Learning Task 1: Employment Trends
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Being informed about the trends that are transforming employment and the workplace will give you a greater understanding of the labour market and what you need to find employment.
The working world has undergone significant changes in the past two generations. Fifty years ago, most working individuals had a single employer or worked in one occupation for the majority of their lives. Smaller towns or cities revolved around one or two major employers in a specific industry. By the 1980s, most of our parents’ generation had transitioned through recessions, elimination of jobs in the public and private sector, downsizing of industries, and the movement of jobs overseas. Over the past decade, we’ve seen the adoption of digital (computer) technologies spread throughout the working world and in all facets of manufacturing and machinery. This has led to rapid change in the workplace and a need for employers and employees to be ready to adapt to further changes.
Most individuals entering the job market in the 21st century will work for multiple employers and in a number of sectors over the course of their time in the labour force. With almost every industry adopting digital technologies, workers will be required to learn new skills and adapt to an ever-changing workforce. Many will work in more than one sector of employment, and most of the work available, particularly in the trades, will be on contract or project based. More individuals will be self-employed and need the skill sets to manage their own small business.
The three major trends affecting the Canadian and British Columbia economies in 2015 were:
- increased competition within global markets
- a shortage of workers with specific credentials
- a skills gap
In 2014, the Conference Board of Canada released a report titled “Skills for Success: Developing Skills for a Prosperous B.C.” In this report it was noted that skills gaps cost the B.C. economy approximately $4.7 billion annually in gross domestic product (GDP) and an additional $616 million in provincial tax revenue (Stuckey and Munro, 2014). According to the report:
For B.C. to sustain its economy, pursue new opportunities, and achieve its full economic potential, not only will it require an educated and highly skilled workforce to meet near- to medium-term needs, but also one that has the ability to adapt to changing economic and social circumstances and opportunities (Stuckey and Munro, 2014, p. 2).
Over one-third of the Canadian employers surveyed for the report indicated a need for employees with trades qualifications and credentials, with the highest demands for millwrights, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, welders, and industrial electricians (Stuckey and Munro, 2014).
Employers also expressed concern about the insufficient essential skills of recent graduates and potential employees, with the greatest weaknesses noted i