EHRC Announces New Labour Market Information Study for Canada’s Electricity Industry

Highlights industry’s pressing need for workforce planning and
development strategies

OTTAWA, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Electricity
Human Resources Canada (EHRC), today announced its upcoming National
Labour Market Information (LMI) study − Workforce in Motion 2017-2022.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives
Program, the new LMI study is an update to EHRC’s 2011 “Power
in Motion” report, which accurately predicted a skilled labour
shortage, and provided electricity companies with concrete, actionable
steps to alleviate the situation.

“The new LMI report will provide both employers and educators within the
electricity industry with the most up-to-date information and
statistics, to address the labour-supply-demand gap,” said EHRC’s CEO,
Michelle Branigan. “At the same time, the data will facilitate more
effective workforce planning, regulatory filing and organizational
planning – particularly as it relates to identifying training
requirements to mitigate business risk related to human resource
management. Lastly, the report will provide government stakeholders with
validated data to assist in the development of policy at the municipal,
provincial and federal level.”

Several industry specific factors will result in rapidly-changing
labour-force requirements over the next 5 years: 1) Expected accelerated
growth in renewable energy key sub-sectors 2) Transformation from
“Legacy Systems” to the “Next Generation” of infrastructure that will
expand, replace and refurbish most of Canada’s electricity
infrastructure by 2030; 3) Continued high retirement rates of baby
boomers, and 4) Heightened focus on carbon reduction and energy
efficiency initiatives.

“Our government is helping build the innovative, skilled and qualified
workforce that Canada needs to progress and prosper. The funding for
this project will help the electricity industry address its skills
requirements and prepare for the workforce of the future.” – The
Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development
and Labour.

It is anticipated that this LMI project will generate and provide the
following outcomes:

• Statistically rigorous current labour supply and demand information
  for the industry suitable for use in a regulatory environment
• Essential planning information to industry stakeholders, including
  employers, labour, education and regulators, that adheres to current
  industry standards in a North American and global context
• Occupational forecast data that provides career seekers, career
  development providers, educational institutions and training providers
  with jurisdiction specific information to support and inform decision
  making
• Increased use of workforce planning methods by industry members
• Jurisdiction specific information that identifies critical occupations
  impacted by policy change and/or technology growth

Stakeholders from industry, education, government, labour and licensing
bodies will provide input into this project through a National Advisory
Committee. They include: Electricity Distributors Association
(EDA)/Burlington Hydro, Ontario Power Generation, Cameco (Canadian
Nuclear Association), National Electrical Trade Council (NETCO), College
of New Caledonia, BC Hydro, Natural Resources Canada, Power Workers’
Union, Engineer's Canada, Canadian Council of Technicians and
Technologists (CCTT), NB Power, and Carleton University.

In tandem EHRC is working with stakeholders in Alberta to examine the
impact of a rapidly changing landscape, including the increased focus on
renewables and the impact this will have on employment in the sector.
They include: Alberta Independent Electricity System Operator (AESO),
AltaLink, Capital Power Corporation, Government of Alberta, IBEW Local
Union 254, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), TransAlta,
University of Calgary, ENMAX Corporation, Canadian Wind Energy
Association (CanWEA), and Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA).

About Electricity Human Resources Canada
Electricity Human
Resources Canada (EHRC) is Canada’s most trusted source of objective
human resources information and tools to help the Canadian electricity
industry match workforce supply and demand. EHRC is a not-for-profit
organization helping to keep the lights on in Canada by enabling a
world-class workforce for the entire electricity industry. EHRC helps to
build a better workforce by strengthening the ability of the Canadian
electricity industry to meet current and future needs for a highly
skilled, safety-focused, diverse and productive workforce. For more
information, visit www.ElectricityHR.ca.

Contacts

Michelle Branigan, CEO
Electricity Human Resources Canada
(613)
235-5540; ext. 235
[email protected]
or
Media
Relations:
David Finkelstein
The DFI Group
(416)
300-4150
[email protected]