Contrary to popular belief, there’s not a “big rain cloud hanging over North Bay” when it comes to finding a job, according to the Labour Market Group.
Stacie Fiddler, executive director of the North Bay-based workforce planning board, released a six-month snapshot of job vacancies in the Nipissing and Parry Sound districts in late January.
The study began last July to get a better handle on what was occurring on the employment front in the Nipissing and Parry Sound districts.
Part of the impetus stemmed from social media complaints about the lack of opportunity in the region.
The study analyzed which sectors are hiring, what the occupations are, and listed the wages, salaries and terms of employment.
On average, about 390 vacancies were posted each month with some seasonal increases in August. Overall, there were 2,341 job vacancies posted between July and December.
An estimated 42 per cent offered sales and service positions, with 22 per cent in business, finance and administrative-based fields. Close to 80 per cent offered permanent positions.
During those six months, 78 per cent of the occupational vacancies were in sales and service; business, finance and administration; and for trades, transportation and equipment operators.
Most of the positions posted — 68 per cent — needed entry-level personnel, with only six per cent requiring five or more years of experience.
The average annual salary was $48,339 and the average hourly wage was $14.81, which Fiddler said is roughly on par with the rest of Ontario.
The key soft skills in demand are communication, problem-solving, and working well with others.
“Employers just want good quality people that will actually be motivated, interested, and willing to work,” said Fiddler.
“We’ve talked to employers from a variety of different industries, whether it’s highly skilled or not as skilled, and there tends to be apathy about working.”
There is a multitude of reasons why people are unemployed or underemployed, she said, the availability of transportation and child care being factors.
Today’s job seekers are looking for employment that better fits their lifestyle.
A disturbing trend, she finds, is a distinct lack of interpersonal skills among job applicants.
“People don’t know how to communicate because of social media, and it’s a huge problem,” said Fiddler.
“We’re working with service providers on workshops because people are used to living behind a screen.
“When they have to speak to someone in person, they don’t do how to do it. They have physical anxiety that will deter them from going to an interview or going into an office to hand in a resumé.”
