Calgary and Area Labour Market Report

Transcription

Calgary & Area Labour Market Report
Annual 2006
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry
Calgary & Area Labour Market Report – Annual 2006
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 3
Organization of the Report ...............................................................................................3
Executive Summary........................................................................................ 4
The Economy................................................................................................... 9
International and U.S. Economies ....................................................................................9
Canadian Economy ..........................................................................................................9
Alberta Economy............................................................................................................10
Calgary Region Economy...............................................................................................12
Trends in the Labour Market ....................................................................... 14
Canada...........................................................................................................................14
2006 Review .................................................................................................................................................. 14
Alberta............................................................................................................................16
2006 Review .................................................................................................................................................. 16
Calgary Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) .....................................................................18
2006 Review .................................................................................................................................................. 18
Industry Profiles............................................................................................ 21
Industry Overviews.........................................................................................................21
Retail Trade.................................................................................................................................................... 21
Oil and Gas .................................................................................................................................................... 22
Health Care .................................................................................................................................................... 22
Accommodation ............................................................................................................................................. 22
Educational Services ..................................................................................................................................... 22
Finance and Insurance.................................................................................................................................. 22
Wholesale Trade............................................................................................................................................ 23
Transportation ................................................................................................................................................ 23
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation ............................................................................................................. 23
Specialty Trade Contractors ......................................................................................................................... 23
Services to Buildings and Dwellings............................................................................................................. 24
Architectural, Engineering and Related Services ........................................................................................ 24
Summary of Survey Results ...........................................................................................24
Summary of Key Issues in 2006 ................................................................................................................... 31
Job Ad Analysis ............................................................................................ 38
Summary of Job Postings ..............................................................................................38
Appendix A .................................................................................................... 43
High Demand Occupations – Descriptions.....................................................................43
Disclaimer
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry has made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this
report is reliable, but makes no guarantee of its accuracy or completeness. The user of any information in this report
accepts full responsibility and risk of loss resulting from decisions made by the user.
2
INTRODUCTION
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry provides career and labour market information products and
resources, with both a provincial and local/regional focus, in order that Albertans have the skills, support and
information they need to succeed in the labour market.
This report provides labour market information and analysis for use by Albertans in learning about the labour
market and career planning; by employers and industry for use in understanding and addressing labour
market issues; and by the Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry Calgary Region for use in strategic
planning for programs and services.
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
This report contains the following information:
 Economic Overview – The Calgary region’s economy is influenced by global economic conditions,
and by economic drivers in the Canadian economy and elsewhere in Alberta. This section provides
information on economic activity in 2006.
 Trends in the Labour Market – This section examines labour market information for Canada,
Alberta and the Calgary Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) in 2006. The information provided in this
section is based upon Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.
 Industry Profiles – This section highlights findings from surveys conducted of Calgary and area
businesses from twelve different industries in 2006.
 Job Ad Analysis –This section summarizes the job postings that were analyzed in the Calgary and
Area Labour Market News bulletins in 2006.
3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Economy
International and U.S. Economies
The global economy performed strongly in 2006 even as growth began to slow down in North America, with
real gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by 5.5 per cent. Trade volumes grew overall by 9.4 per cent,
with every region of the world posting both rising imports and exports. Increased business investment and
higher consumer spending fueled the 3.3 per cent output expansion in Europe, the fastest growth
experienced in the past six years. Japan’s economy grew by 2.2 per cent, largely as a result of export
demand and stronger investment. High commodity prices and generally strong domestic consumption were
the main contributors to the average 5.5 per cent economic growth experienced in Latin American countries.
China, accounting for nearly one-third of annual global real GDP growth, recorded an 11.1 per cent increase
in output fueled by investment and export growth. India’s economy grew at a robust pace of 9.7 per cent.
Real GDP in the U.S. increased by 3.3 per cent in 2006. The dampening impact on economic activity of
plummeting residential construction was more than offset by the growth in consumer spending, supported by
the nearly 2 per cent expansion in employment, as well as strong business investment and export growth.
The U.S. became more reliant on global demand for its exports to sustain economic growth. Nonetheless,
the U.S. current account deficit increased to $857 billion largely as a result of the swelling trade deficit
caused by higher oil and other commodity prices.
Canadian Economy
Real GDP in Canada grew by 2.7 per cent in 2006, down from 3.1 per cent in 2005. Most of the growth in
2006 was attributable to consumer spending and business investment. The expansion of the Canadian
economy was uneven between regions, with the largest gap in output growth between booming Alberta and
Ontario, weakened by the slowdown in the manufacturing sector. Alberta’s GDP growth rate exceeded
Ontario’s by nearly 4.7 per cent.
•
The Canadian dollar averaged 88.18 cents U.S. in 2006. The strength of the loonie resulted from
strong commodity prices throughout the year.
•
The all-items Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 2.0 per cent nationally in 2006. The core
CPI, which excludes eight of the CPI’s most volatile components and is used by the Bank of Canada
to assess the trend of inflation, increased by 1.7 per cent.
•
Consumer spending expanded by 4.2 per cent in 2006, and was the leading contributor to real GDP
growth. The wealth gains associated with rising home prices supported the 7.1 per cent increase in
consumer durable expenditures.
•
The Bank of Canada’s overnight rate increased from 3.25 per cent to 4.25 percent between January
and May 2006, and remained at the 4.25 per cent level for the remainder of the year.
•
Canada’s 2006 Census population totaled 31,612,897, a 5.4 per cent increase from the 2001
Census population. Net international migration contributed to approximately two-thirds (1.2 million
people) of Canada’s growth over the five-year period.
Alberta Economy
The Alberta economy was the fastest growing provincial economy in Canada in 2006, with real GDP growth
reaching 6.7 per cent. Double-digit output growth occurred in the province’s Construction industry (19 per
cent), Wholesale Trade industry (12.5 percent), and Retail Trade industry (11.7 per cent). Private sector
capital investment in Alberta totaled $68.5 billion in 2006, up 15 per cent from 2005. Public sector capital
4
investment in the province reached $6.8 billion in 2006, an increase of 25 per cent compared to the previous
year.
•
The price of WTI crude oil increased significantly in 2006 to an average of $66.22 U.S. per barrel
(peaking at an average $74.46 U.S. per barrel in July 2006), 17 per cent higher than the average
price of $56.56 U.S. per barrel in 2005.
•
The price of natural gas declined in 2006 to an overall average of $6.22 C$ per GJ (peaking at an
average $9.52 C$ per GJ in January 2006), a decrease of 21 per cent from the average price of
$7.87 C$ per GJ in 2005.
•
The average number of drilling rigs in Alberta declined from 381 in 2005 to 371 in 2006, largely as a
result of lower natural gas prices. The number of wells drilled in 2006 exceeded 22,000.
•
Oil sands production increased sharply in 2006, while conventional oil output continued to decline
and natural gas volumes remained flat. The total value of energy products exports amounted to
$57.2 billion in 2006, down 1 per cent from 2005.
•
Housing starts in Alberta reached a record high of 48,962 units in 2006, a 20 per cent increase from
2005. Substantial net migration to the province, job growth, rising incomes and an insufficient
inventory of resale housing in most markets contributed to the strength of the new housing market in
the province.
•
The increase in construction costs in the province (nearly 13 per cent on average year over year)
and the strong demand for housing led to a 39.6 per cent increase in new house prices in Alberta in
2006, nearly four times the national increase of 10.2 per cent.
•
Retail sales reached $56.6 billion in Alberta in 2006, up 16 per cent from 2005. Strong population
and employment growth, and income gains supported the record high growth in consumer spending.
•
In 2006, Alberta builders took out $13.98 billion in building permits, an increase of 37.3 per cent from
2005. Alberta had the highest growth rate in the value of building permits among provinces in
Canada.
•
Alberta recorded an inflation rate of 3.9 per cent in 2006, compared to the national average of 2.0 per
cent. The cost of housing was the major contributor to the province’s relatively high inflation rate.
The average weekly earnings of Alberta payroll employees totaled $800.17 in 2006, an increase of
4.9 percent from 2005.
•
Alberta’s 2006 Census population totaled 3,290,350, a 10.6 per cent increase from the 2001 Census
population. Over the five-year period, approximately 41,000 immigrants settled in the province.
Calgary Region Economy
Real GDP growth in the Calgary Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) reached an estimated 7.7 per cent in
2006, the fastest economic growth rate among all CMAs in Canada.
•
The Calgary CMA’s 2006 Census population totaled 1,079,310, a 13.4 per cent increase from the
2001 Census population. This was the second highest growth rate over the five-year period
recorded among CMAs, after Barrie Ontario (19.2 per cent).
•
Calgary had the highest inflation rate among CMAs in Canada in 2006, with the all-items CPI
increasing by 4.6 per cent compared to 2005.
•
The total value of building permits in the Calgary CMA amounted to $5.48 billion in 2006, a 39.8 per
cent increase from 2005.
5
•
Total housing starts in the Calgary CMA increased by nearly 25 per cent in 2006 from the previous
year, reaching 17,046. The number of resale housing units sold in the Calgary CMA totaled a
record high of 33,027, up 4.6 per cent from 2005.
•
Calgary experienced the largest increase in prices for new homes among Canadian cities in 2006
(43.6 per cent). The year-end average price of a single family dwelling in Calgary was $384,998 in
2006, a 38.3 per cent increase compared to the year-end average price in 2005.
•
Total investment in non-residential building construction in Calgary grew by a substantial 48 per cent
in 2006 from the previous year, reaching nearly $2.59 billion – the fourth highest level of investment
among metropolitan areas in Canada.
•
Calgary’s downtown office vacancy rate was 0.32 per cent at the end of 2006. Escalating lease
rates drove some service firms to relocate to the Beltline and Suburban markets instead of renewing
their leases in the downtown core. But many tenants chose to remain downtown to take advantage
of the synergies associated with their proximity to the oil and gas industry, and reconfigured their
existing premises to accommodate more workers. In the final quarter of 2006, asking net lease
rates averaged $35.56 per square foot.
Trends in the Labour Market
Canada
Employment increased for the 14th consecutive year in Canada, reaching an estimated 16,484,300 in 2006,
up 1.9 per cent from 2005.
•
The unemployment rate declined to 6.3 per cent in 2006, down from 6.8 per cent in 2005. Six
provinces had 30-year record low unemployment rates.
•
Full-time employment accounted for 96 per cent of total employment gains in Canada in 2006
compared to the previous year. The three fastest growing industries in terms of employment gains
over the course of the year were forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas (7.7 per cent), business,
building and other support services (5.4 per cent), and finance, insurance, real estate and leasing
(5.3 per cent). As a result of the high Canadian dollar and weaker demand for Canadian exports,
employment in the manufacturing industry in Canada declined by 4.1 per cent in 2006, with losses
concentrated primarily in Quebec and Ontario.
Alberta
Employment in Alberta totaled an estimated 1,870,700 in 2006, an increase of 86,300 or 4.8 percent from
2005. The province accounted for 27 per cent of the total employment growth in Canada in 2006.
•
Alberta’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.4 per cent in 2006, down from 3.9 per cent in 2005.
•
On a year over year basis, the province’s employment gain in 2006 was entirely attributable to an
increase in full-time work.
•
Year over year, there was strong employment growth in 2006 in a number of industries in Alberta
including utilities (29.5 per cent), public administration (19.5 per cent), forestry, fishing, mining and oil
and gas (9.7 per cent), professional, scientific and technical services (8.5 per cent), construction (8.1
per cent), and educational services (8.3 per cent). While employment in the manufacturing industry
decreased nationally in 2006, manufacturing industry employment in Alberta increased by an
estimated 6,600 or 5.0 per cent.
•
There was significant year over year employment growth in 2006 across a number of occupations
including social science, education, government and religion (14.2 per cent), trades, transport and
6
equipment operators and related (9.7 per cent), business, finance and administrative (6.5 per cent),
and management (4.8 per cent).
Calgary CMA
Employment in the Calgary CMA totaled an estimated 655,100 in 2006, an increase of 49,200 or 8.1 percent
from 2005. On a year over year basis, employment gains in the Calgary CMA accounted for approximately
57 per cent of the increase in provincial employment, and 15 per cent of the increase in national
employment.
•
The unemployment rate in the Calgary CMA decreased to 3.2 per cent in 2006, down from 3.9 per
cent in 2005. The Calgary CMA had the lowest unemployment rate among metropolitan areas in
Canada in 2006.
Industry Profiles
In 2006, a survey was conducted of Calgary and area businesses from the following twelve industries:
•
First Quarter 2006: Retail Trade (NAICS 44-45); Oil and Gas (NAICS 211); and Health Care
(NAICS 62).
•
Second Quarter 2006: Accommodation (NAICS 721); Educational Services (NAICS 6111); and
Finance and Insurance (NAICS 52).
•
Third Quarter 2006: Wholesale Trade (NAICS 41); Transportation (non-passenger) (NAICS 48);
and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (NAICS 71).
•
Fourth Quarter 2006: Specialty Trade Contractors (NAICS 238); Services to Buildings and
Dwellings (NAICS 5617); and Architectural, Engineering and Related Services (NAICS 5413).
The purpose of the survey was to gain a better understanding of current hiring issues and future hiring
projections, assess if Calgary and area employers were experiencing any hiring challenges in these
industries, and obtain insight on current hiring practices including training programs and retention strategies.
Summary of Survey Results
A total of 1,010 surveys were completed across the twelve industries in 2006. Among the respondents, 83
per cent had 50 employees or less, while 17 per cent had more than 50 employees. The companies
surveyed represent a total of 95,000 employees. At the time the survey was conducted, companies were
asked how many employees they had hired in the past three months. In total, the number of new hires
reported was 10,720, representing 11 per cent of the total workforce. Turnover is an issue in all of the
industries surveyed, with 58 per cent of new employees hired as a result of turnover, and 32 per cent hired
as a result of growth. Other significant findings from the survey include the following:
•
Of the 1,010 companies surveyed, 61 percent reported difficulty hiring new staff. The companies
surveyed in the wholesale trade industry had the most difficulty hiring staff (81 per cent), followed by
the accommodation industry (80 percent), and the services to building and dwellings industry (73 per
cent). The companies surveyed in the finance and insurance industry reported having the least
difficulty hiring staff (18 per cent).
