Powering up the Future: LMI for Alberta’s Energy Sector 2007-2012
Only by developing and maintaining an adequate pool of skilled workers can we guarantee the long-term stability of Canada’s electricity supply.
EHRC Labour Market Intelligence 2007-2012 Report
In 2008 EHRC—in partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)—commissioned a Labour Market Information (LMI) Study of Canada’s electricity sector to better determine the gap between labour supply and demand.
The study focused on the number of workers that were required in 15 key critical occupations, and where those workers could be found. It also explored factors currently impacting the sector; such as technological changes, aging infrastructure and an increasing demand for energy.
Only by developing and maintaining an adequate pool of skilled workers can we guarantee the long-term stability of Canada’s electricity supply. To make this possible employers, educators, and policy makers require an in-depth understanding of human resource challenges. The LMI program’s continuing objective is to help industry professionals effectively plan HR strategies. Using information from the LMI project, EHRC produced the Powering Up the Future LMI Report, which can be downloaded below
Research Methods
The data included in Powering Up the Future represents the results of extensive research and consultation activities. These activities included:
- Surveys of 87 employers, of which 23 were large primary producers and 64 were small or medium sized primary producers, or employers whose primary business was not electricity
- Surveys of 35 educational and/or training institutions offering courses or programs related to the electricity sector
- Interviews with 12 training institution representatives
- Additional secondary research, including a literature review, statistical database review, an analysis of Statistics Canada’s 2006 PSE graduation information, and an analysis of the number of registrants and graduates from electricity-related apprenticeships