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.
Image. U.S. Army.
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From Troy Shantz, Sarnia Journal
About half of the fifth floor of the St.
Clair Corporate Centre in downtown Sarnia has been leased to a software company
with plans of further expansion.
U.S-based Clear Care Inc. arrived in Sarnia
last year when it purchased HomeTrak, a homegrown software company and
competitor located on Exmouth Street.
The combined company has grown from 20 local
employees to nearly 50 and moved into the 9,600-square-feet of office space
this spring.
“We are a lot more economical for hiring than
in California,” said Moyra Miller, VP of customer success.
“Clear Care approved this much space with
expansion in mind.”
The company, based in San Francisco, makes
software used by 4,000 private duty home-care agencies providing housekeeping,
maintenance and other services to independent-living seniors.
Image. Troy Shantz
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BuildForce
Canada says it’s a great time for young people to consider careers in the
trades.
The organization’s latest labour market
forecast is predicting that Ontario’s construction workforce will need to
expand by more than 100,000 workers this decade to keep up with a series of
major projects.
Executive Director Bill Ferreira says up to
87,000 construction workers are expected to retire in the next ten years.
“There will be considerable demand for
construction [jobs] in Ontario,” says Ferreira. “We’re looking at about 20% of
the Ontario construction workforce retiring during that period. So, it really
is a good time for anyone who is considering what their career choice will be.
Certainly take a look at the skilled trades because there are so many
opportunities, even beyond construction, although obviously that’s where we
would like them to come.”
Image. Public Domain.
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