WORKFORCE
TRENDS IN HAMILTON
A Supplement to the 2013 Labour Market Plan
October 2013
Workforce Trends in Hamilton A SUPPLEMENT TO THE 2013 LABOUR MARKET PLAN Prepared by: Judy Travis Background Research: Sarah Hosick
Workforce Planning Hamilton (established in 1997) is a catalyst for economic and labour market development, building solutions and engaging multi-stakeholder alliances. To achieve results for our community in the area of labour market development we work in partnership with a broad range of stakeholders including business, labour and other community partners. We are a member of Workforce Planning Ontario, a network of twenty-six labour market planning regions covering Ontario. WPH is funded by Employment Ontario – the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. Visit our website www.workforceplanninghamilton.ca to review our many research reports, project activities and other publications.
Acknowledgements Workforce Planning Hamilton would like to express thanks to our partners and other key stakeholders for their contributions and support of this report. The insight provided by these individuals and organizations enrich our understanding of Hamilton’s labour market dynamics. We would also like to thank our community partners for their collective and individual action in support of the priorities outlined in this plan. This document may be freely quoted and reproduced without obtaining the permission of Workforce Planning Hamilton provided that no changes whatsoever are made to the text and Workforce Planning Hamilton is acknowledged as author. The information presented in this report is current at the time of printing. The views expressed in this document do not necessarily reflect those of Employment Ontario.
A member of:
This Employment Ontario program is funded by the Ontario government.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary Introduction Methodology Hamilton’s Labour Market Businesses in Hamilton Hamilton’s Workforce Workforce Characteristics of Job Seeking Clients Consultation Results 2013 Labour Market Plan for Hamilton - Update Conclusion References
2 3 3 4 5 7 10 15 17 19 20
FIGURES AND TABLES Figures Figure 1. Business Counts, Year to Year Percent Changes, Hamilton and Ontario Figure 2. Hamilton CMA Economic Indicators, 3 month moving average, April 2012- March 2013 Figure 3. Age Distribution of Employed, Unemployed and Employment Service Clients in Hamilton Figure 4. Education Levels of Employed, Unemployed and Employment Service Clients in Hamilton Figure 5. Education Levels of OW Clients Figure 6. Age Distribution of the Top Trades in Hamilton
5 7 10 11 11 14
Tables Table 1. Distribution of Businesses by Employee Size Range, Hamilton and Ontario Table 2. Top Industry Subsectors by Number of Employers, 2013 Table 3. Top Industry Subsectors by Highest Increase in Number of Employers, 2012-2013 Table 4. Hamilton CMA Workforce, April 2012-March 2013 Table 5. Top Industries by Employment Table 6. Skill levels in Hamilton Table 7. Top Occupations in Hamilton Table 8. Employment Service Client Groups Table 9. Top Occupations for Employment Service Clients
5 6 6 7 8 8 9 12 13
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Recent data shows that Hamilton’s workforce is increasingly educated, higher skilled and more diverse than ever before. The availability of skilled workers in the community supports the strong employer growth observed across many different industries in the past year. At the same time, we hear about a skills mismatch in Ontario. Companies are struggling to find the right workers that can handle evolving workplace demands and have the expertise to meet today’s standards. With Employment Ontario (EO) client data provided by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities we were able to examine key characteristics of Hamilton’s workforce with a focus on job seeking clients. Our two consultations with employment and training service providers offered an inside look at opportunities and challenges job seeking clients face in the current labour market. Key findings from these consultations that are addressed in this report include: Youth are less likely to access employment services than people of prime working age Clients with specialized needs (e.g. newcomers, persons with disabilities) can be difficult to serve due to increased barriers to obtaining sustainable employment Education levels of EO clients are lower than those of the employed workforce, highlighting the importance of increasing skills development Employment service clients are more likely to find work in lower skilled and typically lower paid occupations than the general labour force A low number of employment service clients are referred to an apprenticeship program The most common training program for employment service clients to enter is Second Career, which has provided clients with varying degrees of success in obtaining program related employment upon completion WPH will explore solutions to these identified issues with the service provider community, along with continuing work on our ongoing key priorities.
