INNOVATION September-October 2015

as soc ia t i on notes

APEGBC and Partners Release Labour Market Information Project Results Need for Engineers, Geoscientists, Technologists and Technicians Expected to Grow APEGBC, the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia, and the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia recently partnered with the Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table to create detailed and validated information on anticipated future labour needs, trends, and gaps. The Engineers, Geoscientists, Technologists and Technicians Labour Market Information project produced a 10-year regional outlook for 31 occupations across five regions of BC. Detailed reports exist for each occupation, as well as for 10 industries and 5 regions, and provide targeted information for employers and practitioners. The project’s results indicate both a growing demand for and a limited supply of trained engineers, geoscientists, technologists and technicians over the next decade. Analysis of three economic investment scenarios uncovers similar tight labour- market trends, with labour shortages anticipated in several key occupations in BC’s north and southeast regions, and some prolonged shortages in the north. The challenges employers face today in finding workers are expected to increase through 2019, as the economy expands alongside the ongoing retirement of the baby-boom generation. Over the next decade, 11,555 job openings for new, additional engineers, geoscientists, technologists, and technicians jobs (200 geoscientists; 6,260 engineers—an 18% increase in engineering jobs over a decade) are forecast, with most growth occurring in 2015–2019. With 25% of today’s workers expected to retire within the decade, retirements could increase that number to 31,150 job openings (780 geoscientists; 15,600 engineers). Over the forecast period, BC will become more reliant on workers who are new either to the workforce or to the country. More than half (52%) of the new supply of engineers, geoscientists, technologists and technicians will be new entrants, and slightly more than 40% of labour-force needs will need to be filled by workers from other countries. Recruitment from other occupations or out of province is expected to provide less than 10% of new BC workers. Visit www.lmionline.ca/ett to view the project results or download the reports. Report’s BC Data Balance Broader Context The Engineers, Geoscientists, Technologists and Technicians Labour Market Information project predicts growing demand for APEGBC professionals in a number of BC regions in coming years. These findings provide finer, BC-focused detail than the results of other, external labour forecasts. The 2015 Engineers Canada Labour Market Study provides supply and demand projections for 14 engineering occupations across Canada. The report states that demand for engineers will increase in the next decade as professionals of the baby-boomer generation retire. It also predicts increasing professional mobility between regions within Canada, as engineers follow the market for their skills and knowledge. The report is available at: engineerscanada.ca/sites/default/files/ Labour-Market-2015-e.pdf Another report, by U.S.-based youth-advocacy group Young Invincibles, lists six engineering- and geoscience-related occupations among the best jobs recommended for today’s young adults. The report, The Best Jobs for Millenials , highlights careers that provide young adults with economic security. It predicts high demand and good wages for biomedical engineers, computer and information research scientist, nuclear engineers, petroleum engineers, software developers and programmers, and geological and petroleum technicians. Download the report from: younginvincibles.org/bestmillennialjobs1

Milestone Achievement for the APEGBC–ASTTBC Joint Board APEGBC and ASTTBC have a Joint Board that reports to each association’s council and whose purpose is primarily “ to pursue activities that are common to both Associations through effective collaboration, holding paramount the protection of the public, where both Associations contribute to the Engineering Team and value each member’s contributions to problem solving and innovation in accordance with their competenci es.” Both associations support an environment where all members of the engineering and geoscience team contribute to the primary goal of upholding the public interest, and do so within the scope of responsibility appropriate to their level of education/ experience/competency and in compliance with legislation. Recently the Joint Board met and reached a milestone achievement. Through the hard work of dedicated members from both associations, a new Electrical Practice Guide for Technologists has been developed. Once approved by each association’s council, this guide will be posted on the ASTTBC website and will serve to guide technologists with best practices for electrical technology applications. The preparation of the guide is an important first step and will serve as a template for future practice guides in other discipline areas. The Joint Board is also exploring ASTTBC’s proposed P.Tech. designation. More information about the new designation will be provided as it develops.

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