Nation must do more than create jobs; it must create skilled, experienced workers
Recruiters and hiring professionals are finding it harder to fill jobs in their areas as unemployment hits new lows, making fewer workers available.
A survey of Express Employment businesses revealed more than three quarters of recruiters found filling positions difficult, with 45% saying it is “somewhat difficult” and 31% “very difficult”.
In contrast, only 23% of respondents said recruiting was either “somewhat easy” or “very easy.”
“We are experiencing the tightest job market in many years in our area,” said Curt Allison, who runs an Express Employment Professionals Office in Coquitlam, British Columbia.
Another Express office owner, Ted Maksimowski of Ontario, said: “Recruiting challenges have never been greater. We have to spend more money and be much more creative to find the talent our clients need.”
Reasons cited were a “lack of applicants with experience” (37%) and a “lack of available applicants” (31%), as well as the absence of relevant hard and soft skills among candidates.
Despite these, Allison is optimistic, emphasizing the importance of employers providing competitive wages, good benefits and career path opportunities.
“Here is a reminder that we’re not actually reaching our full potential despite generally positive economic news over the past weeks and months,” said Bob Funk, Express CEO.
“If I have a wish for 2018, it’s that we can expand the conversation beyond simply ‘job creation’ to ‘worker creation’. We need to turn unemployed people, and workers on the sidelines, into qualified workers.”
The survey of 462 businesses - current and former clients of Express Employment Professionals - was conducted in December 2017.
Related stories:
Why Canada just can’t fill jobs
361,700 jobs left unfilled in Canada
A survey of Express Employment businesses revealed more than three quarters of recruiters found filling positions difficult, with 45% saying it is “somewhat difficult” and 31% “very difficult”.
In contrast, only 23% of respondents said recruiting was either “somewhat easy” or “very easy.”
“We are experiencing the tightest job market in many years in our area,” said Curt Allison, who runs an Express Employment Professionals Office in Coquitlam, British Columbia.
Another Express office owner, Ted Maksimowski of Ontario, said: “Recruiting challenges have never been greater. We have to spend more money and be much more creative to find the talent our clients need.”
Reasons cited were a “lack of applicants with experience” (37%) and a “lack of available applicants” (31%), as well as the absence of relevant hard and soft skills among candidates.
Despite these, Allison is optimistic, emphasizing the importance of employers providing competitive wages, good benefits and career path opportunities.
“Here is a reminder that we’re not actually reaching our full potential despite generally positive economic news over the past weeks and months,” said Bob Funk, Express CEO.
“If I have a wish for 2018, it’s that we can expand the conversation beyond simply ‘job creation’ to ‘worker creation’. We need to turn unemployed people, and workers on the sidelines, into qualified workers.”
The survey of 462 businesses - current and former clients of Express Employment Professionals - was conducted in December 2017.
Related stories:
Why Canada just can’t fill jobs
361,700 jobs left unfilled in Canada