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INTRODUCTION Mission: Workforce Planning Hamilton is a leader in local workforce development providing evidence-based analysis and engaging a broad range of labour market stakeholders. Six months ago Workforce Planning Hamilton (WPH) released our 2013 Labour Market Plan. In that plan WPH provided updated information on our local economy, key economic indicators and an action plan that supported labour market development in Hamilton. While six months is a relatively short time frame to monitor change, new data has become available to us through the National Household Survey as well as a special data set that profiles job seeking clients accessing Employment Ontario services and programs. With this new information along with updates to other labour market indicators we have prepared a brief report that explores workforce trends in Hamilton with a special emphasis on the Hamilton’s workforce and in particular job seeking clients. This report provides an update on Hamilton’s local economy: Which sectors are growing How is small business faring Latest updates on the economic clusters in Hamilton Employment trends New labour market information from the National Household Survey A special analysis of Employment Ontario client data Results of our consultations with employment and training service providers An update on the labour market action plan for Hamilton As always we present this information for the use of the community with the hope that it will continue to stimulate discussion and action to improve labour market conditions in Hamilton.
METHODOLOGY This plan provides an update on Hamilton’s labour market, with particular focus on the unemployed population that access employment services. To achieve this plan’s objectives, WPH undertook an evidence-based research approach, which included: an analysis of the 2011 National Household Survey and 2013 Canadian Business Patterns for the Hamilton census division, as well as the monthly Labour Force Survey for the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area; an assessment of custom client data from the seven Employment Ontario agencies serving Hamilton, provided by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, as well as custom Ontario Works client data provided by the City of Hamilton Community Services; a review of local labour market media coverage; a consultation session with community employment and literacy partners, conducted May 29, 2013, to gather agency views on the impact of different labour market conditions on caseloads; gathering community agencies’ observations on the client data through an online data presentation and feedback forum from August to September 2013.
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HAMILTON’S LABOUR MARKET Hamilton is one of Ontario’s major economic centres with key industry clusters in advanced manufacturing, agribusiness and food processing, clean technology, creative industries, goods movement, and life sciences. In 2012 and 2013, Hamilton was ranked the best place in Ontario for investment by the Real Estate Investment Network, as well as the top investment city in Canada by Site Selection Magazine. 1 Looking to the future, the Conference Board of Canada has forecasted that the Hamilton CMA will see average growth of 2.3% over the 2 next five years. So far in 2013, there has been a slight slowdown in development compared to the building boom period from 2010 to 2012. 3 However, there have been several developments since the release of our last labour market plan. Recent media highlights include: • • • • • • • • •
Creative industries continues to grow in Hamilton, with the City of Hamilton’s Music Strategy currently under draft; Economic Development’s new Manufacturing Strategy is set to be released in Fall 2013; Tim Horton’s Field, a new-multi-purpose stadium is due for completion in July 2014; Maple Leaf’s new multimillion-dollar meat processing plant at the Red Hill Business Park is expected to be fully operational by 2014, employing approximately 670 workers; McMaster Health Campus in downtown Hamilton will be home to 4,000 McMaster students and 450 employees upon completion in December 2014-March 2015; The first downtown supermarket in decades, Nations Fresh Food Supermarket opened in Jackson’s Square in Summer 2013; Homewood Suites by Hilton, a new $35 million hotel, is currently under construction in downtown Hamilton; Navistar, a manufacturer and marketer of trucks and diesel engines, is relocating to Hamilton and will be home to 50-60 employees by May 2014; Strong sales in Hamilton’s real estate market, as the number of new listings steadily increased over the summer months.
1
Invest in Hamilton, City of Hamilton Economic Development Hamilton’s economy will grow through 2017: Report, Steve Arnold, Hamilton Spectator, February 14, 2013 3 City building boom cools, but lots in the works downtown, Lisa Marr, Hamilton Spectator, September 20, 2013 2
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BUSINESSES IN HAMILTON Hamilton’s labour market is growing in terms of both its workforce and employers. The industry and number of employers in an area influence the type of employment available to workers and the skill set necessary to succeed in these jobs.
