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.

2005 05 10                                 4:30 p.m.