Energy Plan - Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

Professional and Skilled Workers
Our vision is to build a self-reliant, prosperous province where everyone contributes
and benefits from our economic development. As a province, we benefit from varied
experiences, backgrounds and opinions contributing to that prosperity. We also
have a skilled work force with strong union leadership that has worked cooperatively
with project developers to successfully complete multi-billion dollar projects right
here at home. As new projects are developed, the energy sector will continue to
provide the people of the province with many economic opportunities.
Energy developments provide the Provincial Government with the opportunity
to improve the economic future of the people of this province. Our ability to
develop energy projects is currently challenged by shifting demographics and
other factors. For example, we face population decline, an aging workforce,
limited immigration, decreasing numbers of youth pursuing skilled occupations
and increasing competition from outside the province for labour. We have
demonstrated that we can mobilize the necessary skilled and professional
work force to complete major projects in the province. We are confident we can
access the necessary human resources to successfully complete future major
projects in the energy sector.
The Provincial Government has already undertaken a number of initiatives
to ensure we have the skilled and professional workers we need. We have
developed strategies to support human resource development and we are
focused on strengthening the province’s post-secondary education system. We
have created a Skills Task Force and we developed a Poverty Reduction Strategy
to help address barriers that limit the participation of underrepresented groups
in the labour market. We have created a Division of Labour Market Development
and Client Services to assist people looking for employment. We are working
closely with our skilled trade unions and leaders to attract and retain skilled
workers. Finally, we released an Immigration Strategy in March 2007 that will
encourage more skilled professionals to immigrate and stay in Newfoundland
and Labrador.
The Skills Task Force report, released in May 2007, provides a complete analysis
of our workforce and the means to address labour challenges. Recommendations
from this report focus on addressing skills gaps, improving education opportunities,
embracing and encouraging workforce diversity and identifying potential workers
outside the province.
POLICY
ACTIONS
Professional and Skilled
Workers
The Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador will:
• Support and implement the
recommendations of the
Skills Task Force.
• Work closely with our skilled
trade unions and leaders
to attract and retain skilled
workers.
• Continue to update the
labour demand and supply
analysis of the Skills Task
Force for current and future
energy projects.
• Encourage secondary and
post-secondary students
to participate in our energy
sector by promoting existing
programs.
• Promote opportunities in
our energy sector to skilled
workers outside the province.
(continued)
While each of these initiatives helps to address current and future human
resource requirements in the energy sector, other targeted human resource
development strategies are still required. We must ensure we have all the skills
necessary to support our future growth so more people can fully participate
in resource development. Specifically, we need to develop a strong, educated
labour force and increase the number of available workers in the province.
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