Strong Employer Growth Latest business counts indicate there are 30,072 employers operating in Hamilton, an increase of 10% over the previous year. Strong business growth in both Hamilton and Ontario occurred after periods of relative stagnancy following the global economic recession that began in 2008. Figure 1. Business Counts, Year-to Year Percent Changes, Hamilton and Ontario 12% 8%
Hamilton
4%
Ontario
0% 2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
-4% Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Patterns
Much of the growth can be attributed to owner-operated businesses, which account for 54% of all businesses in Hamilton. Small business has traditionally dominated in Hamilton and has contributed to the increased diversification of Hamilton’s economy following the decline of the once central manufacturing industry. Table 1. Distribution of Businesses by Employee Size Range, Hamilton and Ontario NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 1-19 20-49 50-199 200+
% OF ALL BUSINESSES WITH EMPLOYEES Hamilton Ontario 86.5% 87.0% 8.7% 8.1% 3.9% 4.0% 0.8% 0.9%
Note: Numbers may not add to 100% due to rounding. Source: Statistics Canada, 2013 Canadian Business Patterns
Of businesses with employees, 95% have fewer than 50 employees
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Top Industries by Employers The concentration of businesses in various industries influences the available employment opportunities for Hamilton’s workforce. The top five industry subsectors by number of businesses has remained unchanged from 2012. Table 2. Top Industry Subsectors by Number of Employers, 2013 (not including owner-operated businesses) INDUSTRY SUBSECTOR
541 – Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 621– Ambulatory Health Care Services 238 – Specialty Trade Contractors 722 – Food Services and Drinking Places 561 – Administrative and Support Services
TOTAL EMPLOYERS
% OF TOTAL EMPLOYERS
1,349 1,254 1,206 947 656
9.7% 9.1% 8.7% 6.8% 4.7%
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Patterns
Table 3. Top Industry Subsectors by Highest Increase in Number of Employers, 2012-2013 (not including owner-operated businesses) INDUSTRY SUBSECTOR
621 – Ambulatory Health Care Services 484 – Truck Transportation 531 – Real Estate 722 – Food Services and Drinking Places 238 – Specialty Trade Contractors
NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS 2013 2012
WORKFORCE PLANNING HAMILTON
% CHANGE
1,254
1,097
157
14.3%
490 518
340 436
150 82
44.1% 18.8%
947
874
73
8.4%
1,206
1,147
59
5.1%
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Patterns
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CHANGE IN NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS 2012-2013
HAMILTON’S WORKFORCE The previous section showed how Hamilton has seen strong business growth in the past year. We now turn our attention to the supply side of Hamilton’s labour market. This section will: • detail recent employment patterns in Hamilton; • profile Hamilton’s workforce with special attention to the job searching population
Labour Market Trends in Hamilton
68
10
66
8
64
6
62 4
60 58
2
56
0
Unemployment Rate (%)
Participation Rate and Employment Rate (%)
Figure 2. Hamilton CMA Economic Indicators, 3 month moving average, April 2012- March 2013
Participation Rate Employment Rate Unemployment Rate
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey
Employment has seen healthy growth in recent years, with Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey reporting an annual average growth rate of 2.9% from 2007 to 2012 for the Hamilton CMA, just shy of the provincial average of 3.3%. Employment growth combined with a tendency to have a lower than average unemployment rate than Ontario indicate that Hamilton’s labour force is faring reasonably well in terms of securing employment. At the same time, the Labour Force Survey showed there are 26,425 people out of work in Hamilton.
Table 4. Hamilton CMA Workforce Hamilton CMA Workforce April 2012-March 2013 Average Population
625,920
Employed
381,240
Unemployed
26,425
Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey
Hamilton’s participation rate at 65.1% is lower than Ontario’s at 66.5%. In addition, Hamilton’s participation rate has declined 1.6% since 2008, compared to a 1.3% decline in Ontario.
