the Labour Market projects.
The Identifying Skills Gaps project will provide information and tools to
identify current and future skills needs and employment demands in the province.
A labour market Web site will be developed to increase access to current labour
market information. The single portal Web site will be available for employers,
students, job seekers, planners and others to access the information and
supports they might need to meet their employment and business planning needs.
Users will find links to job search sites in the province, industry links,
workplace employment support needs, among others. Users will also find new
information to tell them about the current labour force, employer needs, and
labour markets across the province.
A guide to labour market programs, services and information will also be
developed under this project. Currently, the province does not have a central,
user friendly source of information about these topics for the province. This
guide will describe and provide contact information for programs, services and
products that can help employers, workers and students.
Identifying Skills Gaps will provide a series of Skills Reports that will look
at such things as expatriate workers in other parts of the country and ways to
attract them back to the province to work. Other areas to be examined include
current training and employment outcomes for students and graduates, skill
levels in the labour force and migration trends within the province. This type
of information will help create a picture of where there are current skills
gaps, employer�s needs and where some of our potential skills shortages might
lie in the future. Skills Reports will help students and workers better plan for
successful career opportunities and help the province develop a skilled labour
force that meets employer�s demands.
The Strengthening Partnerships project will provide detailed information on
regional labour markets and tools for labour market planning at a regional
level. Regional Labour Market Profiles/Reports will provide details about the
labour force in various regions of the province. Information for each region
will include the number of workers we have, their occupations, their skills and
their work experience. The reports will also provide information about jobs in
the regions, employer�s recruitment and retention issues and future expectations
for job growth and skills demands.
The information for this project will be compiled through a number of activities
including regional consultations and a provincial labour market symposium. These
events will provide opportunities for stakeholders across the province to build
partnerships, share information and strategies and strengthen capacity to
respond to local labour market challenges.
The outcomes of these projects will help support employers with human resource
planning and investment decisions; students, job seekers and workers with career
and training decisions and; community planners with local development efforts.
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