July 13, 2011
Positive Outlook for Provincial Labour Market
Newfoundland and Labrador’s historical challenge of too many people and not enough work is now giving way to the new reality of jobs and opportunities. The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment, released a report today titled Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Outlook 2020 which provides a forecast of the province’s labour market demands for the next decade and outlines the opportunities that will exist in numerous sectors.
“There will be significant numbers of job opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador in the coming decade as a result of major project developments, business and industry growth and baby boomer retirement,” said Minister King. “Employers will find that using innovative approaches such as seeking out youth, retirees, and pools of potential workers including those who have traditionally been marginalized from the labour force will help in efforts to satisfy labour demands in the coming years. Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Outlook 2020 provides a detailed account of the historical and current labour market landscape in the province, including information about the local workforce, labour demands, and employment outcomes as well as information about future job trends and prospects for 120 occupational groups.”
Outlook 2020 contains critical information, such as:
- what types of jobs are currently available;
- where job opportunities will be available in the future;
- what education and training is required to get a job;
- what industries are growing;
- how many workers are in the province and what skills they have; and,
- where people are working.
This type of information will be useful to many stakeholder groups. For example, with this information:
- students will better understand where the potential jobs will be in the future and this knowledge will help them make good training and career choices;
- employers will better understand where the work force will come from, find workers they need, and develop recruitment and retention strategies;
- jobs seekers will be able to more accurately prepare for and find jobs;
- career practitioners will be better equipped to help their clients plan for the future;
- post-secondary institutions will be better positioned to deliver relevant training programs to meet industry and labour market demands; and,
- newcomers will more easily be able to identify potential job opportunities in the province and prepare for living and working here.
Labour Market Outlook 2020 highlights that utility, healthcare and trade industries will grow the fastest. These sectors, along with manufacturing, accommodation and food service, transportation and warehousing, and mining will account for most new job growth.
The Provincial Government will continue to support employers in expanding their ability to attract individuals to fill positions, and support job-seeking Newfoundlanders and Labradorians attain the education and skills necessary to qualify for those jobs.
“The Provincial Government has been anticipating the opportunities that will present themselves and has been positioning the province to respond to these needs,” said Minister King. “Our government has also been focused on creating business and labour opportunities for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians with major projects, such as the development of the Lower Churchill, beginning with Muskrat Falls. Similarly, the ongoing review of Provincial Government labour market programming will also provide an opportunity for our government and its labour market partners to assess current programs and service delivery infrastructure in anticipation of an employment boom between 2011 and 15. The goal will be the development of an integrated suite of employment, training and human resource programs and services that will improve employment outcomes for individuals and support a globally competitive economy, now and in the future. All of which will be complemented by strategies and policies already in place such as the provincial Immigration Strategy and Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy.”
Members of the Provincial Government’s Strategic Partnership Council agree that addressing the increased demand for skilled workers will take a coordinated approach. The Strategic Partnership Council is a tri-partite committee comprised of representatives from each of the business, labour, and government sectors with a mandate to identify and respond to emerging human resource challenges and opportunities in the province.
“Understanding what is happening in our labour market, having good labour market information like the information contained in the Labour Market Outlook, is the first step towards making sound and informed decisions about how best to support the labour force of today and the future,” said Lana Payne, President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour. “First and foremost, workers – including the next generation of workers – must be aware of the opportunities ahead. But just as important, as a society we must be clear about the kind of labour market we want to build – we want a labour market that supports good jobs, that includes safe and rewarding work for the citizens of our province. We want to ensure that the workers of our province share fairly in the province’s prosperity.”
“Outlook 2020 presents a unique opportunity for the Business Coalition,” said Roger Flood, Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Business Coalition. “It presents an opportunity for our organization to continue working with the Provincial Government through the Strategic Partnership Initiative to address labour needs and match labour supply with projected demand. We look forward to being part of this process.”
“With such vast opportunity abounding the province, we see this as an era of great prosperity for our people, and one that everyone must make an effort to seize,” said Minister King. “It is important that we all recognize that success lies in partnership, and no one organization or level of government can stand alone in this new environment. Our government’s commitment is strong, and we are proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our many partners, including members of the Strategic Partnership Council and Labour Market Development Committee, to ensure that all employers, be they small, medium or large, have the supports they require to maintain growth and prosperity for Newfoundland and Labrador.”
A copy of the Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Outlook 2020 can be obtained by visiting www.gov.nl.ca/hrle/publications/index.html.
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Media contacts:
| Bradley Power Director of Communications Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment 709-729-0753, 699-5707 bradleypower@gov.nl.ca |
Lana Payne President Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour 709-754-1660 lpayne@nlfl.nf.ca |
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Marilyn Butland Newfoundland and Labrador Business Coalition 709-726-2961 ext. 8 mbutland@businesscoalition.ca |
2011 07 13 11:40 a.m.