The most recent projections estimate there will be just over a million job openings in B.C. between 2003 and 2015. In the next decade, businesses will be competing for skilled people like they never have before. Employers will have to look at new ways of recruiting, better ways to train and keep existing employees and innovative ways to get work done.

At the same time, the level of education and skill required to compete in the labour market is increasing. Almost three quarters of those jobs will require more than just high school (like a diploma, university degree or trade certificate).

B.C. is going to be facing some serious labour market challenges, but the bottom line is that this means more opportunities for you!

Employers, individuals, governments, training organizations, schools and governments will all play important roles as we work together to:

• Increase our workforce so we have enough people to do the jobs.
• Fuel skills development so we have people with the right skills to do the jobs.
• Match skills to needs so that employers can find people with the right skills and job seekers can find the right employer.
• Plan for the long-term so businesses' human resource needs are met two years, five years and ten years down the road.

Find out more about what is already being done to make these things happen and the opportunities to come in the province's new Human Resource Strategy for British Columbia. The strategy outlines some of the work undertaken by the provincial government and highlights key labour market facts that will help B.C. businesses plan to meet their human resource needs. It also highlights recommended best practices and some of the innovative solutions being applied today in B.C. workplaces.

The strategy will evolve over the coming years as the public and private sectors continue the work of delivering a skilled workforce for our growing economy.

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