Trends in the Youth Job Market With a focus on the Toronto Area

The Challenge: Canada 2002-2007 Over the next five years almost 1,000,000 new jobs will be created in Canada. Retirements will provide an additional 1,000,000 job openings. About 2/3rds of these jobs will require higher education or training, including training on the job.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Adapted from Ontario Job Futures 2002

The Double Cohort In 1999, post-secondary participation rate was 60%, leaving 40% of 18 year old youth in the labour market In Ontario, due to the double cohort, we estimate that there will be an 11% labour force increase for 18 year olds seeking full time work in 2003 Will further disadvantage those who have not completed high school.

ECONOMIC GROWTH * GDP Forecast Source: GDP: Conference Board of Canada. Employment: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey *Based on first 3 quarters of 2002

Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey

Toronto Employment Grew by 5% from 2000-2002 Faster Growth: Manufacturing. Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing. Accommodation and food services. Construction Slower Growth: Transportation and warehousing. Retail and wholesale trade. Professional, scientific and technical services.

Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey Trade Professional, scientific and technical services Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing Health care and social assistance Educational services Accommodation and food services Information, culture and recreation Transportation and warehousing Management of companies and administrative and other support services Other services Public Administration Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey

Where do Youth Work? Youth work in all sectors but some industries have higher concentrations of entry opportunities

Entry Level Jobs in the Service Sector with Good Employment Prospects Truck drivers Customer service and information clerks Nurses aides and orderlies Construction labourers Visiting homemakers Manufacturing labour

What skills are required? According to HRDC analysis of Toronto Job Advertisements through our Workwaves project, employers are looking for the following skills:

Core Skills Communications. Personal management (flexible, positive attitude, self-motivation). Thinking/Planning/Organizing. Interpersonal (people skills/networking). Teamwork (leadership). Numeracy. Multilingualism an asset in global economy Computer literacy

Fostering Core Skills We must remove barriers to employment We must work together to help youth get the information and gain the skills, work experience and abilities they need to make a successful transition to the workplace

Meeting the Challenge Fewer future entrants to the labour market, so employers need to look at how to utilize unemployed youth to meet their demands Promote on-the-job work experience and skill develop opportunities leading to continuous learning

Meeting the Challenge Integrating unemployed youth into the knowledge economy is not easy… However it is imperative to provide every Canadian with the opportunity to participate fully in the workplace and the community… And as our society ages, we will require their contribution. We must make extra efforts to address this group in unanticipated economic situations

Some useful websites http://www.hrdc.gc.ca/career http://www.jobsetc.ca http://www.youth.ca http://www.ontariojobfutures.net