•
Sixty-eight percent of the companies surveyed said the labour shortage in Calgary is affecting their
business. When asked how the company has been affected, 190 of the companies said they have
not been able to expand their business; 187 companies reported employee turnover has increased;
and 172 companies said they’ve had to increase salaries and wages.
•
When asked what resources are used to recruit employees, the most common response was
employee referrals / word of mouth, reported by 467 of the companies. The Calgary Herald was the
7
next most reported resource used to recruit employees, followed by the Internet and the Calgary
Sun.
•
When asked what skills or competencies are difficult to find, 374 companies reported a lack of work
ethic. Job specific skills, followed by relevant work experience, were the next most often mentioned
skills or competencies reported difficult to find.
•
A competitive salary was reported by 486 companies as the most effective method used to retain
employees. A good company culture was the next most reported retention strategy, followed by
health, dental and other benefits and bonuses.
•
Eight-nine per cent of the companies surveyed said they provide some type of training to their
employees. Job specific training was mentioned most frequently, reported by 536 companies,
followed by new hire orientation and health and safety training.
•
At the time of the survey, respondents were asked to identify additional positions they expected to
hire in the next three months. The companies surveyed intended to hire an additional 6,940
employees over and above their current total workforce of 95,000 employees. The top five
occupations in demand as indicated by the survey results are program leaders & instructors in
recreation, sport & fitness; light duty cleaners; janitors, caretakers & building superintendents;
petroleum engineers; and food and beverage servers.
•
Many issues relating to recruitment and retention were observed in the 2006 survey results, however
issues around work ethic, wages, immigration and education were the most common.
Job Ad Analysis
Each Labour Market News bulletin since January 2006 has included an analysis of job ads posted from a
single source. Month-to-month the sources rotate through the following list that includes three paper sources
and three web sources:
•
Calgary Herald Working section including job postings each Saturday in January and August 2006
•
Workopolis.com website including job postings each Friday in February and September 2006
•
Calgary Herald Classifieds including job postings each Friday in March and December 2006
•
Job Bank website including job postings each Friday in April and November 2006
•
Calgary Sun Classifieds including job postings each Friday in May and October 2006
•
Monster.ca site including job postings each Friday in June 2006 and January 2007
In the full year of tracking the job postings outlined above, over 13,300 jobs have been included in the
analysis and reported on.
•
Over half of these listings were from the classified ads (Sun Classifieds – 33 percent and Herald
Classifieds – 25 per cent).
•
The representation of job ads by industry was weighted in favour of Retail, which had 28 per cent of
all the job ads. Construction was second with 18 per cent, followed by Business Services (12 per
cent), Logistics (11 per cent) and Oil and Gas (10 per cent).
•
The representation of job ads by occupation was significantly weighted in favour of Labour, which
had 32 per cent of all the job ads. Sales and Marketing occupations came in second with 18 per
cent, followed by Drivers (9 per cent).
8
THE ECONOMY
An overview is provided in this section of international economic conditions, economic drivers in the national
economy and in the provincial economy, and economic activity in the Calgary Region in 2006.
INTERNATIONAL AND U.S. ECONOMIES
The global economy grew substantially in 2006, with real gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by 5.5
per cent. Global trade boomed during the year, with every region of the world posting both rising imports and
exports. Overall, trade volumes (goods and services) increased by 9.4 per cent. Europe’s 3.3 per cent
growth rate was the fastest recorded in the past six years, with increased business investment and higher
consumer spending fueling economic activity. Export demand and stronger investment were the main
contributors to Japan’s 2.2 per cent growth in real GDP. Latin American countries experienced solid growth
averaging 5.5 per cent as a result of high commodity prices and generally strong domestic consumption.
China and India led emerging market and developing countries in economic growth. India’s economy grew at
a robust pace of 9.7 per cent, while rising investment and export growth drove the 11.1 per cent expansion of
China’s economy.1
“Although the Chinese economy accounts for a hefty 15% of the global economy, it is now
responsible for nearly a third of annual global growth.”2
In the U.S., real GDP increased by 3.3 per cent in 2006. The sustained growth in consumer spending,
supported by the nearly 2 per cent expansion in employment, combined with strong business investment and
export growth more than offset the dampening impact on economic activity of plummeting residential
construction. The U.S current account3 deficit increased to $857 billion, largely as a result of the swelling
trade deficit caused by higher oil and other commodity prices.4
“The most interesting story of 2006 was the ability of the global economy to continue to
expand significantly even as growth began to decelerate in North America. Whereas the
United States was the largest contributor to world output from 2002 to 2005, the U.S. now
relies on global demand for its exports to buoy its economy.” 5
CANADIAN ECONOMY
Real GDP in Canada expanded by 2.7 per cent in 2006, down from 3.1 per cent in 2005. Consumer
spending and business investment accounted for the majority of growth in 2006. There was a large gap
between the level of economic activity in resource-based provinces and central Canada. The greatest
difference among provinces was between the booming Alberta economy and the Ontario economy,
weakened by the slowdown in the manufacturing sector – Alberta’s GDP growth rate exceeded Ontario’s by
nearly 4.7 per cent. A summary of the major economic indicators for the Canadian economy is provided
below.
1
2
3
4
5
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook, Spillovers and Cycles in the Global Economy, April 2007,
page 3; and International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Update, July 2007, page 2.
TD Bank Financial Group, TD Economics, TD Quarterly Economic Forecast, June 20, 2007, page 7.
The current account includes the value of net exports plus net international transfers (public or private gifts or
donations) and net factor income (primarily capital income from foreign property owned by residents of that country
minus capital income from domestic property owned by non-residents).
CB Richard Ellis, Global MarketView Year End 2006, page 4.
9
•
Canadian Dollar: The Canadian dollar averaged 88.18 cents US in 2006.6 The strength of the
loonie was attributed to strong commodity prices throughout the year. For Canadian businesses that
purchased goods and services from the U.S., the relatively high value of the Canadian dollar reduced
their import costs, enhancing their competitiveness. But the strong loonie increased the cost of
Canadian exports in U.S. markets.
•
Inflation: The all-items consumer price index (CPI) increased by 2.0 per cent nationally in 2006.
“Core CPI”, which excludes eight of the CPI’s most volatile components (fruit, vegetables, gasoline,
fuel oil, natural gas, mortgage interest, intercity transportation and tobacco products), increased by
1.7 per cent.7
•
Consumer Spending: Consumer spending increased 4.2 per cent in 2006, and was the leading
contributor to real GDP growth. The wealth gains associated with rising home prices supported the
7.1 per cent increase in consumer durable expenditures.8
•
Interest Rates: The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate, the overnight rate9, increased from 3.25 per
cent to 4.25 per cent between January and May 2006, and remained at the 4.25 per cent level for the
remainder of the year.10 The prime rate climbed from 5.25 per cent to 6.00 per cent over the first five
months of 2006, and remained at the 6.00 per cent level for the balance of the year.11
•
Population: Canada’s 2006 Census population totaled 31,612,897, a 5.4 per cent increase from the
2001 Census population. Approximately two-thirds (1.2 million people) of Canada’s growth over the
five-year period was a result of net international migration.12
ALBERTA ECONOMY
The Alberta economy was the fastest growing provincial economy in Canada in 2006, with real GDP growth
reaching 6.7 per cent. Double-digit output growth occurred in the province’s Construction industry (19 per
cent), Wholesale Trade industry (12.5 per cent), and Retail Trade industry (11.7 per cent).13 Although Alberta
produced 13 per cent of national output in 2006, the province contributed 0.9 per cent to Canada’s real GDP
growth for the year (2.7 per cent).14 Private sector capital investment in Alberta totaled $68.5 billion in 2006,
up 15 per cent from 2005. The level of public sector capital investment in the province increased by 25 per
cent in 2006 compared to the previous year, attaining $6.8 billion.15 The key drivers of the Alberta economy
are summarized below.
•
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Energy Industry: The price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil increased significantly in
2006 to an average of $66.22 U.S. per barrel (peaking at an average $74.46 U.S. per barrel in July
2006), 17 per cent higher than the average price of $56.56 U.S. per barrel in 2005. The price of
natural gas declined in 2006 to an overall average of $6.22 C$ per GJ (peaking at an average $9.52
C$ per GJ in January 2006), a decrease of 21 per cent from the average price of $7.87 C$ per GJ in
Bank of Canada, Financial Markets Department, Year Average of Exchange Rates 2006
www.bankofcanada.ca/en/rates/exchange.html
Statistics Canada, CANSIM Table 326-0020.
The overnight rate is the interest rate at which major financial institutions borrow and lend one-day (or "overnight")
funds among themselves. When the Bank of Canada changes the Target for the Overnight Rate, this change usually
affects other interest rates, including mortgage rates and prime rates charged by commercial banks.
http://bankofcanada.ca/en/monetary/target.html
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Monthly Economic Review, July 2007, page 21.
Statistics Canada, The Daily, Population and dwelling counts, 2006 Census, March 13, 2007.
10
2005.16 The average number of active drilling rigs in Alberta declined from 381 in 2005 to 371 in
2006, largely as a result of lower natural gas prices.17 According to the Canadian Association of
Oilwell Drilling Contractors, over 22,000 wells were drilled in 2006.18. Oil sands production increased
sharply during the year, while conventional oil output continued to decline and natural gas volumes
remained flat.19 Crude oil and equivalents production increased by 7.2 per cent overall in 2006
compared to 2005, while natural gas production was down 0.6 per cent.20 The total value of energy
products exports amounted to $57.2 billion in 2006, down 1 per cent from 2005.21
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
•
Housing Market: Housing starts in Alberta reached a record high of 48,962 units in 2006, a 20 per
cent increase from 2005. The strength of the new housing market in 2006 can be attributed to
substantial net migration to the province, job growth, rising incomes and an insufficient inventory of
resale housing in most markets. Rising costs for both labour and materials pushed up average
building construction costs by nearly 13 per cent in 2006. This increase in construction costs, and
the strong demand for housing, led to a 39.6 per cent increase in new house prices in Alberta, nearly
four times the national increase of 10.2 per cent.22 According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing
Corporation rental market survey conducted in October 2006, the private apartment vacancy rates
were 0.5 per cent for the Calgary CMA; 1.2 per cent for the Edmonton CMA; 0.2 per cent for Wood
Buffalo; and 0.1 per cent for Grande Prairie. Private apartment average rents were $851 for the
Calgary CMA; $727 for the Edmonton CMA; $1,605 for Wood Buffalo; and $904 for Grande Prairie.23
The lack of affordable housing in Alberta in 2006 was reflected in the number of homeless people,
estimated at 3,400 in Calgary, 2,200 in Edmonton, and 1,100 in Grande Prairie.24
•
Retail Sales: Consumer spending increased at a record high pace in 2006, supported by strong
population and employment growth, and income gains. Retail sales rose by 16 per cent in 2006
compared to 2005, reaching $56.6 billion.25
•
Building Permits: The value of building permits reached $13.98 billion in Alberta in 2006 ($8.15
billion were residential, $5.83 billion were non-residential), an increase of 37.3 per cent from 2005.26
Alberta had the highest growth rate in the value of building permits among provinces in Canada.
•
Inflation: Alberta recorded an inflation rate of 3.9 per cent in 2006, compared to the national
average of 2.0 per cent.27 The cost of housing was the major contributor to Alberta’s relatively high
inflation rate.
•
Average Weekly Earnings: The average weekly earnings of Alberta payroll employees increased
by 4.9 per cent in 2006 compared to 2005, to $800.17.28
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Monthly Economic Review, July 2007, page 20.
Ibid, page 19.
The Calgary Herald, Drilling to ebb slightly in 2007, The Canadian Press, January 23, 2007.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Economic Outlook for Alberta Spring Update, April 2007, page 29.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Monthly Economic Review, May 2007, page 8. Crude oil and
equivalents include conventional light/medium and heavy, bitumen, synthetic, condensate, and pentanes plus.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Monthly Economic Review, February 2007, page 9.
Alberta Finance, Budget 2007, Economic Outlook, pages 95-96.
Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Housing Market Information, Rental Market Report, Alberta Highlights,
Spring 2007, pages 4-5.
Alberta Municipal Affairs and Housing, The Alberta Affordable Housing Task Force Discussion Guide, 2007, page 4.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Monthly Economic Review, March 2007, page 1.
Ibid, February 2007, page 6.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Monthly Economic Review, May 2007, page 18.
11
•
Population: Alberta’s 2006 Census population totaled 3,290,350, a 10.6 per cent increase from the
2001 Census population. Approximately 41,000 immigrants came to Alberta between 2001 and
2006.29
CALGARY REGION ECONOMY
The Conference Board of Canada has estimated that real GDP growth in the Calgary Census Metropolitan
Area (CMA) reached 7.7 per cent in 2006, with widespread output gains occurring in both the goods and
services producing sectors.30 The Calgary CMA had the fastest economic growth rate among all CMAs in
Canada. The key contributory influences on the Calgary region economy are described below.
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
•
Population: According to the 2006 Federal Census, the Calgary CMA’s population grew by 13.4 per
cent to 1,079,310 between 2001 and 2006, the second highest growth rate among CMAs after
Barrie, Ontario (19.2 per cent).
