Canadian workers more optimistic
Canadian employees are becoming more optimistic about hiring intentions and job security, according to a survey conducted by BMO Bank of Montreal among 1,005 people. More than half of workers (53%) believe that their company is experiencing a period of growth and will hire more people this year. This is compared to 41% who held this opinion in 2012 and 28% in 2011. As far as job security is concerned, 80% of Canadians feel comfortable, compared to 64% in 2012 and 51% in 2011. Finally, expectations of a promotion is also on the rise with 50% of workers hoping to get a raise this year compared to only 39% in 2012 and 28% in 2011.
New Brunswick unveils plans for jobs and skills
The New Brunswick “Labour Force and Skills Development Strategy” was publicly released on Monday, August 26. It includes three main themes which include 44 priority measures to reach its objective of a skilled and competitive workforce. It supports the education system from kindergarten to 12th grade and the post-secondary education and apprenticeship and skills development systems, as well as attracting and retaining highly qualified personnel. The measures aim for concrete actions such as increasing the number of pilot projects, creating a harmonized apprenticeship program and increasing wage subsidies for employers that hire those in priority groups.