Labor Market in Canada Essay Example

to their employees. Livingstone and Scholtz (2007) also state that work has changed due societal modifications and changes. Unlike in the early times, the current occupations are based on the concept of gender parity and skills. This has led to changes in leadership where women are allowed to occupy managerial positions in many organizations.

The changes that have occurred in the labor market have increased the demand for skills. One of the changes that have led to growing demand for skills is technology. In earlier times, many organizations were depending on human capital, and the idea of technology was not common. However, economic evolution in countries such as Canada has led to embrassment of technology. Production is now done using machinery that embrace sophisticated technology. This has triggered a rise in the need for engineering skills in many organizations. In fact, Livingstone and Scholtz (2007) state that information technology has increased the demand for more educated, highly-skilled and self-motivated employees. Many business owners are now searching for employees who have these skills, and this has consequently motivated many institutions to teach courses that embrace technological concepts.

The second change that has increased the demand for skills is globalization. According to Fenwick (2006), Canada is facing a major rivalry in its free trade treaties from the United States’ foreign market. Unlike in the early times when countries were focusing on local markets, many nations have embraced the concept of globalization, and this increases the competition that Canada is facing in the international scene. In fact, the future of Canada labor market is dependent on the global knowledge economy. Therefore, this means that Canadian organizations have to employ individuals

who have significant expertise in international affairs and the global economy. Consequently, this increases the demand for skills. The changes that have occurred in the managerial processes of many organizations in the Canadian economy have also increased the demand for skills and expertise.

The business environment of Canada is dynamic, and administrative systems need to imitate business cycles to operate efficiently. This can only be achieved by hiring managers who have vast experience in managing. According to Fenwick (2006), The Canadian Labor Congress expressed its displeasure in 2005 over how managerial skills were being practiced. The Congress also criticized the removal of management skills such as leading and planning from the list of vital skills targeting workers. Canadian Labor Congress emphasized the need for enhancing skills in the economy.

There are various policies that are adopted by employees and employers to respond to these changes. The first approach involves enhancing informal learning in the workplace. According to Dawson (2008), informal learning acts as a great way of augmenting performance in the job. Informal learning helps the employee or employer gain skills that are required in the dynamic world of business. Jackson (2010) states that this form of learning acts as a tool that contributes to constant improvement in various organizations. He also states that workplace should be seen as an opportunity for lifelong learning. To enhance good organizational skills, many Canadian learning institutions have started courses that teach entrepreneurial and managerial skills. Dawson (2008) states that this form of learning improves manufacturing knowledge and at the same time allow employee’s personal growth. Employers and workers who attend informal training gain important skills that enhance their performance.

The second

strategy involves hiring competent people into the workforce. As stated above, the business environment in Canada has changed a lot in the recent years. Many organizations are now utilizing technology in their processes, and this has increased the demand for new skills and expertise. For example, information technology is an important concept in almost all organizations in Canada. To address the need for technological changes, employers are hiring employees who have knowledge of technological advances (Wheelahan, 2007). On the other hand, employees have taken the issue of technology seriously, and most of them have taken courses that equip them with technological knowledge. Fenwick (2006) stated that 4.1 percent of the jobs in Canada rely on high-technology expertise and information communication. This means that employers have to strategize their recruitment process and employ people who fit into the current world of technology.

As discussed above, various changes have occurred in the labor market over the last few decades. This has affected the balance of power that exists between employers and employees. In the Canadian society, the business environment is characterized by changes in the regulatory process, changes in technology and effects of globalization. It is evident that these changes have affected the labor market in the country to a great extent. To address this issue, various organizations have developed several measures that are geared towards enhancing the skills of the employees. Learning is one of the things that have been embraced. Informal training is a common phenomenon in the workplace, and many employers and workers have joined this form of learning to sharpen their skills. The second measure involves hiring employees who have skills in technology so

as to enhance production and organizational performance.

References

1. Bouchard, P. (1998). Training and work: Some myths about Human Capital Theory. In Spencer B & Scott S. (Eds.). A Canadian Reader in Adult Education (pp.33- 68). Toronto: Thompson Publishing Company.
2. Dawson, M. (2008). The Value of Informal Learning in the Workplace. The Interplay between Formal and Informal Learning for Low Skilled Workers. Ontario: Partnerships in Learning.
3. Fenwick, T. (2006). Control, Contradiction and Ambivalence: Skill Initiatives in Canada (1st ed., pp. 85-90). Ontario: York University.
4. Jackson, A. (2010). Taking lifelong learning seriously. In Jackson, A. (Ed). Work and Labor in Canada: Critical Issues (2ed.). Toronto: Canadian Scholars’. 53-70.
5. Livingstone, D., & Scholtz, A. (2007). Contradictions of labor processes ad workers’ use of skills in advanced capitalist economies. In V. Shalla and W. Clement (Eds). Work in tumultuous times: Critical perspectives. Montreal: McGill-Queens. 131-162.
6. Wheelahan, L. (2007). How Competency-Based Training Locks the Working Class out of Powerful Knowledge: A Modified Bernsteinian Analysis. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 28(5), 637-651.