Building and Retaining the Lethbridge Workforce

We hear it all the time in the work we do. When talking with massive manufacturing operations all the way to shops and restaurants in downtown #yql.

“What is EDL doing to help with our workforce needs?”

We see these needs every year when EDL in partnership with the Lethbridge Chamber of Commerce conducts its annual Brighter Together survey. Workforce Availability, Qualified Workers and Retaining Employees are challenges that pop up in the top 3 locational challenges year over year. Add these challenges to the need’s businesses are currently seeking which include Assistance with Acquiring Employees, Strategies to Retain Employees and Finding Relevant Staff Training Options and it becomes apparent that we need to be looking for tools and resources to help Lethbridge businesses…and we are!

In 2023 Lethbridge was approved as an Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) location and is now administering the Lethbridge Rural Renewal Stream (RRS). This initiative helps international individuals find employment in Lethbridge. If they meet the criteria, they can then apply to work with an approved Lethbridge Rural Renewal Stream employer. It also helps individuals already in our community working at an approved employer attain permanent residency. The program is open to businesses in the construction, manufacturing, engineering, health care & social assistance and automotive repair & maintenance sectors. So far in Lethbridge there are 47 approved businesses and the Lethbridge Rural Renewal Stream Community Partnership which EDL is a part of, has signed 46 candidate endorsement letters.

Part of the application criteria for the RRS is language skills. EDL has been working in partnership with the Lethbridge Ukrainian Community and Government of Alberta by providing English courses for Ukrainian newcomers in our community. This initiative is aimed at helping newcomers to Lethbridge from the Ukraine gain language skills to help them with finding employment and with their day-to-day life in our community.

Economic Development Lethbridge recently was presented findings from the Conference Board of Canada about the state of the manufacturing sector in Lethbridge. Key findings highlighted a need for upskilling in certain task categories and implementation of automation and robotics could assist Lethbridge manufacturers long-term. As a result of this report and initial meetings, EDL will be participating and hosting a round table of Lethbridge manufacturers to address some of these issues. With the first meeting taking place in the next couple weeks on August 15th. The full report can be found on the Choose Lethbridge website.

EDL also hosts a Labour Demand Tool on its website. The tool which highlights current opportunities in Lethbridge, can be used by both job seekers and employers. The tool scrapes national job boards and local employers job postings and houses them all in one place. Employers can use the tool to plan recruitment strategies and gauge the current employment market when it comes to key factors including salary, benefits, job title and other categories. The Labour Demand Tool can be found here.

Building a workforce, much like developing the economy sometimes can be a long game and results don’t happen overnight. We feel these tools and projects are helping local businesses with some of their needs and we’ll continue to meet and discuss workforce needs with our community and investigate new opportunities to make Lethbridge a desirable community for current and potential residents. #BrighterTogtherYQL

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