Photo by B. Shakyaver
Statistics Canada has said that the unemployment rate held steady nationally at 5.5% in August – ending a three month streak of increases in the rate of joblessness among Canadians.
Locally, on the ground, what does that look like?
Natasha Gaudio Harrison – Economic Development Officer for the County of Huron, said that our region (which for statistics measuring is consolidated with Stratford and the Bruce Peninsula) is currently showing 4.5% unemployment – below the national average.
Studies conducted by Huron County Economic Development in 2021 showed that there was a low availability of qualified workers, and that businesses struggled to attract new employees, and had very few applications for vacant jobs.
To combat this mounting issue, Huron County Economic Development has a few initiatives on the go – including tapping into a local workforce that’s currently leaving the area for work, reducing the number of commuters exiting the community.
They’re also helping employers create attractive work environments through education, showing them what it is that prospective employees are looking for in their workplace.
There is a growing sentiment that nobody wants to work anymore – but Gaudio Harrison says that she doesn’t agree with that.
This workforce shortage isn’t isolated to one particular sector either, she says that it affects many industries from sales, to social services, to administration.
Gaudio Harrison says that a big shift has happened in the culture, and that relationships with work changed a lot over the pandemic. She also points to growing cost of living as having a huge impact on what jobs people choose to take – with many people in the County working for below living wage.
When asked to paint a picture of the best possible outcome, Gaudio Harrison says that youth returning and seizing the future of the county for their own would be her personal utopia.
To be ready for the workers of tomorrow, employers need to invest now in diversity, equity and inclusion – the current holes in the labour market will be filled by newcomers. Other things that are valuable to prospective employees include flexible work, fair compensation, and supporting upward growth throughout their career.
If you’re an employer looking to learn about how you can pivot to fill holes in your workforce, the county has a wealth of resources available to you – reach out and find out how you can be ready to be an employer of today and tomorrow.
Written by: B. Shakyaver
