To view the What Works: Utilizing Labour Market Information webinar script in French use the google translate feature in the top right corner of your web browser and select French.

What Works: Utilizing Labour Market Information 

SLIDE 1 & 2:

Hello and welcome to the “What Works” webinar series, hosted by Workforce WindsorEssex.

This episode is called, “What Works: Utilizing Labour Market Information,” and will focus on informing government agencies how to find and use certain labour market research, or LMI resources. We understand that being aware of specific labour market information and knowing how to use it is important for government agencies so that they are able to do their jobs to the fullest potential.

My name is Corey Shenken, and I will be the host of your webinar today.

Through my time today, I hope to talk about:

  • Our local population;
  • Local promising sectors and industry trends; and
  • Other projects, tools, and resources available from Workforce WindsorEssex.

We have a lot of information to cover in a short amount of time, so we will try to keep this webinar moving at a good pace. . That said, if you have questions at any time please feel free to use the question/discussion box on the right hand side of your screen. We will pause the webinar in order to answer your questions as we go along. If your question will be answered as part of our webinar material then we will hold off answering it until we reach that part of the webinar. You’ll notice that there are handouts that we have provided as well- these are copies of some of our resources that may be of value to you.

If you are aware of any other peers in your field who would benefit from this webinar then be sure to tell them we will be posting a recording of the webinar on our website, so it will be available for viewing at a later date.

Without further ado, let’s start today’s session.

SLIDE 3:

Some of the audience today might not be aware of exactly what we do at Workforce WindsorEssex.

Workforce WindsorEssex serves the Windsor-Essex region as the Local Employment Planning Council.

At Workforce WindsorEssex, our mandate is to plan, facilitate, and advocate for regional development, defined as the development, retention, and recruitment of a wide range of skilled workers to meet the current and future economic and social development needs of Windsor-Essex.

 

SLIDE 4:

A large part of what we look at is local labour market information, or LMI for short. This information is very important for the career process. However, what exactly is LMI?

LMI is information about the jobs in any location – in our case, Windsor-Essex.

LMI includes information about:

  • Jobs that are available in certain locations and/or sectors;
  • Salaries and/or wages tied to jobs;
  • Employers that are hiring and/or laying off;
  • Working conditions;
  • What employers are looking for (for example, certain skillsets in employees);
  • Job areas that will likely grow or shrink;
  • Unemployment rates;
  • The education and/or training needed for certain jobs or sectors; and
  • Information about the people who are working in a location or sector

SHOW LMI PAGE: https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/local-lmi/

This webpage contains a hub for local LMI. So, for example, if you wanted to know the levels of educational attainment in our region, just click on the corresponding link, and you will be shown statistics. Most of our statistics on this page come from Statistics Canada and this hub is a great way to easily access visually appealing labour market information.

SLIDE 5:

We’re going to continue today’s webinar with a brief overview of information about our region that may be of interest to you. Firstly, let’s take a look at our population. From 2011 to 2016, the population of Windsor-Essex has changed in size as well as age distribution.

 

The population of Windsor-Essex had a 2.6% change in population, which is an increase of 10,171 people. Windsor-Essex also has an aging population. Age groups over the age of 55 saw the greatest percentage increases in their groups between 2011 and 2016, with ages 65-74 experiencing the largest increase of 26.3%. This is likely due to an influx of retirees from outside the area. The prime working age population of 25-54 saw an average decrease in population by 3%.[1],[2]

SLIDE 6:

We can also take a look at our region’s educational attainment. Overall, the population of Windsor-Essex has a range of educational attainment.

40% of those in Windsor-Essex aged 25 to 64 have a secondary school diploma or less, while 7% have an apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma, and 52% have a college or university-level education. Windsor-Essex has a lower level of educational attainment than the Ontario average. There can be a negative effect of 40% of the working aged population having only a high school diploma or less as employers may find it harder to fill skilled positions, and this population may find it difficult to find stable, fairly paid employment.[3]

SLIDE 7:

1 in 4 people in Windsor-Essex is an immigrant, which refers to a person who is, or has ever been, a landed immigrant or a permanent resident. A total of 85,810 people in Windsor-Essex are immigrants. Of these immigrants, 10,800 are newcomers who settled in Windsor-Essex between 2011 and 2016. A newcomer is an immigrant who has been here for five years or less.[4] Considering the population in Windsor-Essex increased by 10,171 people between 2011 and 2016, Windsor-Essex might have otherwise had a decrease in population without the arrival of newcomers.

