Shortage of Skilled and Professional Labour in Trades in P.G.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008 02:40 PM

Prince George, B.C.- The Prince George labour market has been thoroughly analysed over the past six months and the survey indicates there is a lack of skilled and professional labour in trades and engineering across industry sectors.

The analysis was conducted by the Skilled Labour Recruitment and Retention Program operated by Initiatives Prince George in partnership with the Prince George Chamber of Commerce.

The report, Prince George Labour Market Research Initial Findings will serve as a baseline for upcoming program activities and further studies to meet the continuing labour needs of Prince George employers. "This will help the community in determining effective ways to counter the predicted shortage of skilled labour" says Albert Koehler, President of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce. He adds that "with the community working together on these issues, before the labour crunch becomes even more prominent, we can make headway on implementing real solutions".

The report shows labour gaps in certain sectors can be equated to shifting demographics in Prince George, an aging workforce, shifting industry trends – including the downturn in the forestry sector, and differing levels of educational requirements between industries.

Prince George is not the only community seeing this kind of challenge. Tim McEwan, President and CEO of Initiatives Prince George, mentions that "the issue of labour shortages is something many communities are currently facing. Prince George remains a step ahead by recognizing employers’ up-to-date labour needs. Not only will this assist the community moving forward in determining solutions for growth in mining, oil and gas, transportation, technology, public service and health, etc but will also provide a base for continuous tracking of shifting labour needs over the coming months and years".

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Posted on Tuesday, August 05, 2008 02:40 PM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: metalman on August 5 2008 3:46 PM

DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,
REALLY?
DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,
ARE YOU SURE?
DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,
IT CAN'T BE, CHECK AGAIN,
DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,
WE NEED MORE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATORS TO REALLY GET TO THE ROOT OF THIS PERCEIVED PROBLEM, LET'S GET BUSY ON THAT, MORE BLUE SKY THINKING WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ASPHALT BLAH BLAH BLAH.
Oh really you people, ask a business owner in British Columbia (eight years ago) he/she would have told you then that there was going to be a problem finding skilled labour and professionals. It is not really too surprising that some are only now beginning to notice that there is a problem. It is called DEMOGRAPHICS, kids.
Pick up a book called "Boom Bust & Echo"
or maybe you can up/down side load it to your pda/ipod/b-berry/hip phone device.
metalman.

Posted by: lunarbase on August 5 2008 4:06 PM

I agree with you metalman. This issue has been studied before, several times even. Plus just talking to anyone in the workforce you would find the same information. Same with that trailer company that wanted to open up a manufacturing plant here but indicated there just was no qualified people in the region ( a lack of them I mean ).

Posted by: Harbinger on August 5 2008 4:33 PM

Lotsa lawyers, social workers,First Nations studiers, commerce degrees, social scientists, almost professors, Women's issue graduates, forestry students, but even they can't be trusted to wire a house , install a toilet or hook up a gas water heater. Woe is us. What to do? I know. Go yerself to night school and take a pipe fitting course and do it yerself. That oughta work.

Posted by: Born in BC on August 5 2008 5:11 PM

Spending money on studies wont fix the real problem, which is that no one wants to be a tradesperson anymore. Subsidies should be shifted from academics to trades to help encourage more people to enter the skilled trades sectors. Of course EI already allows people in trade school to collect while university students are not allowed, which is a significant motivator, but apparently not enough. The real problem is that with overpowered unions getting unskilled labor wages that are not far behind skilled labor there is little incentive to enter the trades. Just another example of unions screwing with the economics of the situation.

Posted by: metalman on August 5 2008 5:52 PM

Hear hear, born in B.C. Unions let the weak have the same earning power as the strong thus there is no incentive for an ambitious and smart hard worker to try to do better, when the slack jawed slacker beside him does far less but gets paid the same.
Harbie you are so un-pc but it is true what you say.
metalman.

Posted by: Harbinger on August 5 2008 6:18 PM

metalman- Being politically correct robs me from my freedom of speech. Be that as it may, can you really convict me of a hate crime over this? Being PC sucks!

Posted by: fuceneh on August 5 2008 6:18 PM

You clowns have no idea how you are making the wages (or probably salaries,judging by your narrow minded opinions)that you are earning.If it wasn`t for unions,you boneheads wouldn`t have the spare time to post that kind of garbage on this site.

Posted by: fuceneh on August 5 2008 6:22 PM

Posted by: fuceneh on August 5 2008 7:24 PM

Are you sure it`s Born in BC and not born in LaLa Land?There are waiting lists at CNC and trade schools to get in there!

Posted by: rayban68 on August 5 2008 7:27 PM

fuceneh you may be exaggerating just a bit no? But thats not the point. What they are saying is why be a professional and take legal responsibility for your work when you can flip a board or push a button in a union job and make the same (or more!) dollars! That is definitely one reason behind a lack of Skilled and Professional Labour in BC...

Whether union workers are overpaid, or professionals are underpaid is a whole different topic....

Posted by: gjp on August 5 2008 7:43 PM

What a joke! My son went to school and took a trade. He did really well but could not find someone that would give him job. They all wanted someone with experience. Companies whine that they have no skilled workers but they are not willing to train anyone!

Posted by: fuceneh on August 5 2008 7:45 PM

Actually,I think YOU missed the point.The topic was a lack of Tradespeople....not (Professionals)or whitecollars,whatever you want to call yourselves.

Posted by: fuceneh on August 5 2008 8:00 PM

gjp..you are exactly right on saying these companies are not willing to train people...but... who are they going to hire when they need someone?..your son...or somebody with no incentive?Good for him for taking the course and and good luck to him..I don`t think he`ll be looking for work long.

