Nearly 1 million young people in Canada are not employed, nor in training or education

At 14.8 per cent, the youth employment rate in Canada is more than double the overall national rate which according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) could have “scarring effects”. Since 2008 the employment rate for youth has continued to deteriorate relative to other groups across OECD countries.”The collapse in employment opportunities experienced by youth during the crisis is of particular concern because unemployment and other labour market difficulties encountered early in their working lives can jeopardize their long-term career paths and future earnings prospects (the so-called ‘scarring effect’)” the OECD said. Those at greatest risk are the youth referred to as “NEETs” – youth not in employment, education or training.  According to Statistics Canada, roughly one in every ten unemployed youth have been in this situation for a year or more. Countries which face high levels of long-term unemployment risk a situation of a discouraged potential workforce and loss of labour market skills to the point that they choose not to, or are unable to enter the workforce even after the economic recovery is complete and demand is restored.  The OECD warns, “this could lead to higher structural unemployment.”  Article
News Date: July 10, 2012

Hiring and retaining more Aboriginals may help address Canada’s looming skills and labour shortage

In Northern regions where resource development is creating a growing demanded for skilled workers, recruiting, hiring and retaining individuals from the Aboriginal population may offer part of the solution. Alison Howard, Principal Research Associate at the Conference Board of Canada says,  “soon, Canada will not have enough workers with the right skills to meet its labour needs. The Aboriginal population, including Inuit, Métis, and First Nations, is the fastest-growing cohort in Canada, but it is underrepresented in the labour force compared to the non-Aboriginal population.”  Integrating more of the Aboriginal population into the workforce will help organizations build stronger community relationships, increase diversity and inclusivity and tap into an “underutilized source of talent to fill skills gaps.”  Ways in which organizations can help improve the recruitment and retention of Aboriginal peoples in Canadian workplaces includes: improving educational outcomes through mentoring, internships and job shadowing; better coordination among Aboriginal organizations to simplify points of contact for employers; raising awareness of Aboriginal cultures; and increasing opportunities to share best practices among Aboriginal employment organizations. Article
News Date: July 11, 2012

Survey reveals big improvements in the quality of jobs created in the first six months of 2012

Canada’s economy produced 155 000 new jobs in the first half of the year, but the big surprise is that most of the jobs created were high paying and full-time.  The manufacturing sector alone added 88 000 workers during this period in “high-tech, heavy machinery, high-paying manufacturing.”  Additional sectors that contributed to improved job quality included: petroleum and coal manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, heavy and civil engineering construction and transportation equipment manufacturing.  Most notably, “the number of employees in high-paying sectors rose at an even faster pace, by 1.6 per cent, more than double the growth in lower-paying sectors.” Article
News Date: July 12, 2012