Introduction to the Problem and the proposal for a solution: According to Rick Miner, author of People without Jobs. Jobs without People, in 2010, with Canada’s aging population and rising “knowledge economy” the future of Canada’s labour market is facing a “projected shortfall in the availability of workers”(1) In other words, he forecasts that the emerging demand for a more highly skilled and educated workforce will not only project further growth in the looming “knowledge economy”, but adversely will leave many unskilled workers looking for jobs that stipulate conditions they cannot fulfill. In recognizing this difficulty, Miner urges youth to acknowledge the need for post-secondary education or training in hopes that they will be able …show more content…
Yet does a skills gap really exist? According to the article, “Why Companies Aren’t Getting the Employees They Need” by Peter Cappelli from the Wall Street Journal, employers are often quick to criticize post-secondary institutions, blaming that “schools aren’t giving students the right kind of training”. On the other hand, some people are saying that employers while blaming universities for unskilled workers are in fact cutting back their on-the-job training budgets. People speculate the reason for this is that they are “afraid they lose out when a trained employee leaves.” Later in the report we will further discuss the actual implications of what a “skills gap” in the labour market would …show more content…
The reason why this is important is because of the impending “skills gap” affecting the labour market or rather more accurately the “skills mismatch”. The “skills gap” is the phenomenon where very low youth employability coexists with the occurrence of many frustrated employers that are unable to find “skilled workers”. In discussion regarding the skills gap, there has been a fair degree of controversy over the existence or non-existence of a “skills gap”. On the one hand people claim that it does not exist and are arguing that if it did wages would be growing quickly for people with the requisite skills. On the other hand, some contend that not only does the skills gap exist but it is also threatening the sustainability of businesses around the world and could potentially “shake the foundations of our society and economy” (Miner,
Canada is a country that was built by immigration. Every year, thousands of hopeful immigrants come to Canada in order to have a better life. And for some, a better life can be achieved. However, for many others, this is simply not the case. In recent years, the number of visible minority immigrants has increased. And while this country’s ethnic diversity has benefitted from this influx, the economic landscape has shifted in a way to disfavor them. This economic disparity can be found through the income inequality that many immigrants face due to their educational background, low social and cultural capital, and occupational choices. It is these factors that have led to an overqualified work force, higher unemployment rates, and a widening
A majority of people believe that graduating from college will result in a well-paying job. Unfortunately, a degree will not secure a job for many graduates. In the U.S., the jobless rate for college graduates in 2012 was 7.7 percent, and has further increased in the past five years(Robinson). With such a large pool of unemployed citizens for employers to choose from, recent graduates are facing fewer opportunities for work due to little or no previous work experience(Robinson). Although many graduates are faced with unemployment, the majority do receive the opportunity to work. Sadly, many must work jobs they do not enjoy for salaries that make it difficult to make ends meet(Debate). Students are faced with mortgage-sized debts upon graduation, making it difficult for them to start businesses, buy cars or houses, or make other investments that would better the
Over five years after the 2008 economic crisis, the Canadian economy is still in rough waters. Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth has been lagging below 2% and falling short of economists’ predictions (Hodgson, 2014), with no small part due to the stunted American and European recoveries. Tied into this is the country’s unemployment rate, which has hovered around 7% for over a year, while the rate for those aged 15-24 is nearly double, at 13.6% (Statistics Canada, 2014). Clearly, there is a need for more jobs in the country. At the same time, however, Canadian companies have been bringing in Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) to fill what they call a “jobs gap”: that there are places in the country where the labour supply is nonexistent, and outside help is needed to fill certain roles. This has set off a firestorm of controversy, both in the commercial and political realms, with accusations of corporate greed and government apathy abounding, as unemployed Canadians are seemingly passed-over for available jobs. This paper will explore how TFWs are filling a necessary role in the economy, and are not “taking jobs” from Canadians, and will then analyze what governments and businesses can do to change the program, how immigration reform can play a role in filling jobs and lowering unemployment, and what risks a focus on a “skills gap” instead of a “jobs gap” can have on the economy.