•
Inflation: Calgary had the highest inflation rate among CMAs in Canada in 2006, with the all-items
Consumer Price Index increasing by 4.6 per cent compared to 2005. Edmonton had the second
highest inflation rate in 2006 (3.1 per cent), followed by Charlottetown (2.3 per cent), and Saskatoon
(2.2 per cent). All other major metropolitan areas in the country recorded inflation rates of 2.0 per
cent or less in 2006.31
•
Building Permits: The value of building permits totaled $5.48 billion in the Calgary CMA in 2006
($2.99 billion were residential, $2.49 billion were non-residential), a 39.8 per cent increase from
2005.32
•
Housing Market: Housing starts in the Calgary CMA totaled 17,046 in 2006, up nearly 25 per cent
from 2005. The number of resale housing units sold in the Calgary CMA reached a record high of
33,027, a 4.6 per cent increase from 2005. The value of housing resales totaled $11.45 billion in
2006, a 45 per cent increase compared to the previous year.33 Calgary experienced the largest
increase in prices for new homes among Canadian cities in 2006 (43.6 per cent), followed by
Edmonton (28.9 per cent), Winnipeg (9.5 per cent), Saskatoon (9.1 per cent), and Regina (8.6 per
cent).34 The year-end average sale price of a single family dwelling in Calgary was $384,998 in
2006, an increase of 38.3 per cent over the year-end average price in 2005 of $278,393.35
•
Non-Residential Building Construction: Total investment in non-residential building construction
in Calgary reached nearly $2.59 billion in 2006, a 48 per cent increase from 2005. Calgary ranked
fourth in Canada among metropolitan areas in 2006 for total expenditures on non-residential building
construction, behind Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. The strongest area of investment occurred
in Calgary’s commercial sector, with office building construction dominating the $1.76 billion worth of
activity. Investment in institutional building construction exceeded $608 million in Calgary, 28 per
cent higher than in Edmonton. Calgary ranked fifth among metropolitan areas in Canada in terms of
investment in industrial building construction, behind Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and Edmonton.
Statistics Canada, Portrait of the Canadian Population in 2006: Findings, March 13, 2007.
Conference Board of Canada, Metropolitan Outlook 1 – Autumn 2007, page 4.
Calgary Real Estate Board, News Release, 2006 ends with a quiet growl, January 3, 2007.
12
Table 1: Investment in Non-Residential Building Construction - 2006
CMA
Total Toronto
- Commercial
- Institutional
- Industrial
Total Montreal
- Commercial
- Institutional
- Industrial
Total Vancouver
- Commercial
- Institutional
- Industrial
Total Calgary
- Commercial
- Institutional
- Industrial
Total Edmonton
- Commercial
- Institutional
- Industrial
Total Ottawa-Gatineau
- Commercial
- Institutional
- Industrial
Millions of Dollars
6,417.0
4,006.4
1,640.2
770.4
2,964.9
1,661.0
755.8
548.2
2,895.6
1,817.1
841.4
237.1
2,589.3
1,759.3
608.1
221.9
1,617.0
913.7
473.6
229.7
1,458.1
783.4
649.7
25.0
Source: Statistics Canada, CANSIM Table 026-0016
•
36
37
38
39
Office Market: By year-end, available office space for lease in downtown Calgary amounted to
103,200 square feet, producing a vacancy rate of 0.32 per cent (no ‘AA’ class space was available
for lease).36 The total annual absorption in downtown Calgary amounted to 706,073 square feet in
2006.37 Some service firms decided to relocate to the Beltline and Suburban markets instead of
renewing their leases in the downtown core as a result of escalating lease rates. But many tenants
chose to remain downtown to take advantage of the synergies associated with their proximity to the
oil and gas industry, and reconfigured their existing premises to accommodate more workers. Oil
and gas companies facing shortages of space also had to do more with less (for example, Shell
Canada Ltd. doubled up employees – two per office38). In the final quarter of 2006, asking net lease
rates averaged $35.56 per square foot. ‘AA’ class rates averaged $46.38 per square foot, while ‘A’
class rates averaged $41.35 per square foot.39
Colliers International, Calgary Commercial Real Estate Perspective, Downtown Office Market, January 2007.
Avison Young, Calgary Office Market Report, 1 st Quarter 2007.
www.realestatejournal.com/buysell/regional news/20060831-forsyth.html
CB Richard Ellis, MarketView Calgary Downtown, Fourth Quarter 2006, p.3.
13
TRENDS IN THE LABOUR MARKET
This section examines labour market information for Canada, Alberta, and the Calgary Region. The
information provided in this section is based upon Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey.40
CANADA
2006 REVIEW
Employment in Canada was estimated at 16,484,300 in 2006, an increase of 314,600 or 1.9 per cent when
compared to 2005. This was the 14th consecutive year of employment increases in Canada. The
unemployment rate decreased to 6.3 per cent in 2006, down from 6.8 per cent in 2005.
“Over the course of 2006, seven provinces hit record high employment rates while six
reached 30-year record low unemployment rates.” 41
After declining in 2005, the labour force participation rate in Canada remained stable in 2006 at 67.2 per
cent, largely due to increased participation among adult women.
Table 2: Labour Force Survey Statistics - Canada
Canada
Population
Labour Force
Employed
Unemployed
Participation Rate
Employment Rate
Unemployment Rate
2005
25,805,500
17,342,600
16,169,700
1,172,800
67.2%
62.7%
6.8%
2006
26,185,100
17,592,800
16,484,300
1,108,400
67.2%
63.0%
6.3%
Annual
Change
Per cent
Change
379,600
250,200
314,600
-64,400
0.0%
0.3%
-0.5%
1.5%
1.4%
1.9%
-5.5%
-
Source: Statistics Canada CANSIM Table 282-0002 - Labour Force Survey estimates (LFS)
Employment by Type of Work, Gender and Age
There were increases in both full-time and part-time employment in 2006 when compared to the previous
year, with full-time employment increasing 2.3 per cent and part-time employment increasing 0.4 per cent.
On a year over year basis, full-time employment accounted for 96 per cent of the total employment gains.
Year over year, employment gains among women (2.4 per cent) exceeded those for men (1.5 per cent). In
2006, 58 per cent of the employment gains were among women.
“The proportion of women aged 25 and over who were working hit a record high in
December 2006. This brought their unemployment rate to a 30-year low by year end, lower
than that of adult men.” 42
40
41
Statistics Canada information is used with the permission of Statistics Canada. Users are forbidden to copy the data
and redisseminate them, in an original or modified form, for commercial purposes, without permission from Statistics
Canada. Information on the availability of the wide range of data from Statistics Canada can be obtained from
Statistics Canada's Regional Offices, its World Wide Web site at www.statcan.ca, and its toll-free access number 1800-263-1136.
Statistics Canada, The Daily, Labour Force Survey December 2006, January 5, 2007, p.1
14
Year over year, employment gains among youth aged 15 to 24 (2.6 per cent) exceeded those for adults aged
25 and over (1.8 per cent).
Table 3: Employment in Canada by Type of Work, Gender and Age
Canada
Employment
Full-time
Part-time
Men
Women
15 - 24 years
25 years +
2005
16,169,800
13,206,300
2,963,500
8,594,700
7,575,100
2,472,600
13,697,200
2006
16,484,300
13,509,500
2,974,800
8,727,100
7,757,200
2,535,800
13,948,500
Annual
Change
314,500
303,200
11,300
132,400
182,100
63,200
251,300
Per cent
Change
1.9%
2.3%
0.4%
1.5%
2.4%
2.6%
1.8%
Source: Statistics Canada CANSIM Table 282-0038 - Labour force survey estimates (LFS)
Employment by Industry
Several industries displayed strong employment growth in 2006 including forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas
(7.7 per cent), business, building and other support services (5.4 per cent), finance, insurance, real estate
and leasing (5.3 per cent), construction (4.9 per cent), and educational services (4.7 per cent).
Table 4: Employment in Canada by Industry
Canada
All Industries
Agriculture
Forestry, Fishing, Mining, Oil & Gas
Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing
Trade
Transportation and Warehousing
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Leasing
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Business, Building and Other Support Services
Educational Services
Health Care and Social Assistance
Information, Culture and Recreation
Accommodation and Food Services
Other Services
Public Administration
2005
16,169,500
343,700
306,400
125,300
1,019,500
2,207,400
2,574,600
793,600
987,800
1,050,000
654,400
1,106,100
1,734,600
735,100
1,004,500
693,400
833,100
2006
16,484,300
346,400
330,100
122,000
1,069,700
2,117,700
2,633,500
802,200
1,040,500
1,089,900
690,000
1,158,400
1,785,500
745,000
1,015,000
701,000
837,400
Annual
Change
314,800
2,700
23,700
-3,300
50,200
-89,700
58,900
8,600
52,700
39,900
35,600
52,300
50,900
9,900
10,500
7,600
4,300
Per cent
Change
1.9%
0.8%
7.7%
-2.6%
4.9%
-4.1%
2.3%
1.1%
5.3%
3.8%
5.4%
4.7%
2.9%
1.3%
1.0%
1.1%
0.5%
42
Ibid.
15
As a result of the high Canadian dollar and weaker foreign demand, job losses in the manufacturing industry
in Canada were significant year over year. Employment in manufacturing decreased by an estimated 89,700
or 4.1 per cent in 2006, with losses concentrated primarily in Quebec and Ontario.
“In contrast, large gains in manufacturing were seen in Alberta, British Columbia and
Manitoba over the course of the year.” 43
Employment also decreased in the utilities industry by an estimated 3,300 or 2.6 per cent in 2006.
ALBERTA
2006 REVIEW
Employment in Alberta increased by 86,300 in 2006, a 4.8 per cent increase from 2005. Although the
province’s working age population constitutes only 11 per cent of all working age Canadians, Alberta
accounted for 27 per cent of the total employment growth in Canada in 2006.
Alberta’s unemployment rate decreased to 3.4 per cent in 2006, down from 3.9 per cent in 2005. The
province’s unemployment rate was 2.9 per cent below the national average of 6.3 per cent.
Table 5: Labour Force Survey Statistics - Alberta
Alberta
Population
Labour Force
Employed
Unemployed
Participation rate
Employment Rate
Unemployment Rate
2005
2,555,600
1,857,500
1,784,400
73,100
72.7%
69.8%
3.9%
2006
2,641,300
1,937,500
1,870,700
66,800
73.4%
70.8%
3.4%
Annual
Change
Per cent
Change
85,700
80,000
86,300
-6,300
0.7%
1.0%
-0.5%
3.4%
4.3%
4.8%
-8.6%
-
Employment by Type of Work, Gender and Age
On a year over year basis, the employment gain in 2006 was entirely attributable to an increase in full-time
work. Employment increases among women (5.1 per cent) exceeded those for men (4.6 per cent), while
employment gains among youth aged 15 to 24 (5.7 per cent) exceeded those for adults aged 25 to 64 (4.6
per cent). In 2006, employment among adults aged 65 and over increased by 3,000 or 8.4 per cent from
2005.
43
Statistics Canada, The Daily, Labour Force Survey December 2006, January 5, 2007.
16
Table 6: Employment in Alberta by Type of Work, Gender and Age
Alberta
Employment
Full-time
Part-time
Men
Women
15 - 24 years
25 - 64 years
65 years +
2005
1,784,500
1,477,600
306,900
978,300
806,200
311,800
1,437,100
35,600
2006
1,870,600
1,570,000
300,600
1,023,100
847,500
329,500
1,502,500
38,600
Annual
Change
86,100
92,400
-6,300
44,800
41,300
17,700
65,400
3,000
Per cent
Change
4.8%
6.3%
-2.1%
4.6%
5.1%
5.7%
4.6%
8.4%
On a year over year basis, there was strong employment growth in 2006 in a number of industries in Alberta
including utilities (29.5 per cent), public administration (19.5 per cent), forestry, fishing, mining and oil and
gas (9.7 per cent), professional, scientific and technical services (8.5 per cent), construction (8.1 per cent),
and educational services (8.3 per cent). While employment in the manufacturing industry decreased
nationally in 2006, manufacturing industry employment in Alberta increased by an estimated 6,600 or 5.0 per
cent.
Employment decreased in 2006 from the previous year in agriculture (-6.9 per cent), information, culture and
recreation (-3.9 per cent), and transportation and warehousing (-0.7 per cent).
Table 7: Employment in Alberta by Industry
Alberta
All Industries
Agriculture
Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing
Trade
Other Services
2005
1,784,300
56,200
127,000
13,200
159,700
130,900
278,400
106,900
95,200
131,100
62,600
120,400
172,500
71,100
108,700
82,600
67,800
2006
1,870,600
52,300
139,300
17,100
172,600
137,500
282,400
106,200
96,200
142,200
62,700
130,400
179,500
68,300
114,900
87,900
81,100
Annual
Change
86,300
-3,900
12,300
3,900
12,900
6,600
4,000
-700
1,000
11,100
100
10,000
7,000
-2,800
6,200
5,300
13,300
Per cent
Change
4.8%
-6.9%
9.7%
29.5%
8.1%
5.0%
1.4%
-0.7%
1.1%
8.5%
0.2%
8.3%
4.1%
-3.9%
5.7%
6.4%
19.6%
17
Employment by Occupation
In 2006, there was significant year over year employment growth across a number of occupations including
social science, education, government and religion (14.2 per cent), trades, transport and equipment
operators and related (9.7 per cent), business, finance and administrative (6.5 per cent), and management
(4.8 per cent). Employment losses occurred in occupations related to art, culture, recreation & sport (-12.1
per cent) and occupations unique to primary industry (-2.6 per cent).
Table 8: Employment in Alberta by Occupation
Alberta
All Occupations
Management
Business, finance and administrative
Natural & applied sciences & related
Health
Social science, education, government & religion
Art, culture, recreation & sport
Sales & service
Trades, transport & equipment operators & related
Unique to primary industry
Unique to processing, manufacturing & utilities
2005
1,784,300
148,200
317,700
135,800
100,400
125,800
47,800
415,300
310,400
113,100
69,800
2006
1,870,500
155,300
338,300
139,900
101,800
143,700
42,000
426,700
340,500
110,200
72,100
Annual
Change
86,200
7,100
20,600
4,100
1,400
17,900
-5,800
11,400
30,100
-2,900
2,300
Per cent
Change
4.8%
4.8%
6.5%
3.0%
1.4%
14.2%
-12.1%
2.7%
9.7%
-2.6%
3.3%
CALGARY CENSUS METROPOLITAN AREA (CMA)
2006 REVIEW
Total employment in the Calgary CMA in 2006 increased by 49,200, or 8.1 per cent when compared to 2005.
Employment gains in the Calgary CMA, on a year over year basis, accounted for approximately 57 per cent
of the increase in provincial employment and 15 per cent of the increase in national employment.
