SPOTLIGHT ON AGRICULTURE OVERVIEW Healthcare/Social Ass.
Arts/Ent./Recreation
16 agriculture-related firms in Grand Erie identified their workforce needs in this year’s EmployerOne survey. Agricultural businesses are key to our rural economy. This report summarizes the results from agriculture, 8% of all survey responses.
2015 Manufacturing
Agriculture/Forestry...
Transportation
Accomm./Food
Survey Key Findings
Admin & Support
Agricultural employers are facing challenges competing for workers 88% of employers hired in 2014 and 29% had hard-to-fill positions 69% plan to hire in 2015 – down 20% from last year’s results 25% of the agricultural workforce is temporary, and 40% is part-time
Agriculture Sector Profile SURVEY RESPONDENTS
GRAND ERIE’S WORKFORCE
Mostly small and medium-sized businesses completed the survey
69% employ fewer
13%
are start-up companies
than 25 people
25%
31%
employ 25-99 people
are growth companies
25% of employees
40% of employees
There are fewer youth than the general workforce (8%)
are temporary
are part-time
55
One-third of employees are over 55
Recruitment TOP RECRUITMENT METHODS
1 Word-of-mouth 2 Online job boards/postings 3 Government/community job centres
HOW?
Employers rarely used a paid recruitment agency (7%)
Employers usually recruit for local talent, but sometimes look outside Grand Erie for farm labourers, managers, and fishermen
Hiring Trends HOW MANY?
WHO? Top job hires:
14 employers filled
102
positions
72 8
general labourers packers/shippers
Other common hires: tourism and marketing administration and clerical managers and supervisors
Retention Challenges WHO SEPARATED? 11 employers experienced
212
separations
REASON FOR SEPARATION
97
122 general labourers made up
most of the separations, usually due to temporary layoffs and seasonal work
Other (e.g. seasonal work)
86 24 5
Hard-to-Fill Jobs
29%
OF EMPLOYERS HAD A HARD-TO-FILL POSITION had a 1 4 employers shortage of skilled
in
labourers in farming, fishing and butchery in the Grand Erie region
WHY?
Employers had concerns they were losing workers to other businesses because of the nature of work and wages
OF EMPLOYERS SUPPORTED ONGOING TRAINING
However, 90% of supporting employers funded training
1
Applicants not meeting motivation, attitude or interpersonal abilities
Training
63% Agriculture was the least likely sector to offer support
Retired
Quit
Laid off temporarily
Top training challenges:
1 Losing trained employees to other businesses Loss of productivity during training time
2
2
Not enough applicants
3
Applicants not meeting skills
37% OF EMPLOYERS COULD NOT. WHY?
1 Cost of training 2 Loss of productivity during training time 3 Unfamiliar with available training
Education Minimum level of education that companies require for new hires:
UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OR TRADE CERTIFICATE
HIGH SCHOOL OR EQUIVALENT
ngineers and accountants (100% of firms) E Skilled trades (87% of firms) Production occupations (100% of firms) Managers and executives (33% of firms) Administrative and clerical (29% of firms) Service occupations (83% of firms) Technical (28% of firms) Sales and marketing (25% of firms) Apprentices (80% of firms)
For more information about EmployerOne or to sign up for next year’s survey (January 2016), contact the Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie.
1100 Clarence Street South, Suite 101, Box 12, Brantford, ON N3S 7N8 Phone: 519-756-1116 Fax: 519-756-4663 www.workforceplanningboard.org admin@workforceplanningboard.org
This Employment Ontario project is funded by the Ontario Government