The world of employment has changed dramatically in few years. Economic growth in Quebec has created a significant number of jobs, which has considerably reduced the number of people available for hire. As a result, the number of vacancies has increased. 

Added to this is the health crisis we have had to face and where we have been faced with a historically high unemployment rate, which has fallen from 4.55% to 17% in just a few months. However, we should not believe that the shortage is a thing of the past. Economic and demographic projections show that the situation will persist for a long time to come, and businesses and organizations will have many vacancies to fill in the future.

Indeed, we are still seeing a significant shortage of qualified talents in the face of the constant creation of new positions which remains problematic and remains unchanged for a good number of companies which have difficulty in developing effectively.

According to an article written in December 2019 by Ms. Anne-Marie Gravel, there are 19,400 positions to be filled in manufacturing companies.

For the period from 2019 to 2028, it is estimated that more than 1.4 million jobs will be filled in Quebec, according to a study carried out by the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Solidarity. This issue has an impact on the production and development capacities of companies.

Construction 

Already in short supply before the pandemic and having worsened in recent years due to an aging population, the sector will experience a boom triggered by the government's economic stimulus plan (the acceleration of 200 major construction projects). According to a study carried out by members of the CCQ (Commission de construction du Québec), economists predict that the industry will need 13,000 additional people per year until 2025. Trades such as electricians, technologists and civil engineers, pipefitters , bricklayer-mason, painters will be among the most requested.

Currently, the housing sector represents 7% of Quebec's GDP (source) and it is estimated that nearly 20,000 workers per year will be needed over the next 10 years, to meet the glaring needs.

The manufacturing sector

The manufacturing sector is facing a major labor shortage which is a brake on the expansion and modernization of several companies. We are seeing a mismatch between the positions to be filled and the available workforce

According to Statistics Canada (source), 95% of people were employed in October 2020 (source). According to an article published by MEQ (Quebec manufacturers and exporters) there are currently 19,000 vacant positions in the manufacturing sector.

According to a survey carried out by PERFORM, the sectorial committee for manpower in industrial metal fabrication, RTMQ and STIQ among SMEs in October 2020, this talent shortage represents three quarters of the companies surveyed. A significant figure since Quebec firms employ nearly 500,000 people and represent 14% of GDP as well as 89% of exports.

Essential to our economy, the manufacturing sector can make a real difference for the return to growth of the Quebec economy and it is therefore essential to review the requirements in the process of recruiting new talent. It is now important to focus on the internal development of your new employees as well as their potential for development such as the use of training, work-life balance measures, a pleasant work climate or even recognition of your employees The re-qualification of workers from other sectors of activity could also be a solution to consider.

Information technology

As technological advances develop faster and faster, companies need to integrate and own digital technologies within their internal structures. According to data from CTIC (Information and Communications Technology Council), by 2021, 84% of IT jobs will be in sectors unrelated to this area of expertise. The problem is therefore not on its own and the shortage is therefore proving to be a major challenge for Canadian employers. Demands will continue to grow and skills such as cybersecurity, business intelligence and cloud computing or even database management as well as website design / development will be in high demand by companies.

Canadian manufacturers

Again, the talent shortage that was entrenched before the pandemic still persists. It is noted that many manufacturers have experienced a simultaneous decline in demand and an increase in supply chain disruptions. The lack of skilled labor is always a challenge due to the gaps between the skills needed and those of the workers available in the market. Indeed, manufacturing processes are based on technical skills and know-how that are difficult to transfer to new products and processes.

In addition, the ability to share knowledge between people of different skill levels and experience becomes more difficult.

If you are an employer and have positions to fill that are causing you difficulties, do not hesitate to contact our Technogénie experts to see how we can help you in your recruitment process.