July 15, 2010
More jobs than skilled people to fill them
By Sally Harvey CLT, CLP
Education and Labour Development Department
A report, People without Jobs, Jobs without People, identifies some interesting points. “With the emergence of our knowledge economy, the proportion of the labour force requiring some form of education or training beyond high school will increase dramatically,” states Rick Miner PhD, who wrote the report for Ontario’s Labour Market Future in February of 2010.
It is estimated that by 2031 our industry will need 77 per cent of our workforce to possess post-secondary credentials, either through apprenticeship, industry, professional associations, college or university. This is huge, as we presently stand at about 60 per cent.
The green industry in Ontario presently contributes approximately $7-billion, based on multipliers generated from Statistics Canada Input-Output tables. We also employ 66,388 full-time people in Ontario, alone!
The landscape horticulture industry presently has more jobs than skilled workers. We gain only about 200 post secondary graduates into the industry annually. With double-digit growth for many years, it is expected to potentially double in size with the retirements of the early baby boomer cohort. There is a huge gap, considering the Deloitte study of the impact of ornamental horticulture on Canada’s economy, released in January 2009. We are potentially expecting a shortfall of over 150,000 skilled workers within the next 10 to 12 years.
What does this mean for the green industry? We must change our attitude towards post-secondary education and training in order to fill our jobs with skilled employees. It will take planning and hard work to secure talent for the future. Employers and potential employees alike will need to take responsibility for skills development and life-long learning to remain competitive today and into the future.
There are many opportunities for business-minded employers. Employers looking to make an investment in their company’s future must embark on motivating life-long training opportunities for their existing staff.
These opportunities may include, but not limited to:
However, there are those programs that are at risk of extinction. They have not been attached to industry, thereby unable to understand the opportunities of today and those that lie ahead. In this case, the industry had the opportunity to present a state of the nation report that identified our huge need for skilled workers, combined with forecasts for growth. It was amazing to us that the decision makers had no idea of the magnitude of the industry, nor the potential that the horticulture industry offers to educators and society as a whole.
We missed the opportunity to tell our story somewhere along the line. Throughout the process, the message remained clear and consistent: In order for our industry to begin to supply itself with relevant, skilled workers, all education and training programs must partner with the industry and industry with all education! I urge all horticulture employers and skilled employees to make themselves available to any of the secondary and post secondary education institutions, whether it is secondary schools, apprenticeship, industry, professional associations, college or university. Without attachment to industry, we will lose the opportunity to cultivate amazing talent needed to lead our industry technically and horticulturally into the next generation. Innovation and strong business sense will be the strategic survival tactics for the next 20 years.
I encourage our members to get involved at local schools, adopt a school or training program. For more info, go to http://bit.ly/aOf34s. Your contributions may include advice, materials, a seminar, a hands-on learning with a class or student, a tour, materials, tools or equipment, training, mentoring, etc. What is the advantage to employers? A supply of trained, skilled workers who will advance your business.
Contact Sally Harvey should you have any questions at sharvey@landscapontario.com.
Education and Labour Development Department
A report, People without Jobs, Jobs without People, identifies some interesting points. “With the emergence of our knowledge economy, the proportion of the labour force requiring some form of education or training beyond high school will increase dramatically,” states Rick Miner PhD, who wrote the report for Ontario’s Labour Market Future in February of 2010.It is estimated that by 2031 our industry will need 77 per cent of our workforce to possess post-secondary credentials, either through apprenticeship, industry, professional associations, college or university. This is huge, as we presently stand at about 60 per cent.
The green industry in Ontario presently contributes approximately $7-billion, based on multipliers generated from Statistics Canada Input-Output tables. We also employ 66,388 full-time people in Ontario, alone!
The landscape horticulture industry presently has more jobs than skilled workers. We gain only about 200 post secondary graduates into the industry annually. With double-digit growth for many years, it is expected to potentially double in size with the retirements of the early baby boomer cohort. There is a huge gap, considering the Deloitte study of the impact of ornamental horticulture on Canada’s economy, released in January 2009. We are potentially expecting a shortfall of over 150,000 skilled workers within the next 10 to 12 years.
What does this mean for the green industry? We must change our attitude towards post-secondary education and training in order to fill our jobs with skilled employees. It will take planning and hard work to secure talent for the future. Employers and potential employees alike will need to take responsibility for skills development and life-long learning to remain competitive today and into the future.
There are many opportunities for business-minded employers. Employers looking to make an investment in their company’s future must embark on motivating life-long training opportunities for their existing staff.
These opportunities may include, but not limited to:
- Apprenticeship (to register go to: www.horttrades.com/apprenticeship
- Landscape Industry Certification offered at Milton in July and October and Kemptville College in September www.horttrades.com/clt
- Landscape Ontario fall and winter seminars
- Expo and Congress symposia and seminars
- College or university programs
However, there are those programs that are at risk of extinction. They have not been attached to industry, thereby unable to understand the opportunities of today and those that lie ahead. In this case, the industry had the opportunity to present a state of the nation report that identified our huge need for skilled workers, combined with forecasts for growth. It was amazing to us that the decision makers had no idea of the magnitude of the industry, nor the potential that the horticulture industry offers to educators and society as a whole.
We missed the opportunity to tell our story somewhere along the line. Throughout the process, the message remained clear and consistent: In order for our industry to begin to supply itself with relevant, skilled workers, all education and training programs must partner with the industry and industry with all education! I urge all horticulture employers and skilled employees to make themselves available to any of the secondary and post secondary education institutions, whether it is secondary schools, apprenticeship, industry, professional associations, college or university. Without attachment to industry, we will lose the opportunity to cultivate amazing talent needed to lead our industry technically and horticulturally into the next generation. Innovation and strong business sense will be the strategic survival tactics for the next 20 years.
I encourage our members to get involved at local schools, adopt a school or training program. For more info, go to http://bit.ly/aOf34s. Your contributions may include advice, materials, a seminar, a hands-on learning with a class or student, a tour, materials, tools or equipment, training, mentoring, etc. What is the advantage to employers? A supply of trained, skilled workers who will advance your business.
Contact Sally Harvey should you have any questions at sharvey@landscapontario.com.