EHRC (Electricity Human Resources Canada) and the Government of Alberta launch a new initiative to address an industry in transition and critical workforce shortages
July 5, 2022, Edmonton, Alberta—EHRC (Electricity Human Resources Canada), in partnership with the Government of Alberta, is tackling the needs of a transitioning workforce, acute labour shortages and under-representation of diverse groups in Alberta’s electricity sector with the launch of a new initiative that will deliver collaboration, best practices, and propel solutions among the key players who will drive change.
Alberta’s Electricity Sector—An Industry in Transition
The perfect storm of pandemic impacts, technological advancements, the transition to renewable sources for electricity and a retiring workforce all point to difficult workforce challenges ahead for Alberta’s electricity sector.
By 2030, 30% of Alberta’s electricity generation will transition to renewable sources such as wind, hydro and solar [source: EHRC’s Report: Labour Market Intelligence for Alberta’s Energy Sector – Workforce Transitions]. Innovative solutions used for energy storage and renewable energy sources, smart grid technologies, electrification of transportation etc. will have a significant impact on demand for labour and the makeup of the workforce. HR professionals have been charged with leading this change and ensure the industry maintains a talent pool with the skills to manage the power systems of the future.
Launch of New Initiative
Investing in employees to adapt to the changing nature of work and developing new resources to assist Human Resources practitioners recruit new workers are central to this new joint initiative by EHRC and the Government of Alberta.
The creation of single-source, online hubs titled “Peer Learning Circles” will enable employers, regulatory authorities, and program leaders to compare HR challenges, share effective work practices and bullet-proof new strategies to fuel recruitment solutions by connecting in a safe, confidential workspace. These Peer Learning Circles will equip Alberta’s electricity sector employers with the tools they require to find, engage, and take effective workplace action to retain skilled workers from diverse talent pools. The hub will be a repository for the scope of this work and will be shared with the broader electricity sector.
The Honourable Kaycee Madu, Minister of Labour and Immigration, stated: “The Government of Alberta welcomes initiatives that support Alberta industries and employers such as Electricity Human Resources Canada’s program. Through Alberta’s Recovery Plan, we are attracting skilled workers, diversifying our economy, and creating opportunities for every Albertan.”
“To ensure the stable supply of electricity, it is critical that employers, regulatory and policy authorities share their experiences so that they, in turn, can collectively take action to mitigate Alberta’s labour market needs,” says Michelle Branigan, CEO, EHRC. “The sector can leverage its performance as a source of stable and attractive employment and be successful in its efforts to recruit new talent seeking meaningful work.”
The Peer Learning Circles will consolidate and document the impact of these collaborations with the development of toolkit resources that will include best practices and case studies. When launched, this will be available to share broadly with the electricity sector as a whole and will reside on the EHRC website.
This program is funded by the Government of Alberta’s Labour Market Partnerships (LMP), part of the broader Workforce Partnerships Program.
About Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC)
EHRC has completed a series of successful collaboration projects with the Government of Alberta, including provincial labour market research, succession planning to build sector resilience, and toolkit learning resources to increase inclusiveness and diversity.
EHRC (Electricity Human Resources Canada) is Canada’s most trusted source of objective human resources information and tools to help the Canadian electricity industry match workforce supply and demand. Canada’s electricity industry is comprised of the organizations that lead the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. EHRC is a not-for-profit organization helping to keep the lights on in Canada by enabling a world-class workforce for the entire electricity industry.
Media Contact
Karen Tremblay
Marketing & Communications Manager
Electricity Human Resources Canada
613-235-5540 ext. 241
[email protected]