Table 9: Labour Force Statistics - Calgary CMA
Calgary CMA
Population
Labour Force
Employed
Unemployed
Participation rate
Employment Rate
Unemployment Rate
2005
855,600
630,800
605,900
24,900
73.7%
70.8%
3.9%
2006
887,400
676,900
655,100
21,800
76.3%
73.8%
3.2%
Annual
Change
31,800
46,100
49,200
-3,100
2.6%
3.0%
-0.7%
Percent
Change
3.7%
7.3%
8.1%
-12.4%
-
18
The unemployment rate in the Calgary CMA decreased to 3.2 per cent in 2006, down from 3.9 per cent in
2005. The Calgary CMA had the lowest unemployment rate among metropolitan areas in Canada in 2006,
followed by Victoria at 3.7 per cent and Edmonton at 3.9 per cent. Windsor had the highest unemployment
rate among metropolitan areas in 2006 with an unemployment rate of 9.0 per cent.
Figure 1: Unemployment Rates of Canadian Cities (CMAs) - 2006
On a year over year basis, there was strong employment growth in 2006 in a number of industries in the
Calgary CMA including utilities (92.3 per cent), forestry, fishing, mining and oil and gas (29.0 per cent),
manufacturing (19.1 per cent), accommodation and food services (19.1 per cent), educational services (15.8
per cent), and construction (15.4 per cent).
Employment declines were experienced in transportation and warehousing (-10.7 per cent), information,
culture and recreation (-6.9 per cent), other services (-3.5 per cent), and agriculture (-2.9 per cent).
19
Table 10: Employment in the Calgary CMA by Industry
Calgary CMA
All Industries
Agriculture
Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing
Services-Producing Sector
Other Services
2005
605,900
3,500
39,000
3,900
49,400
41,300
91,400
42,800
39,600
69,900
22,900
37,400
57,900
30,400
34,100
25,500
16,900
2006
655,100
3,400
50,300
7,500
57,000
49,200
92,900
38,200
40,200
76,600
24,900
43,300
59,900
28,300
40,600
24,600
18,200
Annual
Change
49,200
-100
11,300
3,600
7,600
7,900
1,500
-4,600
600
6,700
2,000
5,900
2,000
-2,100
6,500
-900
1,300
Per cent
Change
8.1%
-2.9%
29.0%
92.3%
15.4%
19.1%
1.6%
-10.7%
1.5%
9.6%
8.7%
15.8%
3.5%
-6.9%
19.1%
-3.5%
7.7%
20
INDUSTRY PROFILES
In 2006, a survey was conducted of Calgary and area businesses from the following twelve industries:
First Quarter 2006
•
Retail Trade (NAICS 44 - 45)
•
Oil and Gas (NAICS 211)
•
Health Care (NAICS 62)
Second Quarter 2006
•
Accommodation (NAICS 721)
•
Educational Services (NAICS 6111)
•
Finance and Insurance (NAICS 52)
Third Quarter 2006
•
Wholesale Trade (NAICS 41)
•
Transportation (non-passenger) (NAICS 48)
•
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (NAICS 71)
Fourth Quarter 2006
•
Specialty Trade Contractors (NAICS 238)
•
Services to Buildings and Dwellings (NAICS 5617)
•
Architectural, Engineering and Related Services (NAICS 5413)
The purpose of the survey was to gain a better understanding of current hiring issues and future hiring
projections, assess if Calgary and area employers were experiencing any hiring challenges in these
industries, and obtain insight on current hiring practices including training programs and retention strategies.
It should be noted that results are presented as received, with no statistical analysis. Quarterly reports are
available on the Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry website at
http://www.employment.gov.ab.ca/cps/rde/xchg/hre/hs/xsl/2395.html
INDUSTRY OVERVIEWS44
RETAIL TRADE
The retail trade industry employed 11.3 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006, or 211,900 people. Fiftyfour per cent of people employed in this industry are women, 55 per cent are 25 to 54 years of age, and 33
per cent are 15 to 24 years of age.
The retail trade industry is expected to grow on average 1.3 per cent annually from 2005 to 2010, and is
forecast to provide 7.8 per cent of new jobs in Alberta during the same period. 45
44
45
2006 industry employment data obtained from Statistics Canada, CANSIM Table 282-0008.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Retail Trade Industry, Data Development and Evaluation, Revised
March 2006.
21
OIL AND GAS
The oil and gas industry is part of the mining and oil and gas extraction industry (NAICS 21). As a whole, the
mining and oil and gas extraction industry employed 7.2 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006, or
135,600 people. Seventy-five per cent of people employed in this industry are men, 75 per cent are 25 to 54
years of age, and 16 per cent are 15 to 24 years of age.
The mining and oil and gas extraction industry is expected to grow on average 2.5 per cent annually from
2005 to 2010, and is forecast to provide 8.7 per cent of new jobs in Alberta during the same period. 46
HEALTH CARE
The health care industry is part of the health care and social assistance industry (NAICS 62). As a whole,
the health care and social assistance industry employed 9.6 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006, or
179,500 people. Eighty-four per cent of people employed in this industry are women, 73 per cent are 25 to
54 years of age, and 16 per cent are 55 years of age and over.
The health care and social assistance industry is expected to grow on average 3.4 per cent annually from
ACCOMMODATION
The accommodation industry is part of the accommodation and food services industry (NAICS 72). As a
whole, accommodation and food services industry employed 6.1 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006,
or 114,900 people. Sixty-two per cent of people employed in this industry are women, 47 per cent are 15 to
24 years of age, and 45 per cent are 25 to 54 years of age.
The accommodation and food services industry is expected to grow on average 1.7 per cent annually from
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
The educational services industry employed 7.0 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006, or 130,400
people. Sixty-five per cent of people employed in this industry are women, 76 per cent are 25 to 54 years of
age, and 15 per cent are 55 years of age and over.
The educational services industry is expected to grow on average 1.8 per cent annually from 2005 to 2010,
and is forecast to provide 5.8 per cent of new jobs in Alberta during the same period. 49
FINANCE AND INSURANCE
The finance, insurance, real estate and leasing industry50 employed 5.1 per cent of all employed Albertans in
2006, or 96,200 people. Fifty-nine per cent of people employed in this industry are women, 69 per cent are
25 to 54 years of age, and 17 per cent are 55 years of age and over.
46
47
48
49
50
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction Industry, Data Development and
Evaluation, Revised March 2006.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Health Care and Social Assistance Industry, Data Development and
Evaluation, Revised September 2006.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Accommodation and Food Services Industry, Data Development and
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Educational Services Industry, Data Development and Evaluation,
Revised September 2006.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry has grouped NAICS 52 and 53 into their analysis and named the
industry the Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Leasing Industry.
22
The finance, insurance, real estate and leasing industry is expected to grow on average 2.4 per cent annually
from 2005 to 2010, and is forecast to provide 6.5 per cent of new jobs in Alberta during the same period. 51
WHOLESALE TRADE
The wholesale trade industry employed 3.8 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006, or 70,500 people.
Seventy per cent of people employed in this industry are men, 75 per cent are 25 to 54 years of age, and 13
per cent are 55 years of age and over.
The wholesale trade industry is expected to grow on average 1.6 per cent annually from 2005 to 2010, and is
TRANSPORTATION
The transportation industry is part of the transportation and warehousing industry (NAICS 48 – 49). As a
whole, the transportation and warehousing industry employed 5.7 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006,
or 106,200 people. Seventy-one per cent of people employed in this industry are men, 74 per cent are 25 to
54 years of age, and 17 per cent are 55 years of age and over.
The transportation and warehousing industry is expected to grow on average 2.0 per cent annually from
ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND RECREATION
The information, culture and recreation industry54 employed 3.7 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006, or
68,300 people. Fifty-one per cent of people employed in this industry are women, 61 per cent are 25 to 54
years of age, and 27 per cent are 15 to 24 years of age.
The information, culture and recreation industry is expected to grow on average 2.3 per cent annually from
SPECIALTY TRADE CONTRACTORS
The specialty trade contractors industry is part of the construction industry (NAICS 23). As a whole, the
construction industry employed 9.2 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006, or 172,600 people. Eighty-six
per cent of people employed in this industry are men, 71 per cent are 25 to 54 years of age, and 18 per cent
are 15 to 24 years of age.
The construction industry is expected to grow on average 2.7 per cent annually from 2005 to 2010, and is
51
52
53
54
55
56
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Finance, Insurance, Real Estate and Leasing Industry, Data
Development and Evaluation, Revised September 2006.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Wholesale Trade Industry, Data Development and Evaluation,
Revised March 2006.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Transportation and Warehousing Industry, Data Development and
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry has grouped NAICS 51 and 71 into their analysis and has named the
industry the Information, Culture and Recreation Industry.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Information, Culture and Recreation Industry, Data Development and
Evaluation, Revised September 2006.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Construction Industry, Data Development and Evaluation, Revised
March 2006.
23
SERVICES TO BUILDINGS AND DWELLINGS
The business, building and other support services industry57 employed 3.4 per cent of all employed Albertans
in 2006, or 62,700 people. Fifty-one per cent of people employed in the industry are men, 65 per cent are 25
to 54 years of age, and 21 per cent are 15 to 24 years of age.
The business, building and other support services industry is expected to grow on average 1.7 per cent
annually from 2005 to 2010, and is forecast to provide 2.9 per cent of new jobs in Alberta during the same
period. 58
ARCHITECTURAL, ENGINEERING AND RELATED SERVICES
The architectural, engineering and related services industry is part of the professional, scientific and technical
services industry (NAICS 54). As a whole, the professional, scientific and technical services industry
employed 7.6 per cent of all employed Albertans in 2006, or 142,200 people. Fifty-eight per cent of people
employed in this industry are men, 77 per cent are 25 to 54 years of age, and 15 per cent are 55 years of
age and over.
The professional, scientific and technical services industry is expected to grow on average 2.9 per cent
annually from 2005 to 2010, and is forecast to provide 11.1 per cent of new jobs in Alberta during the same
period. 59
SUMMARY OF SURVEY RESULTS
A total of 1,010 surveys were completed in 2006. Eighty-three per cent of the companies surveyed had 50
employees or less, while 17 per cent had more than 50 employees.
The companies surveyed represent a total of
95,000 employees.
Figure 2: Survey Respondents by Company Size
At the time of the survey, companies were
asked how many employees they had hired in
the past three months. In total, the number of
new hires reported was 10,720, representing 11
per cent of the total workforce. Turnover is an
issue in all of the industries surveyed, with 58
per cent of new employees hired as a result of
turnover, and 32 per cent hired as a result of
growth.
57
58
59
Alberta Employment, Immigration, and Industry has grouped NAICS 55 and NAICS 56 into their analysis and has
named the industry the Business, Building and Other Support Services Industry.
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Business, Building and Other Support Services Industry, Data
Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry, Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Industry, Data
24
Table 11: Summary of Respondents
Number Per cent
Number of surveys completed
Workforce total
Total new hires
Hires related to turnover
Hires related to growth
Not specified
Difficulty hiring
No difficulty hiring
1,010
95,000
10,720
6,210
3,380
1,140
620
390
58%
32%
11%
61%
39%
Hiring Difficulties
Of the 1,010 companies surveyed, 61 per cent reported difficulty hiring new staff. The companies surveyed
in the wholesale trade industry had the most difficulty hiring staff (81 per cent), followed by the
accommodation industry (80 per cent) and the services to building and dwellings industry (73 per cent). The
companies surveyed in the finance and insurance industry reported having the least difficulty hiring staff (18
per cent).
Table 12: Difficulty Hiring by Industry
Industry
Retail
Oil & Gas
Health Care
Accommodation
Finance & Insurance
Wholesale Trade
Transportation
Arts, Entertainment & Recreation
Specialty Trade Contractors
Services to Buildings & Dwellings
Architectural, Engineering & Related Services
% having
% having no
difficulty hiring difficulty hiring
45%
48%
57%
80%
53%
18%
81%
71%
72%
68%
73%
65%
55%
52%
43%
20%
47%
82%
19%
29%
28%
32%
27%
35%
25
Figure 3: "How has your company been affected by the labour shortage in Calgary?"
Top Ten Responses
Sixty-eight per cent of the
companies surveyed said the
labour shortage in Calgary is
affecting their business.60 When
asked how their company has
been affected, 190 of the
companies said they have not
been able to expand their
business. “If we expand, it won’t
be in Alberta,” said one company
from the architectural and
engineering services industry.
One hundred and eighty-seven companies reported employee turnover has increased, and 172 companies
said they’ve had to increase salaries and wages. “We’ve had to raise our wages about 20 to 30 per cent just
to get people to apply,” mentioned one company from the arts, entertainment and recreation industry.
Similar findings can also be obtained from other sources. In a PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Insights
Pulse Survey on Staff Retention conducted in December 2006, 62 per cent of Canadian private companies
surveyed felt the labour shortages were slowing the growth of their company. In Alberta, the figure was even
more significant. Seventy-five per cent of the companies surveyed with operations in Alberta agreed that the
labour shortage was slowing the growth of their company, with 32 per cent strongly agreeing.61
Attraction and Retention Strategies
A series of three questions was asked of survey respondents about recruitment and retention strategies.
60
61
This question was not asked of companies in the first quarter of 2006. A total of 810 companies answered this
question.
PricewaterhouseCooopers, Business Insights Pulse Survey, Insights into Staff Retention for Private Companies,
December 2006.
26
Figure 4: “What resources does your company use to recruit employees?”
Top Ten Responses
Employee referrals/word of
mouth was the most common
response when asked, “What
resources does your company
use to recruit employees?”
reported by 467 companies. In
these times of virtually full
employment, it is no surprise that
word of mouth recruiting came
out on top. “Word of mouth
applicants are likely to stay
longer and may be more suitable
than recruits obtained by
advertising.” 62
The Calgary Herald was the next most reported resource used to recruit employees, followed by the Internet
and the Calgary Sun. Service Canada’s Job Bank, Calgaryjobshop.ca, Workopolis.com and Monster.ca
were the Internet sites most often used.
Acquiring and retaining high quality employees is crucial to a company’s success. As the job market
becomes increasingly competitive, companies need to be more selective in their choices. Many human
resources professionals frequently say that the best jobs are not advertised – their availability is
communicated by word of mouth. As a result, networking continues to be an essential strategy for recruiting.
Figure 5: “What skills or competencies are difficult to find when looking for new employees?”
