Shane Woodford | Email news tips to shane.woodford@corusent.com
6/4/2012
The BC Tourism Industry's Human Resource Association is rolling out a plan to address a big anticipated growth in the number of tourism jobs over the next eight years.
Go-2 chair Ian Powell says the key is to recruit, train, and not just employ new workers but also retain them once they have the job.
"All indication are that in this decade we will see a growth, yet again, significant growth in our BC tourism industry."
CEO Arlene Keis says they face some big hurdles in finding a future work force.
"Today in BC there are 65-thousand kids in grade 12 but there are only 41-thousand in kindegarten."
That is a 40% drop for an industry reliant on youth workers.
Tourism Minister Pat Bell says the province has launched an eight year strategy to find, train, and hire new workers for tourism jobs.
"when you look at the month of April 20-thousand new jobs justin that month alone and we weren't even into theprimary tourism season."
Bell says they will target skills training programs and workers from depressed economies in Ontario and Quebec to fill the jobs.
"101,000 specifically in the hospitality industry but also the broader number a million new jobs is based on the statistical evidence that we see both in the growth of the hospitality industry and the other industries."
Bell says says they are also working with Ottawa to bring in more immigrant workers.
"Our current provincial nominee program is 3500 per year we have asked for a lift of 5000 growing over time beyond that as well."
As well young people, seniors, first nations, and dis-abled people are also being prioritized for the future job openings.
|