NEWS
Calgary and Area Analysis
Help wanted signs are everywhere in Calgary but for many businesses, street side posters won't bring in the people they need because almost everyone that can work is working.
A full 75 per cent of Calgarians 15 years and older are in the workforce already. The next best participation rate is in Ottawa where 72.4 per cent of people are working. In every other major Canadian city the percentage of people in the workforce runs in the 60's with Edmonton hitting 68.8 per cent. Plentiful jobs and rising wages have helped attract people to Calgary's workforce and keep them there, but success also means pressure on industry.
The food sector for one, needs better trained staff, but few employees are willing to take time off from a good job to go through a training program. To compensate, the industry is developing on-site training where workers can pick up new skills without leaving their position.
Combining work and school is also the goal behind popular apprentice programs. This year the lineup to sign up for an apprenticeship program at SAIT spanned three floors. Bill Luxton SAIT's Director of Corporate Training says students are keen to earn a wage while learning a new trade that will provide a stable future (see page 6 for more information on apprentice programs).
While students are keen to remain in the workforce, one segment seems to be leaving. Since 1998, the participation rate for women between the ages of 25 and 44 fell 2.9 percentage points. In a labour market where every worker counts, it's a worrying trend, and while there are a few theories that might explain the decline, no one has a definitive answer yet.
Unemployment Rates:
Major cities and Canada - April 2006
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Calgary
Edmonton
Vancouver
Winnipeg
Toronto
Canada (Avg)
Montreal
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3.1
3.8
4.6
4.9
6.1
6.4
9.1
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Calgary's unemployment rate dropped again this April to 3.1 per cent. In April of last year the rate was 3.7 per cent. Most of the credit for driving down the unemployment rate belongs to the oil and gas sector. "In Alberta, the rising price of oil over the past year has caused employment to go up in the oilpatch as well as in professional, scientific and technical services," says Statistics Canada in their monthly summary of the Labour Force Survey.
Employment Data
Wages have been going up across Canada. Over the past year the hourly rate increased 3.1 per cent nationally. In Alberta, the rate went up 6.8 per cent in the same timeframe. In Alberta there were also more jobs available. Compared to April last year the Alberta economy added 58,200 positions with the vast majority (83 per cent) being full time jobs.
With oil perched at $70 a barrel, and natural gas prices remaining high, the outlook remains rosy for employees. But for employers Alberta Human Resources and Employment estimates the labour supply at midway between 'tight' and an outright shortage. So it is unlikely the help wanted signs will come down any time soon.
Source:
Calgary Labour Market News
VOLUME 8, ISSUE 3, JUNE 2006
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