Matching skills to jobs and talent with growth opportunities

Medicine Hat – Employers continue to find it challenging to recruit the talent they need to grow and succeed. And job seekers are struggling to find job opportunities. To understand the mismatch between skills and job demand, Medicine Hat Economic Development, in collaboration with the Medicine Hat Local Immigration Partnership and Saamis Immigration, with support from the Government of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade, embarked on a project to understand the current labour market conditions in our city and region.

Access to current regional and local Labour Market data and trend analysis helps estimate future skill shortages for local and regional employers and supports critical decision-making within our region. Beyond statistical data, first-hand descriptions of experiences within the labour market are crucial to understanding local labour market conditions.

To understand the current experience of employers in Medicine Hat and Southeast Alberta, the Local Labour Market Profiles Project (LLMP) conducted an employer survey in addition to a review of secondary source data. The employer survey provided specific examples and insights about the needs of our region's employers and workforce.

“28 percent of employers reported vacant positions that they are actively recruiting for. The region's healthcare, retail trade, and construction sectors are anticipated to lead employment growth," said Alex Wright, Medicine Hat Economic Development Officer.

Medicine Hat Economic Development hosted a facilitated conversation with economic developers and employment service providers working across Southeast Alberta during the recent Economic Growth Forum, one of Southeast Alberta's most significant economic development events—findings and insights from the reports were discussed and facilitated small group conversations generated potential activities to support employers and the workforce in our region.

 

“The Local Labour Market Profiles for Medicine Hat and Southeast Alberta provide relevant and current data and insights into how we can best support employers and job seekers now and in the future," adds Wright.

View the Local Labour Market Profiles Project (LLMP) and read the reports: https://www.medicinehat.ca/en/mhed-llmp.aspx.

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