Introduction
Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) is a national, not-for-profit organization that conducts research focused on the human resource challenges and opportunities impacting the electricity and renewable industry, and develops tools to support industry in addressing these challenges and opportunities.
Since 2005, Electricity Human Resources Canada (EHRC) has been the national voice of the Canadian electricity industry. Working alongside our partners and members, EHRC works to strengthen the ability of the Canadian electricity industry to meet current and future needs for their workforce – one that is highly skilled, safety-focused, diverse and productive.
EHRC is a trusted source of objective human resource information, market information and tools to help the Canadian electricity industry grow and remain innovative while improving the quality of electricity service to Canadians. Industry players–from business, government, academia and organized labour– use our resources to make informed decisions and manage their organizations more effectively. Above all, we provide evidence-based solutions to the human resource challenges facing the electricity industry.
EHRC is governed by an industry represented Board of Directors and managed by a staff team based in Ottawa. For more information please go to EHRC website at electricityhr.ca. Our website also has more information on the wide range of projects undertaken by our organization.
Project Summary
Project Objectives:
- Undertake a Labour Market Information (LMI) study based on primary data which will provide both real-time current information and long-term (up to five years) estimates/assessment of labour demand and supply specifically for the electricity sector. Regions will include: British Columbia, Alberta*, Ontario, Atlantic, the Prairies and Quebec
- Build an updated body of knowledge which will inform and improve the electricity industry’s capability in workforce planning, needs analysis, identifying training requirements and to mitigate business risk related to human capital management.
Key Deliverables:
The project will include producing two (2) updated Labour Market Information (LMI) reports as follows:
- National LMI Report: to provide the industry with information on the most up to date issues and statistics impacting the electricity sector and the subsequent implications for the labour requirement (demand) - workforce availability (supply) gap. In particular, to support workforce planning and regulatory filing; organizational business planning for both employers and educators; and, for strategic human resources’ planning purposes. The newly collected data will also provide government stakeholders with validated data to assist in the development of policy at the municipal, provincial or federal level. Therefore data should be readily segmented and made available at both the provincial and national level.
- *Regional LMI (Alberta) Report: to provide industry and provincial government with both real-time current information and long-term estimates/assessment of labour demand and supply specifically for the electricity sector in Alberta as they look to advance policy within the larger context of a national energy strategy. Data will also be used for workforce planning, regulatory filing and for organizational business planning.
Data Collection and Analysis Methodology
To ensure the data collected is the most credible, unbiased, accurate and up to date information possible, a comprehensive approach will be adopted based on the synthesis of information obtained through a range of activities including: an extensive literature review, an employer survey, an educational institution survey, key informant interviews (with all stakeholder groups), a review of secondary statistical sources as well as the use of a labour market assessment model.
For the Regional LMI (Alberta) project additional key informant interviews will be conducted with senior executives of Alberta-based organizations to include: exploring perspectives on hiring from other industries and identification of potential biases that may exist (including barriers, challenges and opportunities). In addition, employers will be probed for their views on the non-technical, or “soft’ skills requirements for employees and their expectations in relation to these as part of a new hire’s overall skillset and overall recruitment strategy for their companies. A best practices review will also be conducted as part of the Regional LMI (Alberta) to demonstrate success in transitioning workers from declining industries or jobs to new employment.
The use of "multiple lines of evidence" will help ensure that the reports and recommendations reflect the input of industry and educational stakeholders, as well as published research on the industry.
Anticipated Outcomes
It is anticipated that the National LMI project will generate and provide the following outcomes:
- Statistically rigorous current labour supply and demand information for the industry suitable for use in a regulatory environment, provides essential planning information to the industry stakeholders including employers, labour, education, and regulators and which adheres to current industry standards in a North American and, global context;
- Occupational forecast data which provides career seekers, career development providers, educational institutions and training providers with jurisdiction specific information to support and inform decision making.
- Secondary data research which provides a national and international context to the electricity and energy labour market and identifies on-going data sources for continuing use by policymakers and industry;
- Increased use of workforce planning methods by industry members;
- Jurisdiction specific information which identifies critical occupations impacted by policy change and/or technology growth; and
Information available in a format that will enable the data to be segmented by EHRC in response to requests by stakeholders for tailored data (e.g. electrical contractors, nuclear employers, diversity statistics, provincial breakdowns etc.) It is anticipated that the Regional LMI (Alberta) project will generate and provide the following:
- Statistically rigorous current labour information for the industry which will inform strategic directions for the Alberta government, and provide essential planning information to the industry stakeholder community in Alberta including industry, labour, education, and regulators, provincial and federal governmental organizations concerned with effective energy management;
- Secondary data research which provides the national and international context to the Alberta electricity and energy labour market and identifies on-going data sources for continuing use by Alberta policymakers and industry;
- Increased use of workforce planning methods by industry members;
- Jurisdiction specific information which identifies critical occupations impacted by policy change and/or technology growth; and
- Information available in a web-based format easily accessible by all.