Immigrants are well-educated, with 70% possessing a minimum of a high school diploma, and 47% possessing a post-secondary education.[5]

The majority of those who migrate into Windsor-Essex are from outside of Canada.

 

SLIDE 8:

Oftentimes we are approached with inquiries related to in-demand jobs.  We are asked questions, such as: What are the promising sectors? What industries are currently hiring?

Our current local promising sectors include:

  • Construction
  • Professional, Scientific and Technical services
  • Health Care and Social Assistance
  • Manufacturing
  • Repair and Maintenance
  • Education

Let’s go through a few highlights for each of those sectors:

SLIDE 9:

The first sector we will be looking at will be Construction

As you may know, we have a few large construction projects coming our way, including the Gordie Howe International Bridge and the mega hospital. There will be specific roles required for the actual bridge building, such as iron workers and heavy equipment operators, but there are numerous additional roles that will be required for other bridge related projects, such as carpenters for building toll booths, etc.

There are currently 7,977 jobs in Windsor-Essex in the construction sector

Top 5 occupations expecting growth:

Construction Trades Labourers

Heavy Equipment Operators

Electricians

Carpenters

Iron Workers

SLIDE 10:

The second sector we will be reviewing today will be Professional, Scientific and Technical services

Tech can involve anything from mobile app development to software development to social media or graphic design. It is an ever changing sector, with new jobs such as a social media writer, popping up all the time. We have a number of larger and smaller firms involved in tech in our region, and many community members are employed across the border in this sector.

Jobs: 4,128 in Windsor-Essex

Top 5 occupations expecting growth:

Mechanical Engineers

Information Systems Analysts

Biological Engineers

Paralegals

Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers

SLIDE 11:

The next sector we will cover is Health Care and Social Assistance

This sector is currently experiencing what is known as a Silver tsunami as we witness an increased number of retirements in certain occupations as well as increased demand for health care services.

Jobs: 20,353 in Windsor-Essex

Top 5 occupations expecting growth:

Registered Nurses

Nurse Aides, Orderlies and Patient Service Associates

Food Counter Attendants and Kitchen Helpers

Social and Community Service Workers

Nursing Coordinators and Supervisors

SLIDE 12:

Manufacturing

Individuals often feel as though Manufacturing is dark, dirty and dangerous- and they really don’t want to go there. However, this is not the case whatsoever. Many jobs in manufacturing involve the use of a computer to guide machines automatically. Manufacturing is the largest sector in Windsor-Essex, and offers the most current jobs. This sector is extremely important to the region for its economic imperative.

Jobs: 30,685 in Windsor-Essex

Top 5 occupations expecting growth :

Labourers in Metal Fabrication

Machining Tool Operators

Industrial Engineering and Manufacturing Technologists and Technicians

Plastic Products Assemblers, Finishers and Inspectors

Metal Products Machine Operators

SLIDE 13:

Another sector is Repair and Maintenance

We live in a car driven area, so there will always be a need for repairs, particularly there is a high demand for truck repair. Truck repair should remain to be in-demand with the high volume of trucking conducted in our region, with expected numbers of trucks on the road to increase in the near future. Specialized cleaner is another job path to consider: think about the inside of your car or a truck/trailer and the materials that are being carried (hazardous materials, food, seeds, etc.). The trailers need to be cleaned before carrying anything new.

Jobs: 2,014 in Windsor-Essex

Top 5 occupations expecting growth :

Welders and Related Machine Operators

Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics and Mechanical Repairers

Specialized Cleaners

Labourers in Metal Fabrication

Contractors and Supervisors of Mechanic Trades

SLIDE 14:

The final sector we will review today will be education

Retirements in this sector, and an increase in our population due to immigration is driving up enrollment in schools. French speaking also continues to be a demand in this sector. There are many roles to consider when looking at Education.

Jobs: 14,062 in Windsor-Essex

Top 5 occupations expecting growth :

Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants

Post-Secondary Teaching and Research Assistants

Secondary and Elementary School Teachers and Educational Counsellors

Janitors, Care Takers and Building Superintendents

Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers

SLIDE 15:

Some information that also may prove helpful to government agencies is the characteristics of the labour force in Windsor-Essex.

Overall, the labour force was healthy in 2016, with the unemployment rate in the region at 7.3%. However, the majority of unemployment is located disproportionately in the city of Windsor and the Township of Pelee. Windsor’s unemployment rate is more concerning as more employment opportunities are available. It is important that work continues to be done with those in Windsor who face barriers to employment to ensure they are able to access employment opportunities.

