Talent in short supply, says survey

By The Canadian Press

TORONTO -- Sixty-six per cent of Canadian employers are having trouble finding suitably talented workers compared with 40 per cent worldwide, according to a study by the Manpower Inc. employment firm.

Manpower said this week it surveyed nearly 33,000 companies in 23 countries including 1,000 in Canada, and found that the hardest-to-find workers in Canada are, in order, sales representatives, customer service representatives, engineers, drivers, mechanics, labourers, chefs, electricians, skilled trades and nurses.

The survey, conducted last month, found the shortage of suitable workers most pronounced in Mexico, Canada and Japan.

The situation was least problematic in India, where only 13 per cent of employers reported having difficulty filling positions.

"Across North America and Asia, the top three talent shortages are identical - sales representatives rank No. 1, followed by engineers and technicians," said Jeffrey Joerres, chairman and CEO of Manpower Inc.

"Employers are telling us that they are not just looking for bodies to fill sales jobs; they want experienced salespeople who know their respective industries and can drive revenues," Joerres said.

He added that compensation packages in hot job categories will be rising rapidly, and "anyone who is currently searching for a new job or a different career path should seriously consider the results of this survey, and set their sights on getting the education and training required to pursue one of these promising career paths."

Joerres predicted: "In 10 years we will see many businesses failing because they haven't planned ahead for the talent shortage and are unable to find the people they need to run their businesses.

""This is not a cyclical trend, as we have seen in the past; this time the talent crunch is for real, and it's going to last for decades."

Factors contributing to the talent-hunting woes of Canadian employers include "demographic shifts like aging population and lower birth rates; inadequate education programs; globalization; social evolution; and entrepreneurial practices like outsourcing and offshoring," said Lori Procher, general manager of Manpower Canada.

"Among the actions required to address these shortages in the coming years are enhanced links with schools, investment in training, re-skilling and up-skilling employees and flexible use of talent."