Finding right people for jobs

By CHARLES FRANCHEVILLE

The nature of economic development in Halifax Regional Municipality is about to change. Currently, we are riding the crest of high employment. Over the next five to 10 years, however, many people will retire from the workforce. As a result, many jobs will be vacated without readily available personnel to replace them.

Consequently, it is anticipated that we will experience a shortage of workers, particularly for the skilled trades, customer service and front-line healthcare sectors. Skill shortages will occur in other sectors as well, given the reality that our population is aging and our collective birth rate is diminishing. Clearly, the economic challenge in the future will not be finding jobs for people; it will be finding people for jobs!

A community thrives when its members enjoy a good standard of living. The challenge is to find ways to position our community so that we are ready to embrace these new economic opportunities.

There are signs that HRM is anticipating this economic reality. HRM council has developed a new economic strategy which recognizes the need to address skill shortages to ensure continued economic growth. That is a good start.

In metro, Nova Scotia Community College has been developing training programs in partnership with various community economic development agencies, employment resources services, government agencies, industry associations and employers. These partnerships have allowed the speedy development of curriculum that addresses the immediate and emerging skill needs.

Further strategic alliances have permitted industry donations of human resources, equipment and consumables. This helps to keep tuition fees to an acceptable level. These programs allow the participants to receive training, followed by employment in their area of interest. They earn a respectable wage while living in and contributing to their own community.

We need to be proactive with our youth, in particular, so that they are prepared (trained) to capitalize on these upcoming job opportunities. It begins with us, as parents, teachers, guidance counsellors, professionals, skilled trades people and retirees. We all need to help educate them on the opportunities, share our experiences, and encourage them to look carefully at their career decisions and choices. They need to be encouraged to maintain their math and science subjects, so they can access programs of study that will lead toward careers in this new economic reality.

And it's not just the youth who need to prepare. We live in a time of life-long learning. It is never too late to embark on a career change or to prepare for new employment. It is by gaining new skills and learning that new doors will open.

The Halifax Regional Development Agency, an economic development arm of HRM, fully recognizes the impact of potential skill shortages and underscores the need to be proactive. In the view of the agency, the time for collaboration is now, in order to ensure that this growing issue is addressed effectively. Our future economic well-being may depend upon it.

Charles Francheville is a board member, Halifax Regional Development Agency, and manager of customized training and part-time studies, Nova Scotia Community College.