This survey covers the time period of January 1 – 31, 2012

Take it now, before it closes on Friday, February 10th

Asking only a couple minutes of your time, by completing this survey you will be helping Workforce WindsorEssex capture local information about hiring trends.

The results will be available online in a follow-up report, you can take a look at last month's results here.

Remains highest in Canada after 0.4 percentage increase

National Look

Employment was virtually unchanged in January, and the unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage points to 7.6% as more people searched for work. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment rose by 129,000 (+0.7%), with most of the growth occurring in the first six months of this period.

In January, employment in education increased by 23,000. At the same time, employment increased by 19,000 in information, culture and recreation.

Employment in "other services" rose by 14,000, bringing growth over the past 12 months to 5.5% (+42,000), one of the highest rates of all industries.

Employment in finance, insurance, real estate and leasing fell for the fifth consecutive month, down 23,000 in January. This left employment in the industry 50,000 (-4.6%) below its level of January 2011.

There were fewer people employed in January in professional, scientific and technical services, down 45,000. Despite this decline, employment in the industry remained 23,000 (+1.8%) above the level of 12 months earlier.

Employment in January edged up in manufacturing, bringing gains over the last two months to 36,000. Despite the recent increase, the number of factory workers was down 2.5% (-44,000) from the level of 12 months earlier.

Top 4 Regions in Canada with the Highest Unemployment Rate

For more information visit Canada Business Ontario or call 1-877-553-5507

Or click here to print this flyer

For immediate release
January 23, 2012

London, Ontario — Bev Shipley, Member of Parliament for Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, on behalf of the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced today an investment of up to $5 million that will allow manufacturing workers in southern Ontario to benefit from advanced skills training, thanks to a Government of Canada contribution to the Yves Landry Foundation.

"Our government is committed to supporting the growth and stability of the manufacturing sector by investing in one of its most vital resources: its people," said MP Shipley.

"This investment will provide the specialized skills training that workers need, which will help manufacturers improve productivity and tap into new markets at home and abroad."

The contribution through FedDev Ontario's Prosperity Initiative will allow the Yves LandryFoundation to expand its Achieving Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence (AIME) Global program to meet the needs of exporting and export-ready manufacturers in southern Ontario. The training offered by the Yves Landry Foundation is designed to upgrade the skills of people working for small and medium-sized manufacturing companies, and help manufacturers find creative and innovative solutions to improve their productivity and diversify their products.

This contribution is part of a larger investment by the Government of Canada to support manufacturing skills development across the province. Today, FedNor announced an investment of up to $2 million for the AIME North initiative that will be delivered by theYves Landry Foundation in northern Ontario.

"We are delighted to be working with the Government of Canada on this important partnership," said Gene Stodolak, Chair of the Yves Landry Foundation.  "Thanks to this support, we will continue to foster training and innovation opportunities within the manufacturing sector."

Backgrounder

Yves Landry Foundation – Achieving Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence (AIME) Global Program

Through the Prosperity Initiative, FedDev Ontario is providing the Yves LandryFoundation with up to $5 million to deliver its Achieving Innovation and Manufacturing Excellence (AIME) Global program. This program is designed to offer customized training to manufacturing workers, which will help manufacturers to be more innovative and competitive in the global marketplace.

This program will provide funding to southern Ontario manufacturers with an export focus that are looking to upgrade the skills of employees on the following:

• using new or more advanced software;

• implementing a new process; or

• investigating new materials or processes and how to use them in the workplace.

The AIME Global program contributes up to 50 percent of eligible project costs to a maximum of $50,000 per business.

Eligibility requirements and further details on the Yves Landry Foundation's AIME Global Program can be found on YvesLandryFoundation.com 

Prosperity Initiative

FedDev Ontario's Prosperity Initiative is designed to encourage businesses, not-for-profitorganizations and post-secondary institutions in southern Ontario to undertake projects that will result in a more productive, diversified and competitive economy.