The labour force in our region saw a significant improvement from 2011 to 2016 as employment grew and unemployment dropped. The only concern was the increase in those “not in the labour force”, meaning those who are not working or actively looking for work, which increased by 3,090 people and had a negative effect on the region’s overall participation rate.

A challenge that Windsor-Essex faces due to its labour force characteristics is one of the lowest participation rates in all of Canada. A low participation rate hinders the ability of employers to find employees, as the available workforce is smaller than it could be.

An opportunity that can be taken advantage of with Windsor-Essex’s current labour force landscape is to encourage populations who are not in the labour force to enter the labour force. There are a number of actions that can be taken to do this, including more affordable and conveniently located childcare, increased micro-employment opportunities, fair wages for low-skilled positions, and investments in public transportation to ensure job opportunities can be accessed by all.

From consultations with employers in our region, we found that 78% of those consulted faced challenges in recruiting. Much of this is due to a lack of qualified candidates (which has direct ties to the region’s low participation rate).

SLIDE 16:

A helpful resource that Workforce WindsorEssex provides is our Quarterly Survey results.

Workforce WindsorEssex asks employers to complete surveys each quarter (or every 3 months) to help improve the access to and quality of the region’s labour market information. We look at the demand side of our workforce through surveying local employers to understand in-demand occupations, hard-to-fill positions, and skills to fill these jobs. Following the conclusion of each survey, a bulletin with the findings is released to the public and is available on the Workforce WindsorEssex website. All data collected in these surveys remains confidential and is only reported on the aggregate.

*BRING UP QUARTERLY SURVEYS PAGE:* https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/quarterly-survey/

An example of helpful data that can be withdrawn from our quarterly surveys are which jobs are in-demand and which jobs are hard-to-fill. A position that is in-demand is on that employers are currently hiring many workers for. A position that is hard-to-fill is on that employers are having difficulty filling, which can be due to a multitude of reasons, such as a lack of qualified candidates.

Our latest quarterly survey identified the following as some of the top hard-to-fill positions in WindsorEssex:

  • Business Analyst
  • CNC Machinist
  • Cook
  • Electrical Engineer
  • Full-Stack Developer
  • Mold Maker
  • Project Manager
  • Truck Driver

SLIDE 17:

The data we collect from our quarterly survey is just some of the important labour force information that we disseminate into the community.

Some other helpful info we gather comes from tools we use inside the office, such as the program Talent Neuron. TalentNeuron is actually one of the many research tools we use at Workforce WindsorEssex to conduct our research. Its primary function is to allow viewers to see job demand reports for specific jobs in specific regions. An example of the information you can find on TalentNeuron is the top skills employers are hiring for in a region by tracking online job postings related to the job. For example, in 2017, there were 14,872 online job postings in the region from almost 5,000 unique employers.

The top 5 technical skills employers were looking for were as follows:

  • Blueprint reading
  • Freight+ software
  • Forklift operation
  • Bilingualism
  • Preventative maintenance

The top 5 soft skills according employers were looking for are as follows:

  • Detail oriented
  • Oral and written communication
  • Team player
  • Customer service oriented
  • Dependability

These data inquiries allows us at Workforce WindsorEssex to identify certain challenges and opportunities in the community. For example, through a multitude of research conducted with these tools we identified that there are not enough candidates to fill positions and businesses may not be operating at full capacity as positions go unfilled, or are filled by individuals who are not fully qualified for the given position.

Of course, we attempt to come up with solutions for each of the challenges we identify. For example, to address the issue above, our community could find ways to educate or train the unemployed and youth about in-demand positions, and connect them to services to find these jobs.

You may now be wondering, how can I have access to this type of data? Did you know you can make a data request to Workforce WindsorEssex to request information such as the data we find on tools like TalentNeuron.

*BRING UP DATA REQUEST OPTION ON WEBSITE*

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/data-request/

You can visit this webpage, and fill out all the sections that you would like to receive data for. We are pretty good with our response rate to data requests, depending on the size of the request, and will usually provide a response to you within 24 hours.

SLIDE 18:

At Workforce WindsorEssex, we believe that Labour Market Information and other forms are data are very valuable and should be shared with community partners as often as possible to build a stronger workforce and working relations within the community.

The next section of our webinar will be dedicated to the numerous resources and tools available from Workforce WindsorEssex that can be used in a multitude of ways to create a stronger and more well-informed workforce in Windsor-Essex.

