Information contained on this page is provided by companies via press release distributed through PR Newswire, an independent third-party content provider. PR Newswire, WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.
SOURCE C.D. Howe Institute
TORONTO, March 6, 2013 /CNW/ - While the Canadian labour market has
shown great resilience since the last recession and is nearly back to
normal, important weaknesses remain for youth and the long-term
unemployed, according to a report released today by the C.D. Howe
Institute. In "Still Standing in Line: Addressing a Mismatch of Skills
and Jobs in the Canadian Labour Market," author Philippe Bergevin
recommends broad policies to enhance labour mobility and emphasize
skills training to help ensure unemployed Canadians have the right
skill sets to integrate into the workforce.
"While unemployment rates, overall, are nearly back to the normal," says
Philippe Bergevin, "long-term and youth unemployment still stand at
obstinately high levels - despite a recent growth in job vacancies. The
best way to address that is by getting rid of barriers to job mobility
and emphasizing skills training."
The Canadian labour market suffered a severe blow during the last
recession, with more than 430,000 persons losing their jobs and the
unemployment rate reaching levels unseen since the latter half of the
1990s, notes the author. Subsequently, the labour market has shown
great resilience, and there are now 900,000 more Canadians employed
since the beginning of the recovery. Important weaknesses remain
however: unemployment rates remain high for younger workers and the
long-term unemployed.
While many commentators have focussed on an increase in precarious,
part-time jobs, Bergevin finds that while it is true that the
percentage of employees working part-time is high according to
historical standards, the proportion of those that are in this
situation for involuntary reasons is much lower and not far from levels
seen prior to the recession.
Bergevin calls for better education and skills training programs, as
well as looser entry restrictions into skilled trades, to help ensure
unemployed Canadians have the right skill sets to integrate into the
workforce. He also calls for improved data and information on Canada's
labour market that can help with the matching of people and jobs, and
for the removal of systemic obstacles that limit job mobility between
provinces.
For the report go to: http://www.cdhowe.org/still-standing-in-line-addressing-a-mismatch-of-skills-and-jobs-in-the-canadian-labour-market/20862
©2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.