If more people went to college, and less went the vocational route, jobs will take a momentous hit. Today, companies will not even touch an application that does not include a Bachelor’s Degree; even if the Bachelor’s Degree has nothing to do with the job being applied for. Attention is not given to whether the hopeful applicant qualifies for the job; all that matters is that the applicant has a Bachelor’s degree. Murray best sums up the American job market when he says, “Employers do not value what the student learned, just that the student has a degree” (Murray). However, if less people obtain a Bachelor’s Degree, employers will be forced to base applicants on their skills, and abilities. Furthermore, important vocational jobs that lie vacant will be filled. Good electricians, carpenters, and construction workers will always be in
de Broucker, Patrice. 2005b. Without a Paddle: What to do About Canada's Young Drop-Outs. CPRN Research Report. Ottawa: Canadian Policy Research Networks. October.
Anisef, Paul Sweet, Robert Frempong, George. “Labour Market Outcomes of Immigrant and Racial Minority University Graduates in Canada, CERIS - The Ontario Metropolis Centre 2003
It is currently increasing in incidence at an alarming rate. Unemployment among young people is increasing predominantly as a result of youth receiving inadequate preparation for the job market and a largely ignored discrimination against youth in the job market. In order to minimize levels of youth unemployment, the education system and current workforce practices need to be analyzed and modified. The education system should be modified so that its degrees and more in line with jobs that are actually available and offer more job experience opportunities. The workforce practices should be modified so that discrimination against youth is minimized as much as possible. This can be achieved through invoking a higher rate of jobs awarded through meritocracy and reducing the amount of informal hiring. It is only after the integration of many of these concepts that youth unemployment levels will decrease. This will be a step towards a world with less inequality and unemployment, a step towards a better
...ber 15). Why new Canadians struggle to find jobs. The Globe and Mail, Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/economy-lab/why-new-canadians-struggle-to-find-jobs/article545197/
Students’ wouldn’t be able to hold down a job is the second reason they shouldn’t dropout of high school. Many employers would like to have someone who has been too high school and that have been educated so they can handle money and add things p...
Analysis of the labor market in the economy reveals a reduction in vacancies while the number of job seekers significantly increases over the past few decades (Dickerson, 2008, p.1). Particularly, the youth employment looks worrying with a serious downward trend with so many of them unemployed. The numbers of free people who are full educated or trained have also decreased. The unemployed in the economy are either inactive or unemployed. The annual changes continue to show a rise in unemployment of young people both for student and others. With lack of government employment as well as training programs, many individuals opt to seek for self-employment (Dickerson, 2008, p.1). Statistic continues to show that there has been an increase of workless people in comparison to the vacancies available. The general picture, therefore, remains that labor market constantly fails to meet the needs of people regarding employment. Although this is the case, there has been some variation across regions with Scotland and Wales in the UK showing decreased performance. There remains a risk that employment will increase in the coming years. The present concern is long-term unemployment, specifically with regards to the youths who are most disadvantaged in the labor market (Dickerson, 2008, p.1).
Employability has been defined as “the capability to gain initial employment, maintain employment and obtain new employment if required” (McQuaid and Lindsay, 2005; Hillage and Pollard, 1998). Although, the concept has been widely defined and generally accepted by researchers, there is still confusion as to how an individual tends to develop employment capacity in particular. Many researches have been conducted to identify the need to acquire and to find ways through which the capacity could be developed. The transition of the students from education to work has to be smooth to be more effective and benefit both the student as well as the general society.
It’s nonsensical to believe that every sixteen-year old should know what he or she wants to do with his or her life, and even more so to discourage someone from pursuing his or her interests. In a capitalist society, it makes sense that average salaries a few years out from college graduation would strongly influence the interests of many young people. It’s not uncommon to come across newspaper articles or editorials bemoaning the United States’ lack of engineers or glut of unemployed English majors. It’s even more common to...
...to the fact the being employed increases college graduation rate and teaches many skills that are not taught with in any level of school. The issue is increased as because many of these teenagers are also not in school. A possible solution to this problem is for companies to offer apprenticeships to promising high school students.
...ing and Youth Labour Markets: A Cross-National Analysis IN: Blanchflower, D. and Freeman, R.Youth Employment and Joblessness in Advanced Countries. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
But still there is a vast skill gap that causes a mismatch between industry needs and institutional output. India being a nation with a high percentage of youth nearly 35% are between the age group of 15 to 21 who after completing their graduation are in a position to enter into a job market. But due to the lack of skills that are required for an industry many people out of that lot fail to enter the job market (Murugaia S. 2014) Employers recognize that “soft” skill development is essential for their employees. These skills are difficult to teach to employees once they are on the job. Therefore, they should be learned through development opportunities such as higher education (Arensdorf,Jill