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By Derek Lothian (Twitter: @dereklothian)
This year, Canada's oldest baby boomers turn 65. Forgive industry for not throwing a birthday party.
For the first time in the nation's history, more workers will be leaving the labour force than entering it. Sectors already struggling to bridge the skills gap between supply and demand now face the daunting challenge of attracting a new generation of employees.
Forestry is a prime example. With exports totaling more than $40 billion each year, it constitutes three per cent of Canada's gross domestic product, and is a fundamental component of the economy. Roughly 300 remote communities also depend on forestry for at least half of their annual income. It's not only source of jobs; it drives quality of life for thousands of Canadians.
But for a born-again industry on the cusp of never-before-seen expansion, the solution isn't as straightforward as it may have been in recent years. Major industrial projects like the oilsands have depleted workforce reserves, and similar growth expectations in other markets have left companies looking for new and innovative ways to recruit skilled personnel.
Allister Hain with Forest Product Sector Council (FPSC) believes part of the answer has been obvious for years.
"Aboriginal outreach is critical to our resource development strategy across the country," says Hain. "The synergies between the Aboriginal population and working with the land cannot be ignored. We must encourage dialogue and cooperate with other stakeholders to ensure business is providing the appropriate platforms for shared success."
One of 33 industry-led sector councils funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, FPSC has made Aboriginal participation a top strategic priority. According to an FPSC report released in May, the sector is anticipating a worker shortfall of up to 120,000 people within the next decade. Although forestry enjoys an Aboriginal participation rate of six per cent - more than double the national average - Hain sees definite room for improvement.
"There's a lot more we can do," he says. " But there are unique challenges faced by many in the Aboriginal community whichmake it difficult to commit to the opportunities at-hand, without the special supports needed to meet those challenges. These supports need to be in place from the beginning right through the training period and into employment."
The first step may be to address restrictive preconceptions.While jobs in forestry and other areas of manufacturing have grown increasingly skills-dependent, few are aware that there is no disparity between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups for college and trade certification. A number of post-secondary institutions even offer Aboriginal-specific initiatives, often tailored to meet the individual needs of a private-sector partner. AbitibiBowater, for instance, has joined forces with Fort William First Nation and Confederation College in Thunder Bay to develop a pre-employment training curriculum for the company's local sawmill.
Unfortunately, education attainment as a whole - particularly when it comes to university and, to a lesser extent, high school - still lags behind the rest of Canada. Strengthened investment will be critical. Yet, training is just one piece of a large and complex puzzle. Perhaps the most significant obstacle, notes Hain, is cultural awareness. Local models of partnership based on mutual cooperation and shared respect are touted as the "only path forward" for enhancing recruitment efforts.
"Without a doubt, respectful collaboration and conversation is paramount," says Hain. "Beyond just jobs and fair pay, there needs to be a clear understanding of the roles, responsibilities, obligations, risks and rewards of all parties. That process begins with trust."
That process however needs to accelerate quickly if it is going to be effective. With one-third of the workface retiring by 2020, time is a luxury that Canada's industrial sector simply does not have.
"Canada's growing Aboriginal population represents one of the best hopes for future labour supply, " says Hain. "New relationships and a path forward cannot be built over the course of a year or two. We must start now."