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Table 5. Top Industries by Employment INDUSTRY SUBSECTOR
LABOUR FORCE 2011
2006
% CHANGE
611 – Educational Services
22,845
20,345
18.8%
722 – Food Services and Drinking Places
14,805
15,480
-4.4%
541 – Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
14,635
12,735
14.9%
561 – Administrative and Support Services
11,825
11,610
1.8%
621 – Ambulatory Health Care Services
11,745
7,245
62.1%
Source: National Household Survey, 2006 Census
Table 6. Skill levels in Hamilton % of Employed Labour Force
Skill Level A (University education is usually required) Skill Level B (College or apprenticeship training is usually required) Skill Level C (Secondary school and/or occupation-specific training is usually required) Skill Level D (On-the-job training is usually provided)
Hamilton 2011 2006 28.2% 24.5%
Ontario 2011 31.7%
2006 28.3%
30.6%
30.1%
29.6%
28.0%
28.4%
31.1%
27.8%
31.5%
12.8%
14.3%
10.9%
12.2%
Notes: Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding. Source: 2011 National Household Survey, 2006 Census
Fifty-nine percent of Hamilton’s employed labour force works in an occupation that requires postsecondary education, slightly less than 61% of Ontario as a whole. There has been an increase in the percentage of occupations that require postsecondary education in both Hamilton and Ontario since 2006.
59% of people employed in Hamilton work in an occupation that typically requires postsecondary education – up from 55% in 2006.
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Table 7. Top Occupations in Hamilton Occupation
Labour Force
Skill Level
Retail salespersons (NOC 6421)
11,440
C
Median Employment Income (Ontario) All occupations - $32,863 $13,416
Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations (NOC 6711)
6,770
D
$8,305
Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (NOC 4032)
5,670
A
$61,103
Retail and wholesale trade managers (NOC 0621)
5,395
A
$39,390
Cashiers (NOC 6611)
5,330
D
$8,602
Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses (NOC 3012)
5,200
A
$62,493
Transport truck drivers (NOC 7511)
4,225
C
$38,667
Administrative assistants (NOC 1241)
3,990
B
$34,562
Janitors, caretakers and building superintendents (NOC 6733)
3,855
D
$28,794
Administrative officers (NOC 1221)
3,735
B
$41,659
Note: The NOC went under a major restructuring from 2006 to 2011. We cannot currently compare occupations over time. Source: 2011 National Household Survey
Four of the top ten occupations in Hamilton have a lower median income than the median income in Ontario. Occupations such as retail salespersons, food counter attendants, and cashiers are more likely to be part-time or seasonal work earning well below Hamilton’s annual living wage of $29,1534.
4
Living Wage Hamilton, www.livingwagehamilton.ca
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WORKFORCE CHARACTERISTICS OF JOB SEEKING CLIENTS To help study the unemployed population in Hamilton, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities has provided us with custom client data from the seven Employment Ontario (EO) agencies for the year April 2012 to March 2013. EO helps connect people looking for work with employers looking for workers through a suite of services that include employment help, literacy and basic skills, apprenticeship, and Second Career. Employment service clients represent a subset of the general unemployed population; the Labour Force Survey estimates there are 26,425 people out of work in the Hamilton CMA, and 4,292 people received employment services. It is important to note that the number of EO clients are those that received direct service. Some people choose to conduct their job search without committing to a structured program and these individuals would not be reflected in the EO client data... At a consultation in May, employment agencies discussed an increase in the number of walk-in participants using their resource centres. Ontario Works (OW) also provides access to a range of employment activities including education programs, jobspecific skills training, literacy screening and training, employment placements and community placements. OW has provided us with custom client data so that we can gain a better sense of individuals who access employment services. Only 839 employment service clients reported OW as their primary source of income; however, of the 20,303 active OW cases from March 2012 to April 2013, approximately 3,626 people received employment assistance. Other employment agencies such as PATH are also not included in the EO analysis. Through an online feedback forum in August and September, we validated the EO data with our community agencies. We have included their comments throughout the analysis. Figure 3. Age Distribution of Employed, Unemployed and Employment Service Clients in Hamilton 100% 80% 65 years and over
60%
45 to 64 years
40%
25 to 44 years
20%
15 to 24 years
0% Employed
Unemployed
Employment Service Clients
Source: National Household Survey, EO Client Data
Youth (age 15 to 24 years) are more likely to be unemployed than people of prime working age. At the same time, youth are underrepresented as employment service clients compared to the general unemployed population. Ontario Works also reported a low number of youth in their program, with 14% of clients under age 22. We consulted with employment agencies to learn possible reasons why few youth access employment services. The lack of programs specifically targeted for youth, discouraged attitudes and a general unawareness of programs are all barriers to the younger age group accessing employment services.