Top Ten Responses
Work ethic was by far the most
common response when asked,
“What skills or competencies are
difficult to find?” reported by 374
companies. Half of the industries
surveyed rated a lack of work
ethic as number one. Job
specific skills, followed by
relevant work experience were
the next skills or competencies
difficult to find, reported by 268
and 249 companies respectively.
“There are many people trying to
work as carpenters that don’t
have the skills,” commented one
specialty trade contractor.
62
HRM Guide, Employee Selection, Recruitment and selection, www.hrmguide.co.uk
27
Figure 6: “What are the most effective methods your company uses to retain existing employees?”
Top Ten Responses
A competitive salary was the
most often mentioned retention
strategy, reported by 486
companies. “We pay top dollar
and get quality people who know
what they’re doing. Even if it
costs a little more per job, it is
worth it so that the job is done
right,” said one manager from
the services to building and
dwellings industry. A good
company culture was the next
most reported effective retention
method, followed by health,
dental and other benefits and
bonuses.
With an acute shortage of skilled labour, companies must make it a priority to retain their existing employees.
In a PricewaterhouseCoopers Business Insights Pulse Survey on Staff Retention conducted in December
2006, 79 per cent of the Canadian private companies surveyed said they were actively implementing
retention tools (87 per cent of Alberta companies were implementing tools to retain staff), and 85 per cent
plan on putting greater emphasis on staff retention in 2007.
“While the majority of private companies are increasing their focus on retention, most
acknowledge that while their single largest challenge is the workforce, they don’t
necessarily have a consistent, systematic approach for creating conditions to successfully
increase the retention of key employees.” 63
PricewaterhouseCoopers say issues with compensation and benefits are seldom the main drivers of
increased turnover.
“Instead, we tend to see issues concerning relationships with immediate supervisors,
opportunities for career development, opportunities for training, and personal and
professional growth. It’s really about developing the individual, and having the appropriate
pathway for that individual to grow within the organization. Time and commitment are the
major costs for many of these initiatives as the key is strong leadership. Staff appreciation
is built on respectful communication and personal recognition.” 64
This may be one explanation for the sizable turnover (58 per cent) reported by the 1,010 companies
surveyed. While 400 companies said a good company culture was an effective retention strategy, only 15
per cent or less of the companies mentioned flexible work measures, training/learning opportunities, formal
reward and recognition programs, encouraging work/family balance, empowering employees to make
decisions, and feedback/performance reviews as effective retention strategies.
63
64
PricewaterhouseCoopers, Business Insights, Insights into staff retention for Private Companies, p.1.
Ibid, p.2.
28
Training
Eighty-nine per cent of the companies surveyed said they provide some type of training to employees.
Figure 7: “What types of training does your company provide to existing employees?”
Top Ten Responses
By far, the most common type of
training reported was job specific
training - mentioned by 536
companies, followed by new hire
orientation and health and safety
training. “Because we are forced
to hire so many unskilled
workers, a lot of on the job
training is necessary. All
employees are required to have
training in First Aid and
WHMIS65, which the company
will pay for,” said one specialty
trade contractor. Cross
training/mentoring was reported
by 195 companies.
“We are introducing a cross-training program to combat the labour shortage in Calgary where employees are
trained in many different areas and will be able to fill in where needed,” said one manager from the arts,
entertainment and recreation industry.
Hiring Intentions
At the time of the survey, respondents were asked to identify additional positions they expected to hire in the
next three months. The companies surveyed intended to hire an additional 6,940 employees over and above
their current total workforce of 95,000 employees.
65
Workplace Hazards Management Information Safety
29
Table 13: Additional employees companies intended to hire
in the three months following their survey
NOC Code
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Total
Occupational Description
Management Occupations
Business, Finance & Administration Occupations
Natural & Applied Sciences & Related Occupations
Health Occupations
Occupations in Social Science, Education, Government & Religion
Occupations in Art, Culture, Recreation & Sport
Sales & Service Occupations
Trades, Transport & Equipment Operators & Related Occupations
Occupations Unique to Primary Industry
Occupations Unique to Processing, Manufacturing & Utilities
Total
40
380
880
450
40
670
2,950
1,400
120
10
6,940
Among the positions companies intended to hire in the three months following their survey, seventy-seven
per cent, or 5,350, fell into 20 occupation categories. A description of each of the occupations can be found
in Appendix A.
Table 14: Top 20 occupations companies intended to hire
In the three months following their survey
NOC Code Occupational Description
5254
6661
6663
2145
6453
6421
7411
7452
6641
3152
3413
7611
7612
Program Leaders & Instructors in Recreation, Sport & Fitness
Light Duty Cleaners
Janitors, Caretakers & Building Superintendents
Petroleum Engineers
Food & Beverage Servers
Retail Salespersons & Sales Clerks
Truck Drivers
Material Handlers
Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers & Related Occupations
Registered Nurses
Nurse Aides, Orderlies & Patient Service Associates
Construction Trades Helpers & Labourers
Other Trades Helpers & Labourers
2113
6443
8612
6435
6671
6611
7264
Total
Geologists, Geochemists & Geophysicists
Casino Occupations
Landscaping & Grounds Maintenance Labourers
Hotel Front Desk Clerks
Operators & Attendants in Amusement, Recreation & Sport
Cashiers
Ironworkers
Total
640
640
630
410
400
380
310
310
240
180
160
140
130
120
120
120
110
110
100
100
5,350
30
SUMMARY OF KEY ISSUES IN 2006
Many issues relating to recruitment and retention were observed in the 2006 survey results, however issues
around work ethic, wages, immigration and education were the most common.
Work Ethic
Retail Industry
The work ethic of today’s young worker is a point of contention in the industry, with many retail employers
blaming the abundance of jobs, and low pay in comparison to the oil and gas industry. “…young people don't
want commitment, they want quick money”, says a downtown retail manager. Still others believe that the
problem is linked more closely to education. “I don't think that they have a clue of what a job entails”,
comments a hardware store manager, who has struggled for three years to keep a cashier position filled.
“People would just stop coming…no phone call or anything”, he says. And he’s not alone. More than one
retailer spoke of employees leaving on lunch breaks, never to return.
Accommodation Industry
In addition to the lack of applicants, there are many in the accommodation industry who consider the lack of
work ethic in new hires to be a major problem. “They show up late, or not at all, and they don't work hard
while they're here”, laments a hotel manager.
Transportation Industry
Many employers in the transportation industry voiced their concerns that the quality of workers today has
taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Issues of employee work ethic were raised in 26 per cent of responses,
and voiced criticisms were scathing at times. “They start at $15, and they go to $15-$20 an hour, but they
don't want to work,” said one respondent. “It’s just a general lack of caring what you're doing,” added
another. A common complaint among Calgary transportation companies was their inability to compete for
and keep staff in an environment where employee loyalty is rare. “People will run for the almighty buck,”
lamented one respondent.
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Industry
The work ethic of today’s young worker is also a point of contention in the arts, entertainment and recreation
industry, leaving many companies wondering how to capitalize effectively on this market. With the youth
market such a large component of the arts, entertainment and recreation workforce, a few companies
mentioned they would be conducting surveys of youth in their organizations to find out what they want and
how to retain them.
“It’s becoming increasingly harder to hire good, young talent because of their expectations
of a huge salary.”
“Students are becoming harder to hire, and we’re finding fewer and fewer are even
applying. We will be doing some research to find out why they are not working. It could be
because parents are demanding better grades, or because not a lot of students need to
volunteer anymore to get experience.”
“Commitment to the job is the biggest thing lacking… the younger generation shows up
when they want to and there is a real lack of commitment to doing a good job – they don’t
seem to need to work.”
“The majority of our staff (80 per cent) are in the 16 - 25 year range - and they come with
low to no technical skills. They have no sense of responsibility because 95 per cent of
them live with their parents - work ethic is a huge problem.”
31
Specialty Trade Contractors Industry
In terms of skills and competencies, 43 companies in the specialty trade contractors industry said relevant
work experience was difficult to find, followed closely by work ethic and job specific skills. Many companies
said reliability, commitment, loyalty, dedication and pride in work have all but gone out the window.
“I had one supervisor that took his crew to 7-Eleven for some lunch, but stayed behind in
the car to do paperwork. After they had still not returned some time later, he went in to find
them. After talking to the clerk, he discovered that while they were buying snacks, they
were spotted by a contractor and offered $2 more per hour if they would come and work for
him. The crew had slipped out the back door and gone to work for the other guy!”
“The biggest problem is the work ethics of some of the young people. People are getting
hired and just not showing up. We hired six guys at a group hiring during the summer. Only
one showed up the next day and he left at lunch and never came back.”
Wages
Retail Industry
With the competition high for available workers, the rate of pay has risen for retail workers, but still not high
enough for many people. “Why would someone work (in retail) for $8.50 an hour, when they can swing a
hammer for twice that? Housing costs, and costs for living are constantly on the rise, but the money that is
offered in this industry is not”, lamented the manager of a busy mall outlet. Many retailers blame the low
minimum wage for keeping the retail standard wage low, and therefore keeping workers from the service
industry. “Raise the minimum wage”, said the manager of a popular sporting goods store, “There is too much
work available for the pay to be so low”.
Oil and Gas Industry
While some companies said they thought it was important to stay up to date with employee expectations and
felt they needed to meet or exceed compensation demands to recruit and retain the right employees, many
companies said compensation demands and employee poaching was getting out of hand and have decided,
“enough is enough”.
“Competition from other companies is our main concern at the moment. Salaries and
bonuses are increasing so rapidly at the moment…at some point, we need to draw the
line.”
“Many of the people we’ve been interviewing have said they have received offers from as
many as five other companies….at the moment many people are out fishing for a better
deal.”
Soaring labour costs are a huge concern for many oil and gas companies. A few companies surveyed said
they couldn’t afford to inflate salaries, because in the event of a downturn they wouldn’t be able to afford their
people. As a solution, some companies are using short-term incentives such as 50 per cent – 70 per cent
bonuses over and above base salary to attract and retain employees, a dramatic increase over the recent
past.
“It really is getting out of hand … five years ago, bonuses were typically 20 per cent – 30
per cent over and above base salary.”
32
Health Care Industry
Alberta nurses are the highest paid in the country, yet employers still find it difficult to fill vacant positions,
with some calling the shortage “severe”. Many private health care providers argue their labour shortage is
actually being driven by high unionized wages in the public sector. “I lose most people because the health
region pays them more”, says one survey respondent.
Educational Services Industry
The low pay provided to support staff in the educational services industry was an issue voiced by several
survey respondents.
“We are finding it challenging to find someone with the right education/experience willing to
take a job at such low pay.”
“Salary is definitely a problem. The level of funding provided by the Government to pay
educational support staff is insufficient - salaries are way below entry-level positions in the
oil patch for someone with no education. Educational assistants require an educational
assistant program certificate.”
“We have had zero applicants for bus drivers and before/after school care staff. We will
give it until August, and will then look at outsourcing bussing and before and after school
care programs. In this hot job market, we are having difficulty finding anyone who wants to
work the part-time support positions.”
Wholesale Trade Industry
Many employers in the wholesale trade industry feel that employees are loyal only to the highest bidder, and
are willing to move as soon as a better offer comes along. With stiff competition from others in the same
industry and the ever-present allure of oil industry jobs, retention is more difficult than ever.
“We just find it difficult to keep employees. Another company, a company down the street
will suddenly up their wages and half your staff will just leave and go work there with no
notice.”
Many organizations in the arts, entertainment and recreation industry have had to increase wages, but they
are still not high enough for many people. “The first thing people ask is what are you going to pay me,”
lamented one manager. “We had to jump the pay up to get someone interested,” and “we’ve had to raise our
wages about 20 or 30 per cent just to get people to apply,” were other common comments.
Many recreational facilities mentioned that fewer and fewer people are going into aquatics. It is expensive to
become certified as a lifeguard, and the positions are very low paying.
“Hiring lifeguards is very difficult at the moment. We need to work with the Lifesaving
Society, and come up with a provincial plan so it is beneficial to become a lifeguard again
and raise the profile of becoming a lifeguard. It costs $1,200 to train to become a lifeguard
- wages have not increased - they are the same as they were 20 years ago. And 20
years ago it only cost $300 to train to become a lifeguard. Very few people are even
registering for lifesaving courses.”
33
Services to Buildings and Dwellings Industry
The inability to find and keep staff is severely affecting the many small companies in this industry, as well as
their current and potential clients. Seventy-six per cent of the companies surveyed said the labour shortage
in Calgary is affecting their business. Many companies have had to increase wages and salaries and pass
the increases on to their clients.
“The increased costs of labour are now being passed on to our customers.”
“We have had to raise prices to cover increased wages, but higher prices is resulting in a
loss of business.”
“The demand for unskilled labourers has increased to the point where even they are getting
paid huge salaries. Businesses can only pay so much!”
“People have lied on resumes and it’s getting ridiculous. Everybody wants a $20/hour job
even if they have no skills to speak of!”
Architectural, Engineering and Related Services Industry
Many smaller firms in the architectural, engineering and related services industry are finding it hard to keep
up with the salaries and bonuses offered by the oil and gas sector, and poaching between companies is
increasingly common.
“It's a real competitive market, so you might get someone that you're interested in and
there'll be three or four people already competing for them, and throwing big money at
them. One of the worst things we face in Calgary is the oil and gas industry. They can offer
$25,000 signing bonuses, and there’s no way we can compete with that.”
Immigration
Retail Industry
Several retailers say we need to ease our immigration guidelines to allow those who are more willing and
able to work to access the country more easily. A large department store manager in rural Calgary is
understanding of the tough immigration laws, but is still left without enough staff, and growing sales. “The
Canadian Government is very protective of the Canadian worker, but the problem is that the Canadian
doesn't want to work here”, he says.
Several companies in the oil and gas industry said immigrant qualifications was an issue.
“Foreign workers are well educated and well trained – but lack the necessary
communication skills and knowledge of the Western Sedimentary basin. Would like to see
industry or government or educational institutions take on the role of providing courses to
foreign workers so they can easily walk in to an oil and gas position in Calgary. Courses
would be communication skills, understanding oil and gas in Alberta, how land systems
work, all the zones, etc.”
