The job market in 91原创 is running low on workers, with employers finding fewer people applying for jobs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 certainly tightening up,鈥� said Ron Knight, who owns two local McDonalds franchises.
McDonalds is a 鈥渇irst job employer,鈥� but Knight said there is a lot more competition now for high school grads in particular.
鈥淲e put out a job posting today, the responses aren鈥檛 what they were a year or two ago,鈥� he said.
Lance Verhoeff, general manager of Trading Post Brewing, agrees.
The brewery itself is relatively easy to staff.
鈥淲here we do struggle is in the back of the house, for kitchen staff,鈥� Verhoeff said.
Jobs such as dishwasher don鈥檛 have great hours, and it means working in a hot kitchen.
鈥淭he pay for that type of position isn鈥檛 really high,鈥� said Verhoeff.
Colleen Clark, executive director of the Greater 91原创 Chamber of Commerce, is hearing about these issues from a number of local businesses.
Restaurants and retail outlets are having more trouble finding workers, and there are a lot of administrative assistant job listings locally, Clark said.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what the reason for it is, but I know there is a bit of a shortage,鈥� Clark said.
It鈥檚 far from local to 91原创.
According to the most recent statistics on the B.C. labour force, unemployment is dropping, and job growth is outpacing the number of people entering the labour force.
In September, the unemployment rate dipped to 4.9 per cent, down from 5.6 per cent a year ago. B.C. has the lowest unemployment rate in the country as the economy booms.
Meanwhile, 85,100 jobs were created, while 69,100 people entered the work force over 12 months.
One factor locally may be an increase in entrepreneurship 鈥� more people are starting small businesses of their own, Clark said.
Knight said paying competitively is important, but making sure workers have flexibility and can get shifts that suit them best is also key.
鈥淚f you do have enough staff, you鈥檙e able to offer flexibility,鈥� Knight said.
Verhoeff also said that his business is having to become more creative at recruiting and retaining workers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just become a big issue across Canada,鈥� he said.