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Figure 4. Education Levels of Employed, Unemployed and Employment Service Clients in Hamilton 100% 80% Other
60%
University
40%
College or Trades Certificate 20% High School 0% Employed
Unemployed
Employment Service Clients
Less than High School
Source: National Household Survey, EO Client Data
The employed labour force has higher education levels than the unemployed population. There is evidence of a skills gap or skills mismatch in Ontario’s labour market, with the Conference Board of Canada estimating the gap costing the Ontario economy up to $24.3 billion in foregone GDP.5 A skills mismatch might be evident in Hamilton, as 46% percent of employment service clients have completed some form of post-secondary education, yet still have difficulty securing employment. The majority of employment agencies noted skills misalignment or outdated skills as the most common reason for clients with postsecondary education to have difficulty in the labour market. Figure 5. Education Levels of OW Clients
100% 80% Postsecondary 60% High School
OW clients are more likely to have lower education levels than other workforce groups. Forty-four percent of OW clients have less than high school education compared to 16% of employment service clients and 11% of the total population.
40% Less than High School
20% 0% OW Clients Source: OW Client Data
5
The Need to Make Skills Work: The Cost of Ontario’s Skills Gap, The Conference Board of Canada, Daniel Munro and James Stucky, 2013
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Academic Upgrading and Second Career Training for Hamilton’s EO Clients Seven hundred employment service clients had less than high school education, yet only 97 clients had outcomes of either Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent, academic upgrading or EO literacy training. EO agencies reported that although every client is made aware of training options, clients tend to place greater importance on securing employment rather than education. In order to stay competitive in the knowledge economy, clients need to embrace lifelong learning so they can adapt to changing workforce needs. The most common training program for EO clients to enroll in is Second Career. Second Career provides laid-off workers with skills training to help them find jobs in high-demand occupations in Ontario and financial support for tuition, books, transportation and a basic living allowance. Approximately 5% of employment service clients enter the Second Career program, with the most common skills training programs being transport truck drivers, heavy equipment operators, social and community service workers and home support workers. While success obtaining employment after completion of the program depends on a variety of factors including previous experience, individual efforts, and where they went to school, several employment agencies indicated that many clients do find work in their field.
Employment Service Client Groups Table 8. Employment Service Client Groups Hamilton Employment Service Clients 9.1%
Ontario Employment Service Clients 8.6%
Visible Minority
12.4%
9.6%
Person with Disability
9.2%
4.3%
Aboriginal
1.9%
2.5%
Internationally Trained Professional
16.4%
19.1%
Newcomer
Employment service agencies in Hamilton serve a higher concentration of clients with employment barriers than Ontario. Agencies have noted an increase in these clients since the economic recession.