34
Accommodation Industry
With what seems to be a lack of Canadian interest in the entry-level job market, a large number of
respondents in the accommodation industry called for an improved immigration/temporary foreign worker
processes, citing high up-front costs and lengthy paperwork as major deterrents to the existing programs.
One company stated that by the time they have all the paperwork finished, “the season will be over and we
won't need them anymore”, while another claimed that they couldn’t afford the up-front cost of airfare and
accommodation, which more than one respondent estimated at over $10,000.
Some organizations from the arts, entertainment and recreation industry mentioned we need to ease our
immigration guidelines to allow those that are more willing and able to work to access the country more
easily.
“The government has to be more receptive to improving the visa process and the visa
renewal process, and they have to be a little more giving on what they view as nonessential compared to what the company says is essential. Next to that is accommodation
- any kind of accommodation grant to support immigration, for businesses that are providing
houses. A lot of companies have said, if we had funding for housing, we would not have a
problem with unemployment.”
“A lot of changes need to be made by the government in terms of immigration policies.
Since we are a not-for-profit business, it is not at all practical or economical to bring in out
of country workers for entry-level positions for one year only.”
“We have tried to get employees from South America through a work exchange program.
We had it all set up but the government only issued 20 or so visas, so that wasn't very
helpful.”
“It took us over 6 months to get 9 international visas – the process is too lengthy!”
Companies in the specialty trade contractors industry are facing difficulties associated with bringing in foreign
workers or tradespeople from other provinces.
“I would like to see some of the red tape gone in bringing in skilled tradesmen from other
countries. The exchange program has worked well, but permanent employees are difficult
to bring in. The process is very time consuming and therefore very costly.”
“The owners are planning on looking into hiring workers from other countries for next
spring. The winter is slow, so they have time to go through the paperwork; also, it is
thought that even if they have to pay for housing, it will be less expensive than leaving
projects unfinished again.”
“I would like to hire more Americans, but the level of bureaucracy involved is incredible.
Too much work for a guy just trying to run a small company!”
“Government assistance needed with red tape in hiring foreign workers/immigrants!”
35
Services to Buildings and Dwellings Industry
Many companies in this industry would like to hire more foreign workers to ease the labour shortages they
face, but say the process is long and arduous. Some fear many workers would not be able to survive in
Calgary, as wages in this industry are typically low.
“Calgary has become a very expensive place to live. There is a shortage of economic
housing available, and many employees are simply not able to afford $800-$1,000 a month
for a 1 bedroom apartment.”
“The wait is way too long to bring in people from overseas. It is also an expensive process,
but employers in our industry do not have much choice. Also, the housing market in
Calgary is such that it is difficult for a person making $10 per hour to afford a reasonable
place to live.”
“It would be nice if the government would let more people into the country to work. It's
great that they are bringing in engineers, but we also need to bring in people who can make
coffee, clean floors, and stock shelves.”
“Hopefully we will have some luck with immigration services. We have applied to have
some workers from out of country, but this is a very slow process. We put in an application
more than 10 weeks ago and it has not even been processed yet.”
Education
Another concern that was voiced by many companies in the oil and gas industry related to post-secondary
education. Companies believed it was time the government expanded its academic facilities in the province
and opened up more spaces for students who want to obtain a post-secondary education.
“Universities need to modify their entrance requirements…they are unduly competitive.”
Health Care Industry
Many employers in the health care industry said education is partly to blame for the current labour shortage
citing high education costs, longer programs, and high entrance requirements as key drawbacks to the
system. “They’re not letting enough people into the training programs, especially nursing, so we can get
more grads,” said one clinic manager. Another commented on the impact of workforce aging: “The number
of enrolments into the health care programs does not seem to be enough to match those that are ready to
retire.”
Many companies in the specialty trade contractors industry said they are not finding many people interested
in learning the trades. Some companies believe changes within the industry in terms of education and
promotion of the trades is needed.
“We have guys that are willing to donate their time to train young guys, but nobody is
interested. We are going to be in big trouble in 5 or 10 years when a lot of these old guys
retire. For the companies, it is now costing about $10,000 just to get a new employee
going (incentives, tools, training, etc) and it is getting more difficult every day. I’m looking
forward to retirement!”
“There is simply not a big enough supply of bodies to fill the demand. Even people willing to
train cannot find anyone willing to learn.”
36
“The reason that people are leaving the trades and there are not enough 2nd and 3rd year
apprentices is because of the faulty grant and subsidized programs offered to businesses.
They hire these guys for cheap and pay them a good wage so they stay, but when the grant
runs out they can't afford to pay them the previous wage or they don't want to and they let
the apprentices go. These apprentices, who were used to making such a high wage, get
frustrated at not being able to make the same wage at a non-subsidized company and
leave the trade. We shouldn't have to pay them so much to stay and the grants should be
longer term. Too many employers are using them to get cheap labour.”
“The schooling to become a refrigeration mechanic is way off base. There are journeymen
who get on the job and don't know what they're doing. The courses should actually be
relevant to the work they are doing. ”
“Make it more attractive for young people to go into the trades – especially painting which is
a trade that is not as popular.”
37
JOB AD ANALYSIS
Each Labour Market News bulletin since January 2006 has included an analysis of job ads posted from a
single source. Month-to-month the sources rotate through the following list that includes three paper sources
and three web sources:
•
Calgary Herald Working section including job postings each Saturday in January and August 2006
•
Workopolis.com website including job postings each Friday in February and September 2006
•
Calgary Herald Classifieds including job postings each Friday in March and December 2006
•
Job Bank website including job postings each Friday in April and November 2006
•
Calgary Sun Classifieds including job postings each Friday in May and October 2006
•
Monster.ca site including job postings each Friday in June 2006 and January 2007
SUMMARY OF JOB POSTINGS
In the full year of tracking the job postings outlined above, over 13,300 jobs have been included in the
analysis and reported on.66 It should be noted that the volume of ads reported here is not necessarily
indicative of the volume of postings available on a regular basis for several reasons, including that only one
day per week for each source was scanned for ads.
Figure 8: Job Ad Postings by Source
Job Ads by Source
Over half of these listings are from the classified ads (Sun Classifieds - 33 per cent and Herald Classifieds 25 per cent). Both the Herald and the Sun’s classifieds publish hundreds of job ads each day, with labour,
sales and marketing, restaurant, administrative assistants and health care professional occupations
dominating the Herald Classifieds, and labour, drivers, and restaurant occupations dominating the Sun. In
66
Not all job postings have been included in the analysis due to limited information on the job in the posting.
38
terms of volumes, the Herald Classifieds is the best source for jobs in the retail industry, and the Sun
Classifieds is the best source for jobs in the construction industry.
Nearly all job ads in the Calgary Herald’s Working section require an extensive education and experience.
The majority of job ads are for technologists/technicians, managers and engineers. The Herald’s Working
section is the best source in terms of volumes for oil and gas, as well as government occupations.
The Workopolis.com website is another fairly high-end job source. As would be expected, the site posts a
variety of jobs for IT professionals, as well as managers, technologists/technicians and accountants. Many
financial institutions tend to use this site. Of all the sources analyzed to date, this is also the second best site
(in terms of volumes) for administrative assistants. For those looking for a position in the business services
or high tech/IT industries, Workopolis.com is a good place to start.
The Monster.ca website is very similar to Workopolis.com, attracting ads for IT professionals, managers, and
accountants. Sales and marketing occupations, however, make up the largest portion of its job ads (30 per
cent). The Monster.ca website, similar to Workopolis.com, is a good site for those looking for a job in the
high tech/IT industry.
Of all the web sources, the Job Bank looks most like a classified section in the newspaper. Labour jobs
represent 40 per cent of the ads, followed by restaurant occupations (12 per cent). This site, sponsored by
the federal government, has helpful hints for developing your resume.
Job Ads by Industry
The representation of job ads by industry was weighted in favour of Retail, which had 28 per cent of all the
job ads. Construction was second with 18 per cent, followed by Business Services (12 per cent), Logistics
(11 per cent) and Oil and Gas (10 per cent).
The predominance of ads by industry varies significantly by source. Fifty-three per cent of the Oil and Gas
ads, for example, were from the Calgary Herald Working section. Similarly, job ads for the Logistics sector
(72 per cent) and Construction sector (51 per cent) were dominated by the Calgary Sun Classifieds. From
these results, employers in some industries are clearly targeting certain segments of the workforce by
placing job ads in selected venues.
Job Ads by Occupation
The representation of job ads by occupation was significantly weighted in favour of Labor, which had 32 per
cent of all the job ads. Sales and Marketing occupations came in second with 18 per cent, followed by
Drivers (9 per cent). None of the other occupation categories comprised more than 7 per cent of the total
number of job ads.
As with industry, many of the occupations in the job ads analyzed were dominated by one source. For
example, job ads for Labour and Drivers were predominantly found in the Calgary Sun Classifieds, while job
ads for Engineers and Technologist/Technicians were mainly found in the Calgary Herald Working section.
Workopolis.com posted the majority of job ads for Accountants/Controllers and IT Specialists/Analysts.
39
% of Total
Total
Monster.ca
Calgary Sun Classifieds
Job Bank
Calgary Herald Classifieds
Workopolis.com
Job Ad Analysis
Calgary Herald Working section
Table 15: Summary of Job Postings January 2006 - January 2007
TOP SOURCES BY OCCUPATION (by number of ads)
Labour
Sales & Marketing
Drivers
Restaurant
Other Managers
Technologists/Technicians
Admin/Exec Assistants
Accountants/Controllers
Health Care Professionals
IT Specialists/Analysts
Engineers
Business Managers
Education
Total
4
199
0
0
278
288
45
125
89
80
210
154
82
1,554
3
223
0
0
173
203
193
170
9
295
104
161
2
1,536
1,082
542
218
410
120
103
314
92
312
11
42
15
39
3,300
521
146
140
160
47
67
70
74
33
25
25
5
3
1,316
2,661
341
817
329
93
83
112
42
103
15
0
23
0
4,619
33 4,304
302 1,753
0 1,175
12
911
168
879
70
814
40
774
102
605
20
566
127
553
62
443
81
439
3
129
1,020 13,345
32%
13%
9%
7%
7%
6%
6%
5%
4%
4%
3%
3%
1%
100%
942
1,022
129
901
103
235
108
3
9
7
3,459
218 3,210
31 2,010
221 1,378
27 1,260
80 1,178
85
736
37
717
239
652
14
181
1
158
953 11,480
28%
18%
12%
11%
10%
6%
6%
6%
2%
1%
100%
TOP SOURCES BY INDUSTRY (by number of ads)
Retail
Construction
Business Services
Logistics
Oil and Gas
Manufacturing
Health Care
High Tech/IT
Government
Education
Total
118
57
261
33
624
49
91
63
131
92
1,519
116
27
508
19
264
28
9
316
13
24
1,324
1,404
486
171
149
72
219
398
15
2
25
2,941
412
387
88
131
35
120
74
16
12
9
1,284
A Word of Caution
Statistics Canada used to conduct job ad analysis as a direct measure of the job market, however the
practice was discontinued for several reasons:
•
Since job ads only make up about nine per cent of the overall job market, the sample was considered
too small to be representative.
•
The emergence of online sources of job ads further fractured the market and created niches that
were hard to monitor.
40
Both these factors continue to be valid and underscore the difficulty of trying to develop a job ad analysis that
could be considered an absolute measure of the job market as a whole. However, adopting and then
adapting Statistics Canada methods to a relative index of job ad venues has proven a valuable tool to
describe the various specializations each job ad source demonstrates.
Methods
On a rotating basis, six job ad sources are analyzed over a month long period. A snapshot of each job ad
source is taken once a week by analyzing all the ads posted at the source from a single day—generally
Friday except the Calgary Herald’s Working section, which is only published on Saturday.
Each ad is analyzed to determine which sector of the economy placed the ad and the type of occupation.
Notably, a job ad that reflected more than one position for a single occupation was counted as one data
point. For example an ad stating ‘we need 12 dishwashers’ is considered a single job posting, not 12. This
methodology follows Statistics Canada’s practice, is doable and probably averages out over a large enough
sample size. It also avoids the issue of having to estimate the number of job postings when ads ask for an
indefinite number of people. While a single occupation under one ad is counted once, each ad can have
more than one occupation. Different occupations advertised in a single ad are counted separately. For
example, a single ad for five engineers, three administrative assistants and an accountant is counted as
three separate data points. Ads for out-of-town positions are excluded from the analysis even when the
employer is based in Calgary.
Categorizing the ads into sectors of the economy follows the lead of earlier editions of the Labour Market
News bulletin. This historical categorization has remained fairly robust. Usually, there is little difficulty in
placing an ad within a category. However, ads from placement agencies often do not reveal their source
sector, and in these cases an originating sector is impossible to determine. Also, there are a small number of
ads from sectors not easily slotted such as forestry.
There are a total of ten sectors into which any single ad posting can be placed:
Retail—Businesses selling products and some services directly to consumers in relatively low volumes, most
commonly via a storefront.
Construction—Enterprises involved in the fabrication of large permanent immobile structures.
Business Services—Any firm offering services that support other businesses such as accounting, printing,
banking, communications planning, cleaning and maintenance, or HR services, but excluding logistics, health
care, high tech/IT, or education services which are covered in other categories.
Health Care—Any organization providing health care services directly to patients, including dental. This
category does not include medical equipment manufacturers or support services for health care which do not
deal directly with patients.
Logistics—Any firm dealing exclusively with the transportation and storage of goods and services (i.e.
excluding the logistics departments of companies that are engaged in another sector).
Manufacturing—Any firm which has as their primary business the production of goods including food,
machinery, furniture, electronic products, etc. This category excludes oil and gas refining.
Oil and Gas—Any company primarily involved in the production, transportation or refining of hydrocarbons
(includes coal).
41
High Tech/IT—Any firm primarily occupied with the research and development or support of products
requiring advanced technology such as computer programs, databases, computers, communication
networks, nanotechnology or medical equipment. This category excludes companies primarily engaged in
the manufacture of high tech equipment.
Education—Any organization providing educational services to students including training programs for the
oil and gas sector such as safety programs, or H2S.