Posted by: fuceneh on August 5 2008 8:04 PM

Rayban,just to broaden your horizons a little,not all union workers flip boards or push buttons..perhaps you should not stereotype people so quickly...

Posted by: socredible on August 5 2008 8:45 PM

How are companies supposed to train people when most of them are operating so close to the line with the trained people they already have they can barely make it now?

For many firms, in a broad cross-section of the economy, there is just NO MARGIN left to engage in 'training'. The ascertained 'cost' of training, separate from the 'wage' paid to the trainee, should be treated like any other 'capital cost.' That might provide some incentive for firms to offer on the job training.

Posted by: lostfaith on August 5 2008 9:20 PM

You see there goes the attack on unions again. Just as I said before, the anti union viagra patients are still at it.

You that do it are pathetic losers with real phsycology issues.
Cut the bashing already, everyone is tired of your mindless babble.

Either that or stand up in public and blab your feelings to the world where you can be looked at in utter amazement.

No backbone for that I guarantee.
Totally spineless

Posted by: rayban68 on August 5 2008 9:26 PM

Oh sure there is the option to participate in "skilled and professional labour in Trades in PG" (perhaps you should re-read the title?) within a union, but the point of the article is that there is a lack of skilled workers (union or non-union).

My point is that one reason behind this lack is money talks and unskilled union positions - board flipping, button pushing, sweeping, laundry etc all pay as much or more than skilled work..

Posted by: ammonra on August 5 2008 10:02 PM

Well, speaking as a trade union steward for many years, and working with skilled workers I can't say I ever noticed unskilled people getting the same pay as the skilled ones. In my industry (health care) there was a significant difference between the two. I believe there still is.

But there again, I do actually know what I am talking about!

Posted by: gamblor on August 6 2008 7:33 AM

The only shortage out there is common sense. The real problem lies in the fact that HR numbskulls that wouldn't know a good employee if they walked in the door and bludgeoned them to death have hijacked the hiring process at most companies. Now companies spend more time and money on useless psych tests that weed out creative, talented people instead of filling positions. The things HR people come up with are straight out of a "Dilbert" cartoon.

Posted by: metalman on August 6 2008 8:04 AM

Harb, I meant to agree with you.
fookin, thanks, I always aspired to klowne.
For the many who do not have a grasp on the reality of the situation, here is how it is; eager, bright, open minded young people who are willing to WORK (not just hold a job) will always find profitable employment, they are the most desirable to the employer because the cost to employ them is low and they enjoy what they are doing which means they learn fast, pay attention and get promoted relatively soon.
The ones who are hardest to have around are the 3rd and 4th year apprentices, and the green journeypersons, they have X number of hours in, therefore the union dictates that they be paid a certain wage whether they are rising stars or duds. The first to get laid off are those who produce the least but are paid at or near the top of the respective wage scale. The foregoing applies to skilled trades in the construction sector, union or not. Having a great resume is not necessarily a ticket to a great job. People tailor their resumes to what they think the prospective employer wants to see, just like they (should) dress appropriately for the job they are trying for when going to an interview. Sometimes you have to hire them to see what they know, and to determine if they have the ability to make the company some money, or if they are just looking for a paycheque. Now I just know that some of you are going to disagree, but this is reality in my little corner of the world.
metalman.

Posted by: socredible on August 6 2008 8:09 AM

One of the problems that goes beyond the whole skilled/unskilled debate is that we define the price of all labour as something which can be included in costs and always fully recovered in prices. Without ever questioning whether or not this is so. And if it's not, why not?

Whether the provision of some good or service is made possible by the labour of someone who is unskilled, semi-skilled, or highly skilled, if that good or service can only be accessed by the spending of the 'price of labour', i.e., one's earned income, then does it not stand to reason that the flow of incomes, in total, and the flow of prices, in total, over any given period of time, have to be equal? For if they are NOT, then how can all goods and services that are made or provided be fully paid for?

Posted by: lostfaith on August 6 2008 8:20 AM

Metalman writes..."The ones who are hardest to have around are the 3rd and 4th year apprentices, and the green journeypersons, they have X number of hours in, therefore the union dictates that they be paid a certain wage whether they are rising stars or duds."

Not always true Metalman, I have seen first hand in many union operations where new inexperienced employees are not paid full union dictated wages.

Posted by: socredible on August 6 2008 8:22 AM

Further to my last question, if they are NOT being fully paid for, where is the incentive to produce or provide goods and services in the future, and employ anyone to do just that?

BTW, metalman, I fully agree with your last post. It's that way in my little corner of the world, too.

Posted by: detoe43 on August 6 2008 9:48 AM

I find it interesting that there is a "lack" of qualified tradespeople in the PG region. Having recently been in the job market I put out well over a dozen resumes to different PG companies. I got exactly one interview (& got the job).I had over 2 dozen resumes to various places in western Canada & had over a dozen interviews.
Shortage of qualified tradespersons?? I think not, what I've seen is alot of companies "fishing" to build up perspective employee pools. Oh & I have 2
IP trade tickets.....

Posted by: Harbinger on August 6 2008 7:09 PM

Kinda helps if yer dad or yer uncle owns the company. Then life is good.

Posted by: Lamb on August 6 2008 8:09 PM

Just listening to a report on China who is now becoming a strong economic nation. The labour is so cheap in China that it can produce many of the goods that are bought in North America and around the world. In fact, their economy is now so good that they are using poorer countries to provide the labour at even cheaper prices than they can.
Seems like there is global perpective that is not being taken into account. Or then again, I could be off topic. Hard to ignore the economics of the world market though when we are having a discourse on our own economics.

Posted by: lostfaith on August 7 2008 8:59 AM

All the items that China makes for us westerners is so full of toxic substances that we are all dying off because of it.

It's a Chinese conspiracy I tell ya.