These client groups can be more difficult to serve due to unique barriers each group faces. For Source: EO Client Data example, newcomers and internationally trained professionals may not have the recognized credentials or language benchmarks required to work in Canada, while people with disabilities typically require extra resources and time finding supportive employers to complete placements. Employment agencies may actively coordinate services with external organizations that specialize in serving each of the target groups. “High barrier clients- clients with long term unemployment and disabilities pose challenges for securing and maintaining employment with all the necessary supports in place” “People with disabilities take a lot of resources, time on retention and finding supportive employers to complete placements” “Many of the credentials [of Internationally Trained Professionals] are not recognized in Canada and it is costly and can take a lot of time to become recertified in their fields” -
Hamilton employment agencies when asked if there are certain groups that are more difficult to serve
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Top Occupations for Employment Service Clients When compared to the top occupations for the general population, the common occupations for employment service clients tended to be of lower skill, lower wages and have higher turn-over in staffing. Employment agencies report that many clients work in the listed occupations for immediate wages, not for long-term career prospects. Table 9. Top Occupations for Employment Service Clients EMPLOYMENT SERVICE CLIENTS
Skill Level
Other Labourers in Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities (NOC 9619)
D
Median Employment Income (Ontario) $19,686
Retail Salesperson (NOC 6421)
C
$13,416
Construction Trades Helpers and Labourers (NOC 7611)
D
$24,923
Light Duty Cleaners (NOC 6731)
D
$15,378
Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support (NOC 6711)
D
$8,305
Cashiers (NOC 6611)
D
$8,602
Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing (NOC 9617)
D
$24,875
Cooks (NOC 6322)
B
$13,714
Material Handlers (NOC 7452)
C
$29,362
Customer Service, Information and Related Clerks (NOC 6552)
C
$28,458
Source: National Household Survey, EO Client Data
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APPRENTICESHIP AND TRADES Figure 6. Age Distribution of the Top Trades in Hamilton
All Occupations 7241 Electricians (except industrial and power system)
7321 Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers 7311 Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics 7242 Industrial electricians
15 to 24 years 25 to 44 years
6341 Hairstylists and barbers
45 years and over
7231 Machinists and machining and tooling inspectors 7271 Carpenters
7251 Plumbers
7236 Ironworkers 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Source: National Household Survey
There is an increasing skilled trades shortage in Canada as a growing number of existing trades workers are retiring, or preparing to retire in the near future and few young workers are entering apprenticeship programs.6 Hamilton is also facing this challenge, as many of the most common trades have an older than average workforce. Despite the potential for high earnings, only a limited number of employment service clients are referred to apprenticeship training. EO agencies identified a major recruitment challenge as the difficulty to find employers who are willing to take on apprentices.
6
Skilled trades talent shortage is next crisis for Canadian businesses, Rick Spence, Financial Post, September 3, 2013
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CONSULTATION RESULTS In 2013 WPH hosted two consultations with employment and training service providers in Hamilton. The first was a face-to-face meeting that included representatives from Ontario Works, Employment Ontario employment services and literacy and basic skills representatives. At that time we reviewed labour market trends revealed by the Labour Force Survey and other data and the impact on client needs. We solicited their feedback and comments on these broader trends. Upon the release of the aggregate EO client data, WPH developed a targeted online survey that highlighted key indicators and issues in the EO client data with follow up questions that explored employment service providers’ experience and concerns. This survey was distributed to all EO agencies, the Adult Basic Education Association who responded on behalf of the literacy community and OW. We asked for one survey response per organization and most completed the survey with support from their team. Our response rate was 100%. Questions to the service provider organizations focused on their organizations experience relative to the aggregate data and any concerns that they might have related to the issue. For many questions we asked for their ideas on ways to further explore the findings or make improvements that might influence client outcomes. At the end of the survey we also asked them to rank the key issues raised in our analysis of the data. Below you will find their selection listed in the order of priority and a summary of some of the suggestions made by the service providers for further discussion and research. 1. Youth not accessing services Service providers noted that the Youth Employment Fund launching September 23, 2013 may create new opportunities to reach this client group. Other suggestions included: Developing new marketing strategies that are youth focused and include social media Exploring new technology-based ways to deliver services to youth Beginning early in the education system (by Grade 10) to ensure that youth are aware of all the employment supports available in the community and are linked Consider the development of a youth mentorship program Review all the programs and services available to youth 2. Designated groups difficult to serve (e.g. newcomers, visible minority, persons with disabilities, Aboriginals) There are a variety of suggestions that explore enhanced or alternative supports for clients with specialized needs including: Exploring new ways to meet the needs of older workers that specifically address their needs Reviewing the whole range of supports for job seekers with significant and/or multi- barriers to employment to consider the most effective interventions for their needs Ensure marketing and service coordination and collaboration across services in the community to meet the needs of specific populations 3. Education and literacy levels of clients Consider the ways in which we can communicate the increasing requirement for continuous learning and skills development in a way that clients can understand
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4. Sustainability of prevalent occupations Service providers were in general concerned about this issue and this issue will be further explored in a follow-up consultation 5. Limited apprenticeship referrals Concerns were expressed about ease of access to the apprenticeship system by job seeking clients. Suggestions included the following: Ongoing promotion of skilled trades careers especially to youth. Creating greater awareness while youth are still in the high school system Employers need to be better engaged to offer apprenticeships through outreach, incentives and other employer-focused strategies Greater training for agency staff on skilled trades shortages as well as how to access the apprenticeship system Interest in an ‘apprenticeship event’ 6. Second Career occupations Service providers noted that client outcomes vary based on school attended and program selected. These issues and ideas will be further explored with the service providers in the pre-business planning cycle and actions identified based on the availability of time and funding.