Funding is available for projects that:

• enhance productivity by accelerating the adoption of new technologies, processes and skills that enhance the region's businesses and sectors;

• diversify the regional economy by increasing the number of new industries or opportunities with the potential to have long-term impacts on regional economic diversity; and

• build a competitive advantage in the region by creating or expanding economic clusters and enhancing their global competitiveness.

Applications for funding are being accepted and assessed on an ongoing basis. For more information, please refer to the Program Guidelines available on the FedDev Ontario website.

The results are in for our employer survey looking at the month of December 2011. 

We'd like to thank the 46 employers who participated.

Workforce WindsorEssex Monthly Local Employer Labour Survey captures information on what sectors are doing well and what occupations are in-demand or on a downturn. 

The five main questions asked to local employers include identifying their business sector, if they have increased or decreased staff, by how many and in what occupations. 

Based on survey responses, a Labour Market Facts Sheet has been developed to help human resource professionals and anyone in business looking to recruit or retain talent. 

**Names of businesses participating in the survey are kept confidential and individual responses are not shared.**

Highlights from December's survey:

Click here for December's Labour Market Facts Sheet

• Of the employers who participated, 59.1.% indicated their employment remained the same; of the other 40.9%, 5 reported a decrease, while 11 employers increased staff.

The next survey covering the month of January will be available starting Monday, February 6th and closing Friday, February 10th  

Are you an employer or business owner who wants to participate in this survey?

1. Inc. Magazine: The 5 Hardest Jobs to Fill in 2012 

By Keith Cline, Posted: Dec. 19, 2011 

"Hiring the best of the best is an absolute must if you are going to build a successful company.  You will need to be prepared to compete against big companies with deep pockets and other up-and-coming startups that also have blue chip investors and a game-changing idea.

So, what are the most competitive areas for talent these days?"

…Read More

2. The Windsor Star: Oil, gas sector supplier moving here, will hire 40

By Dave Hall, Posted: Dec. 22, 2011

“A manufacturing company benefiting from Alberta's booming oil and gas sector has picked Windsor as the best location to set up a new plant that will employ 40 people."

…Read More

3. The Windsor Star: Two great years forecast for automotive tooling industry – 2012 & '13 could be best years in a decade

By Chris Vander Doelen, Posted: Dec. 25, 2011

"Not only are the survivors of the machine, tool, die and mould making (MTDM) industries finishing 2011 in robust financial health, they promise to do even better in 2012 and 2013 – much better, in fact, observers and insiders say. "

 …Read More 

4.  The Windsor Star: Time to reform principals' roles, responsibilities 

By Joe Killoran and Brendan Sweeney, Posted: Dec. 26, 2011

"Today's principals, through no fault of their own, are often ill-equipped to meet the demands of an increasingly complex occupation, the demands of which leave little time to interact with pupils or staff. These may be among the reasons Ontario school boards face challenges in principal recruitment and retention – a persistent problem expected to worsen as the workforce ages."

 …Read More

5. The Windsor Star: Essex County Greenhouse boom has legs, town says

Remains highest in Canada after 0.3 percentage drop

National Look

Following two months of declines, employment rose slightly in December, up 18,000. The unemployment rate edged up to 7.5% as more people participated in the labour market. Over the past 12 months, employment growth totalled 1.2% (+199,000), with nearly all of the gains in the first half of the year.

In December, an increase of 43,000 in part-time work was partially offset by a decline of 26,000 in full-time employment. Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of part-time workers was little changed, while full-time employment was up 1.5% (+208,000). Over the same period, the total number of hours worked increased by 1.4%.

Among the provinces, employment increased in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island in December. In contrast, employment declined in Quebec, while there was little change in the other provinces.

Top 4 Regions in Canada with the Highest Unemployment Rate

About the WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC) - WEEDC is the lead economic development agency proudly representing Windsor-Essex, Ontario, Canada's fastest growing economy (Conference Board of Canada), one of the world's Top 7 most intelligent communities (Intelligent Community Forum) and fDi Magazine's #2 Large American City for Economic Potential in 2011. Acting as a catalyst and network developer WEEDC works to positively impact the region by providing services including business attraction, retention and expansion, small business and entrepreneurial development, and community development activities.