Government —This category includes all three levels of government, but excludes health care, and
education.
Categorizing ads by occupation is generally more difficult than by sector. The current 13 categories are broad
in order to be accommodated in a reasonably sized graph. With breadth, however, comes a certain amount
of definitional softness and categorizing a small minority of the job ads necessarily requires judgment on the
part of the analyst. Nonetheless, the vast majority of job ads fall clearly into largely self-evident categories:
Labour—Positions that require few if any credentials and involve physical effort, excluding work in
restaurants.
Sales and Marketing—Positions primarily requiring the marketing of products or services via any means.
Drivers—Positions that primarily require the employee to drive any motorized vehicle on roads (excludes
bike couriers).
Restaurant —Any position that involves work inside a restaurant or bar, excluding managers and sales staff
that engage in marketing outside of the restaurant’s premises.
Technologists/Technicians—Any position requiring the application of highly technical training to the
production, maintenance or use of advanced equipment with the exception of information technology.
Admin/Exec Assistants— Positions that have as their predominant function the responsibility to advise and
assist a manager, administrator, or executive.
Business Managers—Managers who supervise and are responsible for a discreet business unit with its own
costs and outputs such as a single store or plant.
Other Managers—Managers who supervise and are responsible for a function that supports a larger
organization such as communications managers or HR managers.
Health Care Professionals—Positions that deal directly with patients, including dental.
Accountants/Controllers—Positions involving accounting and tabulation. Includes non-accredited positions
such as clerks.
IT Specialists/Analysts—Technologists working specifically with information technology.
Engineers—Positions requiring engineers.
Education—Positions primarily requiring the employee to teach.
For all these categories, the position’s main role takes precedence over any requirements for the position.
For instance, a managerial position requiring an engineer or accountant is defined as a managerial post
rather than by its prerequisites.
Once each job posting has been categorized, the results are tabulated and presented in the Labour Market
News bulletin alongside a short analysis of the data.
42
APPENDIX A
Among the positions companies intended to hire in the three months following their survey, seventy-seven
per cent, or 5,350, fell into 20 occupation categories. Below are descriptions of each of these occupations.
HIGH DEMAND OCCUPATIONS – DESCRIPTIONS67
Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation and Sport (NOC 5254)
Program leaders and instructors in recreation and sport lead and instruct groups and individuals in
recreational, sports, fitness or athletic programs. They are employed by community centres, sports and
fitness clubs, outdoor centres, ski resorts, recreational facilities and similar establishments. Example titles
include aerobic instructor, day camp leader, fitness instructor, lifeguard, recreation program leader, ski
instructor and swim instructor.
Sports instructors have largely the same role as coaches, the difference being that coaches typically train
competitive athletes and instructors train recreational athletes. Training can take place on an individual or
group basis, and usually involves demonstrating techniques, teaching rules and regulations, and providing
for the safety of the athletes. Instructors also evaluate and assess their students, and organize events where
students can show off what they’ve learned.
The work environment is entirely dependent on the sport involved. It can be indoors or outdoors, or
sometimes both, and is often seasonally based. The hours vary greatly as well, though the majority of
instructors work part time, even as little as two hours a week. As with any highly physical job, there is a risk
of injury, which could affect future teaching opportunities.
Though it’s not required, experience in physical education and teaching is an asset for a sports instructor. It
is also recommended that they are trained in First Aid and CPR, and it is essential that they are proficient in
the sport they are teaching. Certain sports, such as skiing and swimming, have their own certification
programs.
There is no set advancement path for sports instructors, but building a strong reputation often leads to more
working hours, and the chance to be hired on by larger organizations like university athletic departments.
Light Duty Cleaners (NOC 6661)
Light duty cleaners clean the lobbies, hallways, offices and rooms of hotels, motels, resorts, hospitals,
schools, office and other buildings, and private residences. They are employed by hotels, motels, resorts,
recreational facilities, hospitals and other institutions, building management companies, cleaning service
companies and private individuals.
Light duty cleaners may perform some or all of the following duties:
67
•
Sweep, mop, wash, wax and polish floors
•
Dust and vacuum furniture, carpets and drapes
•
Make beds, change sheets and towels
•
Clean, disinfect and polish kitchen and bathroom fixtures and appliances
•
Wash windows and walls
Alberta Learning Information Service, www.alis.gov.ab.ca, OCCInfo, Alberta Occupational Profiles; Alberta
Government, Trade Secrets, Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training, www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca; Human
Resources and Skills Development Canada, National Occupation Classification 2007.
43
•
Empty garbage containers
Light duty cleaners should have an attention for detail. They should be self-motivated, as they are often
required to work without supervision. The ability to work quickly and follow instructions, bend and kneel on a
regular basis, and lift and move furniture and cleaning supplies is also required.
There are no standard formal education requirements for light duty cleaners, and most are trained on the job.
Applicants often require a criminal record check. Progression to supervisory cleaning positions is possible
with additional training or experience. Light duty cleaners who want to run their own house cleaning
business should have some bookkeeping and scheduling skills.
Room/housekeeping attendants (NOC 6661) are part of the larger National Occupational Classification
661 – Light Duty Cleaners. They keep guest rooms and public areas clean, well stocked, and properly
presented in hotels, motels, resorts and lodges. They require good communication skills and should be
friendly and well groomed in order to promote a positive image of the property to guests as well as address
problems or special requests. In general, room/housekeeping attendants make beds, change sheets and
replace used towels and toiletries in guestrooms; vacuum, mop, clean and dust; stock and sort supplies; and
empty ashtrays and garbage containers. Housekeeping staff may also clean lobbies, halls and banquet
rooms.
Room/housekeeping attendants may be required to work shifts that include weekends and holidays, and
employment may be seasonal at some properties.
In general, training for room/housekeeping attendants is on the job, with no specific education requirements.
In addition to the skills mentioned above, attendants should be able to follow instructions, be detail-oriented,
be in good health and have stamina, and have the ability to work independently as well as cooperatively with
other employees. Honesty and trustworthiness are also important and employers often ask for character
references.
With experience or educational upgrading, room/housekeeping attendants may advance to assistant or
executive housekeeping positions.
Custodians and Janitors (NOC 6663)
Custodians and janitors clean and maintain the interior and exterior of commercial, institutional and
residential buildings and their surrounding grounds. They can perform both light and heavy duties including
emptying garbages and ashtrays, servicing and cleaning washrooms, dusting and polishing furniture,
cleaning glass, sweeping, vacuuming and mopping floors, and moving heavy furniture, equipment and
supplies. Custodians and janitors may also perform minor maintenance on heating and cooling equipment,
or perform other routine maintenance jobs such as painting and drywall repair. Custodians and janitors are
often responsible for securing the premises after closing.
Many cleaning duties are carried out in the late afternoon or evening when daytime employees have left the
building. Custodians and janitors may work part-time on a nightly, weekly or monthly basis, or work full-time
eight-hour shifts. Most work is performed indoors, although some outside work may be required such as
cleaning sidewalks and driveways, cutting grass or cleaning building exteriors.
Custodians and janitors generally spend their entire shift on their feet, bending, stretching, walking and lifting
or moving heavy objects. They should enjoy taking a methodical approach to their work, be able to
communicate effectively with others, and have experience working with various types of equipment such as
floor polishers.
There are no standard formal education requirements for custodians and janitors, and most are trained on
the job. They should be familiar with which cleaners to use for different purposes and need to know which
cleaning chemicals can be mixed safely. Many employers require applicants have Workplace Hazards
44
Management Information Safety (WHMIS) training, and security checks, including a letter of clearance from
the police, and a passing grade on an English literacy screening test.
Custodians may subcontract their services or become contractors themselves. Many positions are part-time
and competition for better paying jobs is keen. There are limited opportunities for advancement. With
additional training, some custodians and janitors may move into building operator positions.
Petroleum Engineers (NOC 2145)
Petroleum engineers apply the principles of geology, physics, chemistry and the engineering sciences to the
recovery, development and processing of petroleum. They work closely with teams of geologists,
geophysicists and oil field operating professionals. In general, petroleum engineers devise methods to
improve oil and gas well production and determine the need for new or modified tool designs.
In Canada, the majority of petroleum engineers work in Alberta in major oil companies, small independent oil
exploration, production and service companies, engineering consulting firms, and government agencies.
Experienced petroleum engineers generally work in an office environment, and often specialize in specific
areas of petroleum engineering. Sample job titles include Reservoir Engineer, Production Engineer, Drilling
Engineer, Project Production Engineer, Exploitation Engineer, Operations Manager, and Project Reservoir
Engineer.
Petroleum engineers require a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering or a related discipline. In Alberta,
you must be a registered member of the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and
Geophysicists of Alberta (APEGGA) to practice as a Professional Engineer. Petroleum engineers must also
be prepared to keep up with new developments in the oil and gas industry through continued education.
Petroleum engineers need excellent communication skills, both written and oral, innovativeness, an aptitude
for math and science, problem solving skills, team work skills as they often work with a team of scientists,
and high energy levels to deal with demanding workloads.
Food and Beverage Servers (NOC 6453)
Food and beverage servers are employed in hotel dining rooms, restaurants, lounges, bars, banquet halls
and other licensed and non-licensed establishments. In general, food and beverage servers greet guests,
present menus, describe daily specials to customers, record and place orders with kitchen and bar staff,
serve meals, correct any problems, and present bills for payment. Part-time hours, shift work, and split shifts
are common and food and beverage servers are required to be on their feet and carry heavy trays of food
and dishes.
Because food and beverage servers deal directly with guests, they are required to be friendly, efficient,
professional and well groomed. The ability to work independently, as well as part of a team is important.
Good communication skills are essential along with the ability to work well under pressure.
There are no specific educational or training requirements for food and beverage servers, however, servers
who serve liquor must be at least 18 years of age. Servers in formal hotel dining rooms require extra
knowledge, including how to prepare tableside dishes, knowledge of wines, and proper food service
etiquette. Many food service establishments provide on-the-job training, including training in food safety and
customer service.
Experienced food and beverage servers can advance their career in larger and more formal establishments
(head waiter/waitress, sommelier, maitre d’hotel etc.). Related post-secondary education is an asset for
career advancement, however, some organizations may provide management training programs for
employees that demonstrates initiative and leadership abilities.
45
Retail Salespersons and Sales Clerks (NOC 6421)
Retail sales clerks work in a variety of different retail establishments, helping customers select merchandise.
They work in departments or stores that specialize in certain merchandise: music, mountain bikes, specialty
foods, jewelry, cars, appliances, flooring, clothing, home electronics, etc. Once sales clerks become
knowledgeable about specific merchandise, they tend to concentrate on that area throughout their careers.
This is important because in the retail world, knowledge means sales.
Salespeople frequently multi-task and perform ongoing duties such as stocking shelves, ordering stock, and
cashier duties. As they deal with customers, salespeople must have a neat appearance and be polite.
Working in sales can lead to many other opportunities for advancement, and individuals who meet sales
targets can expect to move into senior positions.
Truck Drivers (NOC 7411)
Truck drivers generally operate trucks, tractor-trailers and other related vehicles to transport goods over long
distances or local routes. They are responsible for checking their vehicles for problems before leaving on
their route. They also secure their goods and keep records of loads delivered and picked up.
Working conditions vary depending on whether a truck driver’s position is long-haul or local. Long-haul
drivers may drive from city to city or as far as across the continent. They work long hours and often travel at
night. Local truck drivers may leave the warehouse in the morning and make deliveries all day, or they might
have to return to the warehouse between deliveries.
Both have to drive in all kinds of weather, traffic and road conditions. They may have to load and unload
trucks, which means they could have to lift heavy items. They should be in good health and have clear vision,
be skilled in time management and be customer service oriented.
Truck drivers’ licensing requirements vary depending on the kinds of vehicles they will be driving. Drivers
must have air brake training to receive their Class 1, 2 and 3 licenses. Applicants for Class 1 licenses, a
common necessity for truck drivers, must be at least 18 years of age, have a valid Alberta Class 5 driver’s
license (not graduated), pass knowledge tests and satisfy medical requirements. Employers may also set out
other requirements such as first aid and CPR certification, and a clean driving record.
Drivers can be self-employed, operating their own vehicles and contracting their services to companies. They
could also work for companies in transportation or manufacturing, for instance, and can continue to drive
trucks throughout their career or move into related areas such as operations or communications.
Material Handlers (NOC 7452)
Material handlers are workers who handle, load and unload, and move a variety of materials by hand or by
using equipment.
Furniture movers (NOC 7452.1) move furniture and other equipment to and from houses, apartments,
offices and storage buildings. They may wrap and pack items, carry items to their moving vehicle, operate
the vehicle and unload the items again.
Movers spend much of their day on the go, either in their moving vehicle or at a customer’s moving location.
They may have to drive within the city, or drive long distances. They often have to lift heavy items weighing
over 55 kg, and should have good physical strength and stamina to do the job. They should be able to take
instruction, judge distances and space, and work independently. They may also have to work with a partner.
There are no standard education prerequisites for this job, although related experience, an Alberta Class 1,
3, or 5 driver’s license and air brake endorsements are assets to employers.
46
Most movers are hired as helpers during the busy summer months of May to September, although employers
may offer full-time, year-round positions to those who are experienced and productive. Experienced movers
can specialize in certain kinds of moves such as office moves or installations. They might also purchase their
own moving vehicles and contract their services to other movers or to the public.
Warehousing professionals (NOC 7452.2) deal with the movement of materials in a variety of industries,
such as agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas, and transportation. Their responsibilities also vary, but they
may include:
•
packing and shipping orders
•
maintaining and managing inventories
•
processing customer and supplier returns
•
importing and exporting materials
•
supervising warehouse personnel (at a management level)
They usually work indoors and in office or warehouse environments. As the work is physically demanding,
warehousing professionals should be comfortable working on their feet for long periods of time and lifting
items weighing up to 25 kg. They should have good manual dexterity, and be able to work both
independently and in a team setting.
A warehousing professional position is a designated occupation in Alberta, meaning that certification is not
mandatory but those wanting to work in this field can apply to Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training
for an Alberta Occupational Certificate. There are three levels of programs available: basic, intermediate and
technician, with a minimum of 12 months (1,500 hours) of work experience required at each level.
