The shortage of skills is currently one of the major issues in Canada. Due to a mismatch between the available labour force and the required skills, more than a million people are still unemployed and the employers are struggling to get right people in. A lot of research reports have warned about the reduction in the availability of skilled labour. Around 75% of growth in the workforce comes from immigration and it is expected to be 100% by the end of the year.
There is a need to create awareness among the employers about hiring internationally trained workers. Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) has launched a programme called “Right Before Your Eyes: Internationally Trained Workers in Canada”, to help understand the employers about the importance of hiring and retaining of international workers. The program is launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities (MTCU) and is hosted by RBC Financial Group.
The program is a part of CME’s “Business Results” series and the main objective of this program is to tap the hidden resources in the form of international labour. It also provides language training to fasten the process of recruiting the workers. The program also has some case studies from the reputed companies of Canada.
The program is a boon to the employers facing the issue of skills shortage.
Charlie Coffey, executive vice-president, Government and Community Affairs, RBC Financial Group, said that they are very happy to be a part of this project because of the diversity involved in it. He also stated that the program is a shout out to take immediate action to the problem and also they welcome the companies or employers who are interested to take new Canadians into their companies.
The immigrants living in Canada are highly skilled but they face problems in the market due to various reasons. If used well, they will play an important role in fighting against the skill shortage in the country. Any program which promotes the employment of these immigrants should be welcomed with enthusiasm, according to Debbie Douglas, the Executive Director of the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI).
CME is the leading business network in Canada. About 75% of the manufacturing output and around 90% of the merchandise exports of the country comes from its member. Their main office is in Ottawa and 10 other divisional offices spread across Canada.