The first is our Guide to Recruitment and Retention for Small Business in Windsor-Essex

The guide was developed to help small businesses consider different approaches for recruiting and retaining talent, including topics like interviewing, onboarding, offering perks, investing in employees, and others.

This guide can be found at:

*BRING UP LINK TO SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE*

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/supporting-small-business-in-windsor-essex/

As an employer, you can use the guide to help you with recruitment and retention of talent for your small business, considering local best practices and labour market information as you implement strategies found in the guide.

SLIDE 19:

Another resource we have available for the community is our Cross-Border Employment in the Windsor-Essex & South-eastern Michigan Corridor report.

With our close proximity to the U.S., there are thousands of Windsor-Essex resident who cross the border daily for work and education. This phenomenon makes the commuter flows in Windsor-Essex unique. This project aimed to gather information on this segment of our workforce mobility across the border. It also highlighted unique cross-border partnerships in workforce development.

*BRING UP LINK TO REPORT*

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/cross-border-employment/

Read the report to learn more about the cross-border workforce and opportunities for cross-border collaboration.

SLIDE 20:

In relation to the movement of commuters across the border, Workforce WindsorEssex just released a project, NAFTA Recommendations from Windsor-Essex.

As WECanada prepared for official consultations, we began talking to business and commuters about what works and what could be improved with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The results of surveys with community partners are available on our website. In addition, we released a final report that outlines the project, highlights the survey results, and shares thematic recommendations with Government.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/nafta-recommendations-from-windsor-essex/

Read the report to learn more about the implications of the NAFTA renegotiation and the potential impact on the cross-border workforce.
_______________________________________________________________________

SLIDE 21:

An upcoming project that we will be releasing this Spring, is called, Newcomers: Your Skilled Workforce.

We released a profile of local newcomer skillsets, highlighting their work experiences and education, demonstrating an available workforce. Over 300 newcomers have been surveyed with the help of local service providers, identifying their skills and past work experiences. Best practices stories, suggestions for diversifying workforces, and an overview of the business case for a diverse workforce will also be highlighted in the profile.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/newcomers-your-skilled-workforce/

Employment service providers can use the profile and skillsets to increase their ability to work with newcomers and to better match newcomers with available employment opportunities.

Employers can use this resource to recognize the skills of an available workforce and connect with employment service providers to find newcomers to meet their workforce needs.

SLIDE 23:

Another project or resource we have available that is related to the skillset of workers is our Skills Matrix.

Workforce WindsorEssex produced an inventory of the types of skills and skill levels required for in-demand occupations. This information was collected directly from employers, job postings, and employment and training services. This inventory also provides a common definition for each skill type such as foundational skills, soft skills, technical skills, and literacy skills.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/skills-matrix/

An an employment service provider, review the occupations and skills with your audience to encourage them to consider in-demand occupations.

SLIDE 24:

Speaking of skills needed for in-demand jobs, we also have projects dedicated to these in-demand jobs.

For example, we have our Help Bridge Your City: Occupations for the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

With the construction of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, there are significant opportunities for employment as this histroci project will require a skilled workforce on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. Workforce WindsorEssex conducted research to identify what training could be implemented locally to ensure we have the workforce required to fill these key positions.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/help-bridge-your-city/

As an employment service provider, review the occupations with your audience to encourage them to consider occupations in construction.

SLIDE 25:

Another project relating to in-demand jobs is called In-Demand Jobs and Career Profiles

We have developed a list of in-demand occupations with accompanying career profiles for each. These profiles detail the duties, wages, skills, working conditions, and career pathways associated with a given occupation.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/top-jobs/

Associated with our in-demand jobs, we have a career profile for each job on the list.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/workforce-profiles/

As an employment service provider, review the occupations with your audience and encourage them to consider in-demand career opportunities.

We also just created and released an extremely helpful tool called WEexplore.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/weexplore/

*Give brief rundown of tool*

SLIDE 26:

Supporting job seekers with resources to make their job search easier is something we are mandated to do at Workforce WindsorEssex.

A resource we have available that addresses this is Your Job Search: Overcoming Barriers for Job Seekers.

This resource assists jobseekers in their journey to find a job, providing local resources and tips for finding employment, particularyly for newcomers, recent graduates, persons on Ontario Works, and persons who are underemployed. It also includes job fair guides for jobseekers and employers.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/your-job-search-overcoming-barriers-for-job-seekers/

As an employment service provider, share the resource with your clients to assist them in their job search.

