Workforce Planning Boards across the North are teaming up with the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) on a pan-northern research project to forecast the current and future needs of the mining industry.
The project is designed to provide mining-specific data on where gaps exist in the workforce. The result of the research will be a “customized regional mining labour market forecast for 66 mining and mining-related occupations,” according to a news release.
Factors cited as contributing to the gap include retiring baby boomers, a difficulty in attracting and engaging younger workers, and an under-representation of Aboriginal people, women and new Canadians in highly skilled professions and the skilled trades.
Participating Workforce Planning Boards include the Far Northeast Training Board, the Northwest Training and Adjustment Board, the Labour Market Partner Group, Workforce Planning for Sudbury & Manitoulin, the Algoma Workforce Investment Committee (AWIC) and the North Superior Workforce Planning Board.
“It is no secret that the mining industry is booming across Northern Ontario and in Algoma,” Dan Friya, chair of AWIC’s board of directors, said in the release. “This research is critical so that we can have a better understanding of the current and future labour market needs of the industry and address them with as much homegrown talent as possible.”
Research will be conducted through the fall and a final report will be compiled at year’s end.
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