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2013 LABOUR MARKET PLAN FOR HAMILTON - UPDATE The Labour Market Plan provides a framework to guide workforce development. The Hamilton community is active and proactive in addressing key issues in our local labour market and have worked collaboratively to address these issues over a number of years.
KEY PRIORITY: UP-TO-DATE LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION There is a constant need for current labour market information to assist job seekers and others in career transition to find employment or training in our community. Annual Employer Skills Survey This annual survey will be launched in January 2014 to gather information from employers on their evolving skills requirements. The survey allows employers a chance to communicate their combined workforce needs to stakeholders including colleges, universities, school boards, and employment service providers, who can provide solutions. WPH is partnering with the Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development, employment service providers and others to gain broad distribution of this online survey. Help Wanted in Hamilton: Quarterly Job Vacancy Reports for Hamilton In July 2013 WPH launched a quarterly report on job vacancies in Hamilton. This report identifies occupations posted in online forums like the Job Bank, Workopolis, Monster, Kiijii, and others including online postings from key employers in Hamilton. It provides a snapshot of ongoing labour market demand and this demand will be tracked over time. Sales and Service Labour Market Profile WPH is currently working on a labour market profile of the primary sectors comprising sales and service including retail trade and accommodation and food services. These two sectors account for approximately 25% of the local labour force with retail trade being the top employment sector in Hamilton. The research includes profiles of key occupations and subsectors and will also include information career ladder opportunities based on skills acquired in the sectors. Understanding Labour Market Information Needs in Hamilton WPH hosted focus groups with both service providers and job seeking clients to better understand how we can best customize labour market information to make it accessible and understandable for employment service providers and their clients. Labour Market Information for Literacy and Basic Skills Working on behalf of the Adult Basic Education Association, WPH developed a handbook and presentation for literacy service providers on how to use labour market information to guide literacy clients towards employment goals.
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KEY PRIORITY: SKILLS ALIGNMENT Skills requirements are evolving and increasing skills requirements across many sectors. Hamilton’s unemployment rate continues to decline which means that our local labour market is tightening. At the same time we note that our participation rate is also lower than the provincial average. Experienced Workers Project WPH developed a profile of the experienced worker and their related job search issues through a series of twenty interviews with workers who are finding it a challenge to gain employment. We will present this report at a forum for front line workers at the end of October. The event will feature a key note presenter that will provide tips and strategies to work with this group. Employment and Training Community Services Mapping This project does not strictly address an issue identified in the data, however, it does, broadly speaking, work to ensure that the employment and training services are aligned to job seekers who are struggling to find employment. This project revisits our community mapping work initiated in 2009. Using the WIN Hamilton site and the special client data received from MTCU plus information on OW clients WPH is developing a 'map' of employment, training and literacy services in Hamilton. The final report will provide the service provider community with in-depth information about service alignment in Hamilton. Job Developers Committee Job developers for employment services and support organizations in Hamilton including WPH have come together to form a committee to work more collaboratively on employer outreach and job matching opportunities.
