represents roughly 433,000 private sector unfilled openings, about 1,500
more than in Q2 2019 and 15,000 more than a year ago.
Quebec at 4.0 per cent and British Columbia at 3.8 per cent remain
Canada’s tightest labour markets, with Ontario remaining at the national
average of 3.2 per cent. Newfoundland and Labrador at 2.3 per cent
showed the biggest vacancy rate increase with a 0.2 per cent gain. Manitoba
(2.6 per cent), Saskatchewan (2.3 per cent) and Alberta (2.2 per cent) all
experienced slight increases.
What is Rennehan’s answer as to why the private sector suffers with job
vacancies? Hoarding.
“When talent collides and it doesn’t compete, the most amazing thing
happens,” she said. “There’s enough business for everybody. But in this
industry, we don’t talk and we don’t market to each other. That’s when
people become more channelled in what they’re doing and then they
become frustrated.”
She’s working to remedy this problem.
“We don’t have a national resource,” she said. “Whether you’re in the
bowels of Newfoundland or in a northern Indigenous community, we want
to create a national resource that no matter where you are and if you want
to become a part of the skilled trades, we’re able to have something that you
can go to that says these are the programs, how long they are, the types of
funding that are available to you.
“Right now, we’re operating in these separate silos and we’re not getting
what we need to get done. We’re not sharing our resources, which, next to
natural resources, are key.”
She makes a valid point when it comes to society’s need for blue collar
workers.
“What would your life be like every day without the function of blue collar?”
would not have water. You would not have a car. You would not have public
transit. You would not have food to eat.
“It’s time we stop thinking of blue-collar jobs and skilled trades as
second class. A healthy economy depends on a thriving blue-collar
labour force.”
• INDUSTRIAL LAND DEVELOPMENT
• MINING DEVELOPMENT & EXPANSION
• TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
• UNDERGROUND SERVICES
• WATER CONTROL WORKS
BUILDING TODAY FOR TOMORROW
she asked. “You would not have clothes. You would not have soap. You
KELLY PANTELUK CONSTRUCTION LTD.
T: 306-634-2166 F: 306-634-7822 W: www.kpcldirtmovers.com
FEATURE
“There’s enough business
for everybody. But in this
industry, we don’t talk and
we don’t market to each
other. That’s when people
become more channelled in
what they’re doing and then
they become frustrated.”
– Mandy Rennehan,
The Blue Collar CEO
thinkbigmagazine.ca | Quarter 1 2020 | Think BIG 21
/www.kpcldirtmovers.com
/thinkbigmagazine.ca
