EHRC Unveils Labour Market Intelligence for Alberta’s Energy Sector – Workforce Transitions Report

Highlights how energy transitions underway will affect Alberta’s
electricity workforce

CALGARY, Alberta–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Electricity
Human Resources Canada (EHRC), released its Labour Market
Intelligence for Alberta’s Energy Sector – Workforce Transitions
report earlier this week amongst a key group of employers, labour and
educators at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. The Report
is the result of a study, undertaken by EHRC and funded by the
Government of Alberta, that examined the labour market needs of the
province’s electricity sector including hiring projections, the
increased focus on renewable integration and how innovation in
technology will impact the skills of the future workforce.

“The accelerated pace of change of our province including advancements
in technology and the integration of renewables on the grid will have a
huge impact on our workforce. We need to anticipate what skills
employers need so that they can be competitive in a diversifying
economy. We know this pace of change will not be slowing down anytime
soon. So we want to ensure that businesses, governments, communities and
Albertans have the best and up-to-date information to make the right
decisions on their future. Without a doubt this research on the future
of electricity will help ensure our province has the most skilled,
adaptable and innovative workforce possible,” said Christina Gray,
Minister of Labour & Responsible for Democratic Renewal.

The report covers the next five years of transition and change for more
than 23 key occupations in Alberta’s electricity sector. It provides new
evidence about demographics, major investments and changes in labour
markets, training programs and human resource management practices. It
also serves as a call to action, supporting sector human resource
management planning while providing new information on best practices
for transitioning workforces and insights into Alberta’s growing
renewable energy sector.

In light of the evidence presented in the report, key recommendations to
support Alberta’s changing electricity workforce include the need for:

• Regularly updated labour market and career information to reflect the
  changing structure of the sector and future job opportunities.
• United Action to support education and training by understanding and
  defining emerging occupations and to prepare appropriate training or
  retraining pathways.
• Future-ready regulations and standards for renewable energy
  occupations — based on an understanding of how the requisite skills
  will be practically applied in the workplace —to facilitate the
  evolution of Alberta's electricity sector workforce.
• Retirement and pension-bridging programs to both help workers
  transition as a result of the coal phase-out and ensure replacement
  workers possess the right skills and experience to manage the loss of
  older workers.
• More formal diversity hiring strategies, particularly for women,
  Indigenous peoples, and visible minorities given future skill gaps and
  that workforce needs may be filled by hiring from non-traditional
  labour pools.
• Greater apprenticeship programming that incentivize employers to hire
  first-year apprentices to support the transition of new workers into
  the emerging renewable sector.

How the industry navigates the above-noted transitions will be driven by
the extent to which united action is exercised in embracing
opportunities through the implementation of key recommendations proposed.

To download your own copy of the executive summary or the full report
please visit EHRC’s reports and resources’ page: http://electricityhr.ca/reports-and-resources/

Acknowledgements

A project such as this requires the help and participation of numerous
individuals and organizations. EHRC would like to express our sincere
gratitude and appreciation to the following organizations who
participated on the Alberta LMI Steering Committee: the Alberta Electric
System Operator, AltaLink Management Ltd., Capital Power Corporation,
IBEW Local Union 254, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology,
TransAlta Corporation, Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta,
University of Calgary, ENMAX Corporation, Canadian Wind Energy
Association, and Canadian Solar Industries Association.

Labour Market Development Agreement

The Province of Alberta is working in partnership with the Government of
Canada to provide employment support programs and services.

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

Electricity Human Resources Canada
Michelle Branigan, CEO
(613)
235-5540; ext. 235
[email protected]
or
Electricity
Human Resources Canada
Marie Mould, Manager of Communications
613-850-1340
[email protected]