KEY PRIORITY: YOUTH ATTRACTION, RETENTION AND INTEGRATION To meet future skills requirements and fuel our local labour force Hamilton needs to attract and retain skilled youth. No new research or activities to report in this area.
KEY PRIORITY: IMMIGRANT SKILLS INTEGRATION WPH continues to work in partnership with Hamilton Immigration Partnership Council (HIPC) and support their Immigrant Employment Working Group. Where possible we attempt to align priorities and action to increase opportunities for immigrants to work at a skill level commensurate with their education and experience. There are three key objectives: 1. Increase newcomers’ awareness of employment and training services 2. Improve newcomers’ access to the local labour market 3. Engage employers to support the hiring and integration of newcomers in the workplace
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Hiring Immigrants in Hamilton: A Study of Employer Readiness This research report focused on the attitudes and experience of employers in Hamilton when it comes to the hiring immigrants. By way of a telephone survey WPH contacted over 300 employers with a brief survey. Focus groups with a subset of survey respondents gathered qualitative data. Our research findings are available as a report including recommendations and two shorter brochures, one focusing on what the community can do and one focusing on key findings for employers. This research also served as an awareness raising activity on the benefits of hiring immigrants as employers received packages of information that included an employer toolkit and information on employment services. Hamilton Immigrant Mentoring Partnership WPH launched an immigrant mentorship program that brings together experienced professionals with internationally trained professionals (ITPs) with a common background to support the ITPs access to employment through enhanced knowledge of workplace culture, job search practices and sector-specific networks. Pathways to Employment: Strengthening Immigrant Connection Working with HIPC, WPH hosted an event for the community, including employers, service providers and immigrant clients, to highlight the findings from our report and to formally launch Hamilton Immigrant Mentoring Partnership. The event included displays from service providers.
CONCLUSION This supplement to WPH’s 2013 Labour Market Plan released in March 2013 offers insights into the profile of job seeking clients. This aggregate data set in the context of labour market information for Hamilton highlights some areas for collaborative action. As a key stakeholder in the labour market planning process, WPH hopes that you and your organization will review these ideas and join with WPH in considering how we might advance work in these areas. As always we encourage you to be in touch with information about labour market initiatives and activity that we may have overlooked. We remain open to learning about new priorities, issues or actions that may require our attention or response. We invite you to provide feedback on the data and analysis as well as priorities and actions. If you are interested in working on any of these initiatives, please be in touch. As always WPH looks forward to providing updates and timely labour market information that supports workforce development in Hamilton.
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REFERENCES Arnold, Steve. “Hamilton’s economy will grow through 2017: Report.” Hamilton Spectator. February 14, 2013. Invest in Hamilton, City of Hamilton Economic Development. <www.investinhamilton.ca> Living Wage Hamilton. <www.livingwagehamilton.ca> Marr, Lisa. “City building boom cools, but lots in the works downtown.” Hamilton Spectator. September 20, 2013. Munro, Daniel and James Stucky. “The Need to Make Skills Work: The Cost of Ontario’s Skills Gap.” The Conference Board of Canada. 2013. Spence, Rick. “Skilled trades shortage is next crisis for Canadian businesses.” Financial Post. September 3, 2013.
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Workforce Planning Hamilton
Business, Labour & Community: Planning for Prosperity Since 1997 Workforce Planning Hamilton has provided planning, partnerships and projects that highlight local labour market trends and support workforce development. WPH is a member of Workforce Planning Ontario, a network of 25 labour market planning areas across Ontario. Our evidence-based approach relies on key industry sector and demographic data combined with local intelligence from employers and other local partners to develop a strategic vision for Hamilton.
Log on to WPHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website at www.workforceplanninghamilton.ca and you will: Discover our community Projects and Partners that promote labour force development Learn about local labour market trends, opportunities, and priorities in our Publications. Connect to Links on training, employment, and labour market information.
117-77 James Street North Hamilton, Ontario, L8R 2K3 Telephone: 905- 521-5777 Fax: 905- 521-9309 Email: info@workforceplanninghamilton.ca Website: www.workforceplanninghamilton.ca
Workforce Planning Hamilton is funded by Employment Ontario