Use this guide to help you connect with employment services and develop strategies as a jobseeker.

SLIDE 27:

We also have a couple more upcoming projects in the works.

The first of these is our Decoding the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Workforce.

This project aims to increase development, attraction, and retention of ICT talent in Windsor-Essex through 3 different initiatives. First, Workforce WindsorEssex hosted an ICT Leadership Table each quarter for employers, educators, students, workers, and community partners in ICT to meet and discuss local ICT issues and develop actions to address these issues.

Second, we have worked with local ICT companies to develop 6 profile videos to showcase ICT opportunities in Windsor-Essex.

Third, we have surveyed students, workers, employers, and educators to gain their perspective on ICT in Windsor-Essex and have used these results along with existing data to write a report on the state of ICT in Windsor-Essex as well as a bulletin with recommendations to create an ICT “brain gain” in Windsor-Essex.

You can learn more about tech and ICT in Windsor at:

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/tech-sector/

Walk-thru web page quickly.

SLIDE 28:

Another one of our upcoming projects is Examining the Participation Rate.

Windsor-Essex has one of the lowest participation rates in Canada, meaning a large portion of the population is not looking for work. We have developed a video report on the low participation rate, examining the factors behind the low rate and what we can do about it.

https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/examining-the-participation-rate/

Walk-thru web page quickly.

SLIDE 29:

The majority of the resources we just went through are created by the Local Employment Planning Council.

In December 2015, Workforce WindsorEssex was informed by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities that it was selected to the local employment planning council (LEPC) for the Windsor-Essex Area as part of a pilot project.

The objective of the LEPC pilot is “aimed at improving conditions in the local communities through improved collection and dissemination of local labour market information, and community engagement to drive local approaches in the planning and delivery of employment and training services.

Some of the LEPC activities include:

  • Community Partnership
  • Service Coordination for Employers
  • Integrated Local Planning
  • Research and Innovation
  • Analysis and Dissemination of Local Labour Market Information
  • Sharing Best Practices

The activities of the LEPC are governed by a Central Planning Table that is comprised of a variety of community partners in Windsor-Essex from different sectors. In addition, there are three working groups: Employer Engagement, Service Provision, and Intergovernmental Partnerships. Within this structure we are engaging all of our existing partners and exploring and forming new partnerships.

This project is funded by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.

SLIDE 30:

Another project run out of our office is our WEskills department.

As part of this project, Workforce WindsorEssex provides the following programs and services to the community:

  • WEskills database
    • This is comprised of local resumes that the City of Windsor can use to help businesses find potential candidates for hire. The WEskills office also connects jobseekers and employers to local service providers and programs and engages the community with booths and workshops at local events
  • WEjobs
    • This is a service supported through WEskills that distributes new job postings and information about upcoming job fairs and training opportunities to the public in the form of email blasts, several times each week.
    • You can actually sign up for wejobs at:
    • https://www.workforcewindsoressex.com/wejobs/

WEskills also identifies, collects, and shares:

  • News articles relating to business growth and expansion
  • New apprenticeship job postings
  • Job postings that require French-speaking candidates

SLIDE 31:

Last but not least, we have the Windsor-Essex Local Immigration Partnership.

WELIP is an initiative of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to encourage communities across Ontario to develop a comprehensive plan for the delivery of newcomer services. In November 2008, the City of Windsor was given the lead for the Windsor-Essex Local Immigration Partnership (WE LIP) initiative by the IRCC.

The WELIP initiative represents a process to examine the whole system of services currently available and considers how the system could be enhanced to facilitate access to service and to promote the long-term settlement and integration of immigrant newcomers into Windsor and Essex County.

The WELIP engages community partners through information sharing, events, and a locally-driven strategic planning process to help make Windsor-Essex a more welcoming and inclusive community. The partnership strives to assist non-settlement service providers and the community in developing a greater understanding of newcomer needs and services.

SLIDE 32:

We know that we’ve just shared a lot of information with you! At this time we’d like to take any remaining questions that may be out there.

As we close, we would encourage you to take some time to browse our website. As you process what you see on the site and what you’ve heard today feel free to reach out to us if there is any additional support we can provide you. Our contact information will be on your screen.

Additionally, we would appreciate it if you could complete the brief survey that you will find on the closing screen. Your responses will help us in preparing future webinars!

Thank you for spending time with us today!

[1] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.

[2] Statistics Canada, 2011 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE.

[3] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.

[4] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-X2016001.

[5] Statistics Canada, 2016 Census of Population, Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-400-X2016253.