Those working at one level can work their way to the next, so opportunities from entry-level to management
are available in this profession.
Food Counter Attendants and Kitchen Helpers (NOC 6641)
Food counter attendants and kitchen helpers perform a variety of kitchen and food preparation duties, such
as serving customers, heating and cooking simple foods and cleaning kitchen and eating areas. They are
employed in cafeterias, fast food outlets, restaurants, recreational facilities, sports venues, entertainment
establishments, amusement parks, zoos, heritage establishments, bowling alleys, ski hills and other venues.
Food service counter attendants and food preparers take orders and serve customers at counters or buffet
tables. Kitchen helpers prepare fruit and vegetables, remove trash, wash work areas, restock supplies, and
sweep and mop floors, as well as other duties. Food service helpers clear and clean tables and trays in
eating establishments. They also set tables, replenish condiments and other supplies, as well as run
errands. During downtimes, they may also be required to perform basic janitorial duties.
Food counter attendants and kitchen helpers are commonly expected to work shifts, including evenings,
weekends and holidays. Due to the nature of the work, they will likely spend most of their shift on their feet,
and some lifting should be expected. In addition, because they will be dealing with the public, food counter
attendants and kitchen helpers need a positive attitude and the ability to work as part of a team.
There are no minimum education requirements, and food counter attendants and kitchen helpers will usually
receive training from their employers. These positions are usually staffed by students, and part-time work is
common. Once workers have gained enough experience, they often move on to other food and beverage
service positions.
47
Registered Nurses (NOC 3152)
Registered nurses provide professional nursing services for individuals, families, communities and groups in
a variety of settings. Health care professionals working as a registered nurse require four years of postsecondary training68.
Nurses work with a wide variety of people, and have the option of specializing in different areas such
as maternal/newborn, pediatrics, heart health, surgery, emergency medicine, mental health, geriatrics, or
oncology – individuals with cancer. These are just a few of the areas of medicine that nurses work in.
People working as nurses need to be adaptable and able to manage changing priorities. Good
communication skills are important, as some patients may be unable to communicate easily.
Problem-solving skills, the ability to work independently or in multi disciplinary teams with other health care
professionals, and of course the enjoyment of and a desire to care for others is important.
Personal Care Attendants69 (NOC 3413)
Personal care attendants assist people who are elderly, disabled, or ill. Duties may involve personal care
needs such as dressing, eating, bathing and grooming, mobility and communication. Light housekeeping
duties (e.g. make beds, do laundry, prepare meals, buy groceries) are sometimes necessary. Tasks
delegated by registered nurses such as checking vital signs, or changing dressings may also be included.
Work location can be in private homes, long term care facilities, group homes or hospitals. There can be
considerable physical activity involved in housekeeping and helping people to move, groom themselves and
dress.
Some clients may be challenging, while others are pleasant and cooperative. Working with people
experiencing pain or not being cooperative can be stressful.
Construction Trades Helpers and Labourers (NOC 7611)
Construction trades helpers and labourers assist skilled tradespersons and generally perform labouring
activities at construction sites. Most are employed by construction companies and trade and labour
contractors.
Construction craft labourer is a designated occupation in Alberta. Training and certification are not
required but trainees can apply to Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training for an Alberta Occupational
Certificate.
In general, construction craft labourers prepare and clean up construction sites, move materials and
equipment and perform demolition, excavation and compaction activities. Duties vary from one job to
another but may include:
•
distributing construction materials and moving tools and equipment to and work areas
•
excavating, backfilling and compacting earth using shovels or other equipment
•
mixing, pouring and spreading concrete
•
digging trenches
•
assembling and dismantling scaffolding, ramps shoring and barricades at construction sites
Construction craft labourers work outdoors in all weather conditions and should have good physical strength
and stamina as well as manual dexterity as they are often required to lift heavy loads and use power tools.
68
69
As per Health Professions Act – April 2006.
This title is currently evolving to a new legislated title in Alberta – Health Care Aides.
48
Overtime is routinely required during peak construction periods. Since there is some risk of injury when
working on construction sites, labourers must wear personal protective equipment (hardhats, gloves and
steel-toed boots), have a safety conscious attitude, and follow safety programs and legislation. The ability to
work with others in a team is also required.
Construction craft labourers are employed by a variety of contractors and road builders in the construction
industry, as well as larger companies that have ongoing construction requirements. Experienced construction
craft labourers may have the opportunity to advance to supervisory or foreman positions.
Survey Assistants (NOC 7612)
Survey assistants are part of the occupational group, ‘ Other Trades Helpers and Labourers’. They assist
land surveyors in surveying activities, such as holding or moving stakes and rods, clearing brush and debris
from line of survey and transporting surveying tools to work areas.
Some secondary school education may be required. Most training is provided on-the-job.
Geologists (NOC 2113)
In Alberta, most geologists work in the energy industry, and spend much of their time working in office
environments, although field work is often required. Geologists may specialize in a variety of areas. Sample
job titles include Engineering Geologist, Economic Geologist, Environment Geologist, Well Site Geologist,
and Petroleum Geologist.
In general, geologists explore for crude oil and natural gas and help develop reservoirs. Petroleum
geologists use information gathered from boreholes, geophysical and geochemical data, geological maps,
rock samples and remote sending imagery to decide where to drill for oil and gas. Well site geologists work
closely with drilling crews to help ensure wells penetrate target zones and coring samples are taken at
required intervals.
Geologists require as a minimum a bachelor of science honours degree in geology, along with continued
professional development. As with petroleum engineers, you must be a registered member of APEGGA to
practice as a Professional Geologist in Alberta.
Geologists need excellent communication skills, analytical abilities, an aptitude for math and science, well
developed decision-making skills, and teamwork skills.
Geophysicists (NOC 2113)
As with geologists, most geophysicists in Alberta are employed in the oil and gas extraction industry and the
professional and technical services industry. Sample job titles include Petroleum Exploration Geophysicist,
Mineral Exploration Geophysicist and Development and Production Geophysicist.
Geophysicists often work closely with geologists and petroleum engineers in a team. In general, they use
the principles of physics, math and chemistry when studying and interpreting information on sediments,
mineral and rock compositions, and geologic structure to determine where oil and gas deposits are most
likely to occur. To obtain this information, geophysicists usually collect data from seismic operations and,
occasionally, from gravity, magnetic or satellite surveys. With the advancement of 3D seismic technology,
which uses computer modeling to develop three-dimensional models of the subsurface, geophysicists have
been able to locate oil and gas deposits more precisely.
Exploration geophysicists require a Bachelor of Science degree in geophysics or a related science, and a
master’s degree is often preferred. In Alberta, you must be a registered member of APEGGA to practice as a
Professional Geophysicist.
Geophysicists need excellent spatial reasoning abilities, initiative, imagination and creativity, excellent
decision making and problem solving skills, teamwork and analytical skills.
49
Casino Occupations (NOC 6443)
Gambling casino workers operate gaming tables, maintain slot machines, accept keno wagers, pay out
winning bets and jackpots and collect losing bets.
Casino dealers (NOC 6443.2) ensure the smooth, legal proceedings of gambling games, including
overseeing the placing of bets, issuing accurate payoffs to winners and collections from losers, and settling
any disputes over the rules of the games. Depending on which game is being played, dealers can work alone
or in small teams. Also, the term “dealer” does not necessarily refer to those in charge of card games. Craps
and roulette officials also share this title.
Casinos can be stressful work environments. Not only are they noisy, crowded and often smoky, they are
under constant surveillance. Casino dealers must be comfortable knowing that they are constantly being
watched to protect the casino from any accusations of cheating or theft, and that even innocent mistakes will
be scrutinized.
Though there are no education requirements, most casinos prefer hiring dealers with at least a high school
diploma. Most casinos offer in-house training programs, which go over all of the basic games in addition to
specific casino rules and any security procedures. Casino dealers must also be registered by the Alberta
Gaming and Liquor commission, which includes proof of age, citizenship, and a criminal record check.
Advancement comes through training in more advanced games, and through movement to supervisory roles.
There is also a possibility of movement to management positions, though this can require post-secondary
education.
Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Workers (NOC 8612)
Landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers perform manual work to assist in the construction of
landscapes and related structures, and to maintain lawns, gardens, parks, landscaped interiors and other
landscaped areas. They are employed by landscaping and lawn care companies, and landscaping
departments of governments and private establishments.
Some of their duties may include:
•
Spreading soil, sand and fertilizer
•
Planting trees, shrubs and flowers
•
Laying sod
•
Preparing beds for planting including weeding
•
Cutting and aerating lawns
•
Using hand and power tools, such as lawnmowers and hedge clippers
•
Driving trucks between job sites, so a valid drivers license is required
Landscaping and grounds maintenance workers should enjoy working outdoors and learning about plants
and garden design. They should be able to lift heavy weights, bend and kneel for long periods, work
carefully with power tools, and pay attention to detail.
Summer employment is often an entry point for landscape maintenance workers. Training is usually on the
job. Workers with good communication skills who take an interest in the business may advance to crew
leader or other supervisory positions. With further experience and education, workers may progress to
landscape design and horticulture. Experienced and educated workers may start their own landscaping
maintenance businesses.
50
Hotel and Motel Desk Clerks (NOC 6435)
Front desk clerks are employed in hotels, motels, lodges and resorts and are often the first people to greet
guests. They register guests; assign rooms and issue keys/cards; check out guests at the end of their stay
and process payments; respond to special requests; deal with customer complaints; and provide information
about the property’s services and amenities in the area. In small establishments, desk clerks may have a
variety of additional responsibilities, including administrative responsibilities, reservation agent, switchboard
operator, concierge, auditor and cashier.
Because desk clerks occasionally deal with hectic and stressful situations (convention check-ins, irate
guests, large tour groups, computer failures), they need to be friendly, patient, calm, tactful, and be able to
communicate well with a wide variety of people. Since desk clerks deal directly with the public, a
professional appearance and personality are very important. Speaking a foreign language is also becoming
increasingly important in assisting international guests. Desk clerks may work shifts, including nights,
weekends and holidays.
Some employers are willing to hire high school graduates and provide on-the-job training, however, in
general, employers are looking for candidates with hospitality/tourism or retail experience, a post-secondary
education or certification and computer/cash skills.
There are many business administration and management programs available for desk clerks who wish to
advance to hotel management positions. Desk clerks can advance to assistant front office and front office
manager positions if they are willing to take or have some related post-secondary education.
Recreation Facility Operators (NOC 6671)
In addition to overseeing the operation of recreation facilities, recreation facility operators may be responsible
for event programming and facility maintenance. This can include physically performing the maintenance, or
overseeing contractors and trades people. It is also their responsibility to enforce safety regulations, and to
deal with the public both in keeping up positive relations and coordinating use of the facilities.
As recreational facilities come in a variety of forms, from skating rinks to swimming pools to outdoor tracks,
ski facilities, and indoor arenas, working conditions vary. Because these facilities cater to the general public,
operators often work shifts on evenings, weekends and holidays.
Many facilities are beginning to require specialized training. This training changes depending on the type of
venue, and can include a knowledge of refrigeration systems in ice arenas, or a familiarity with irrigation
systems in outdoor facilities. Earning the right certification is highly recommended, and occasionally required.
These positions are often run by municipal governments, and depending on the facility, can be seasonal in
nature. The wide variety of locations and employers means that advancement opportunities are dependant
on the particular position.
Cashiers (NOC 6611)
Cashiers are responsible for seeing through financial transactions in a variety of environments, including
retail stores, sports venues, museums, zoos, heritage establishments, bowling alleys, ski facilities,
recreational facilities, performing arts venues and amusement parks. Their duties typically involve operating
cash registers and price scanners, and ensuring an accurate balance is maintained in their cash drawer, in
addition to the unique demands of each work environment.
Most cashiers will spend the majority of their day on their feet, though they usually remain in a set location
such as a booth or counter. Because the job is customer-oriented, it often involves work on evenings and
weekends, and the use of part-time workers is common.
51
Cashiers need to be able to work quickly and accurately, and must be able to deal with customers in a
friendly manner even at the busiest of times. There are no set educational requirements, but an ability to
work with numbers and a familiarity with computers are both assets, and training is usually provided on the
job.
Advancement usually comes in the form of movement to other positions within the work environment, such
as sales, but supervisory positions can also become available.
Ironworkers (NOC 7264)
Ironworkers fabricate, construct and join scaffolding, structural steel buildings, bridges, ornamental ironwork
and pre-cast structures. In Alberta, people in this occupation may be certified as an ironworker, ironworker
(metal building systems erector), ironworker (reinforcing), or ironworker (structural/ornamental).
Ironworker (reinforcing) tradespeople place and tie reinforcing material, join scaffolding, and perform post
tensioning. In general, they:
•
read blueprints and specifications to lay out the work •
unload and stack steel units so each piece can be hoisted •
erect and install scaffolding, construction cranes, derricks and other hoisting equipment •
assemble rigging to move materials •
attach cables from a crane or derrick and direct crane operators •
select, cut, bend, position, and secure steel bars or wire mesh in concrete forms to reinforce the
concrete •
perform post tensioning
Ironworker (reinforcing) tradespeople generally work outdoors in teams or crews in remote locations as well
as urban areas. Their work is physically strenuous and often dangerous. To be successful, ironworkers need
to interpret blueprints, be comfortable with heights and lift heavy loads, be agile and have balance, have an
understanding of safe work practices, and be able to work cooperatively in a team environment.
Very few ironworkers are self-employed and most are employed by construction contractors. Some work in
industries such as metal fabricating, oil and gas production, iron and steel production, electric utilities and rail
transport. Experienced ironworkers may advance to supervisory positions such as foreman or construction
superintendent.
To work as an ironworker (reinforcing) tradesperson in Alberta, a person must be a registered apprentice or a
certified journeyman or hold a recognized trade certificate. The term of apprenticeship for an ironworker
(reinforcing) tradesperson is 2 years (two 12-month periods) including a minimum of 1,500 hours of on-thejob training and 6 weeks of technical training each period.
52

Calgary and Area Labour Market Report

Transcription

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