Aging Population Brings Need for Skilled Workers.

From Louis Pin, Sarnia Observer.

Sarnia’s workforce watchdog’s annual report highlights some troubling trends in the region — and important areas of need for an aging region flush with employment opportunities.

In brief: there are fewer people working in Sarnia, and quite a few are nearing retirement.

According to the Sarnia-Lambton Workforce Development Board, nearly 6,500 fewer people were employed in 2016 than were employed in 2006. That drop-off, from 63,000 to 56,500, was mostly the result of older people retiring and younger people leaving home.

“We are really great at keeping people once they get here. What we’re really not good at is recruiting them here,” Shauna Carr, executive director with the development board, said. 

“They need to go out and get a broader world perspective . . . we need to really look at strategies to bring those working-age folks back here.”

Between 2011 and 2016, young and working age adults — between 18 and 44 — decreased by roughly 2,200 people, leading to a net loss of more than 1,200 workers overall.

Link to the rest here.

Image. U.S. Army.

Thank you for reading.