The BC Labour Market and You
Posted by Blogger on December 28th, 2007BC has been experiencing an economic boom with unemployment at a 30 year low at 4.2%. There is and will be continued growth throughout various industries of business. The main forces contributing to BC’s job growth have been trade, culture and recreation, and transportation and warehousing. This is the time to get an education that will put you in the forefront of a new wave of employment opportunities.
Traditionally, the BC labour market has been highly resource/goods driven, which is still true today. However, goods industry requires services, meaning that the service sector is getting a big push.
According to the Guide to the BC Economy, for every person employed in the goods sector, four British Columbians work in the service industries. These are mostly clerical workers such as letter carriers, postal clerks, dispatchers, accounting clerks, couriers, shippers and receivers in transportation and warehousing fields. Overall, the growth in this industry looks very positive.
In the human resources field, the outlook (according to JobFutures) is good. The retirement rate is above average – contributing to more job openings in the future. The wages paid to Specialists in HR are above the compensation paid for other fields. Also, the unemployment rate is 1%. HR is increasingly becoming a hot career.
Additionally, administrative and other support roles, especially management, will experience a strong demand and growth. However, an academic background in these areas is necessary.
Due to a boom in most sectors, sales and marketing are playing a more prominent role in various industries. A search on Google will reveal numerous postings varying in titles and organizations looking for people to help set their company apart.
In addition, Canada’s open immigration policy and our way of living is making Canada a sought after place for people to move to. Statistics Canada reported that between 2001 and 2006, Canada’s foreign-born population increased by 13.6%, making population growth through immigration four times higher than population growth through being born in Canada. At 19.8%, Canada reportedly had a higher rate of foreign-born than the United States. Thus, due to a larger number of people choosing to relocate to Canada there is a need for Certified Immigration Consultants, especially if immigration increases.
The finance and insurance industry has gone through quite a bit of change in the last few years and will continue to change. Due to these constant changes, employment is expected to increase. Furthermore, the accommodation and food services industry’s share of total employment is expected to continue to grow faster than average during the next few years. The industry is forecast to employ nearly 9% of BC workers by 2014. The industry’s share of total GDP is expected to increase to 4% by 2014.
Now is the time to get your education and gain a competitive edge.

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