Bridging the Divide: A Multi-Sector Approach
to Natural Resource Labour Needs
in Northern BC
The two day workshop will be held on Tuesday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at The Ramada Hotel (North-Centre Ballroom) located at 444 George Street, Prince George, BC. The registration fee of $84.00 per day includes registrant package, mid-morning refreshment break, lunch, mid-afternoon refreshment break and HST. There will also be an evening reception on April 24th from 7-9pm with appetizers and a cash bar. The fee for the evening reception is $33.60 including HST. Please feel free to distribute our Poster Announcement to anyone in your network who may be interested in this workshop.
https://event-wizard.com/Recruitment/0/register/.
Registration CLOSES on April 18, 2012.
DRAFT AGENDA:
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012 – Identifying Key Needs & Barriers |
Confirmed Speakers |
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7-8 am |
Coffee and breakfast pastries served in the mezzanine area |
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8-8:45 am |
Opening Welcome and Introduction |
Melanie Karjala, Resources North Association |
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9-9:45 am |
Keynote Address: Recruitment, Training & Retention in Northern BC, Preparing for the Future |
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9:45-10:15 am |
Workshop Break and Coffee |
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10:15 am -12 pm Consecutive Plenary Sessions |
Sectoral Overview (Forestry, Energy, Mining & Mineral Exploration) This session will introduce a range of topics, setting the stage for the two-day workshop. A range of speakers from forestry, mining/mineral exploration and energy sectors provide a high-level view of recruitment and retention issues from diverse perspectives. |
TBD, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
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12-1:30 pm |
Workshop Luncheon
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1:30-3 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions |
Issues and Barriers These concurrent sessions will focus on details around the issues and barriers faced by the forestry, mining/mineral exploration, and energy sectors. Guided by a moderator, short presentations from a small panel in each session will be designed to initiate discussion among the participants. Cross-sector participation will be encouraged to promote an understanding of the similarities and differences within the natural resource sectors. |
Kathy Lewis, PhD, University of Northern British Columbia Mary-Ann Arcand, Central Interior Logging Association |
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3-3:30 PM |
Workshop Break and Coffee |
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3:30-4:30 pm Plenary session |
A review of the results from each breakout session will be presented to the entire group identifying key messages and highlighting similarities and differences in preparation for the Wednesday breakout sessions. Additional information will be included through audience participation. |
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7-9 pm |
Northern Alberta’s Regional ‘Opportunities North’ Approach to Labour Recruitment |
William (Bill) McGill introducing: Audrey DeWit, Northern Alberta Development Council |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012 – Moving to Solutions |
Confirmed Speakers |
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7-8 am |
Registration Desk Open |
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7-8 am |
Coffee and breakfast pastries served in the mezzanine area |
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8-9 am |
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9-10 am |
A look at Health, Safety and Demographics Presenters will discuss the importance of addressing health and safety issues for labour retention and opportunities for accessing under-represented demographic groups as part of the natural resource sector target labour market. |
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10:30 am -12 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions |
These concurrent sessions will focus on details around the solutions and strategies that mining/mineral exploration, forestry and energy sectors are using to address the challenges around labour recruitment and retention. Guided by a moderator, short presentations from a small panel in each session will be designed to initiate discussion amongst the participants. Cross-sector participation will be encouraged to share experiences, successes and challenges in implementing recruitment and retention strategies. |
Ed Morrice, College of New Caledonia John Betts, Western Silviculture Contractors Association |
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1:30-3 pm Consecutive |
A review of the results from each breakout session will be presented to the entire group identifying key messages and highlighting areas of commonality and opportunities for collaboration. Additional information, ideas and insights will be included through audience participation. |
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Plenary Session |
A wrap up presentation taking the discussions, ideas and proposed solutions from the entire 2 day workshop and pulling together a plan of action and/or strategies to advance successful natural resource sector labour recruitment and retention in Northern BC. |
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Background Information:
Most employment sectors in Canada report that there will not be enough workers to fulfill society’s needs for goods and services. The Forest Products Sector Council recently released a report projecting a shortage of 40,000 -120,000 workers in the forest sector alone. This issue is echoed throughout the energy and mining sectors and is particularly challenging in northern regions where natural resource development opportunities abound, the population pool is small, and communities are working diligently to maintain a good quality of life for their citizens.
- Identifying challenges and barriers to recruitment and retention in the natural resources sector and in Northern BC;
- Developing strategies and actions for recruitment and retention in the natural resource sector (forestry, mining, oil and gas, renewable energy etc.);
- Sharing existing initiatives and exploring opportunities to collaborate and build awareness;
- Strategies to grow the regional employment pool for all sectors (marketing northern BC as a place to live and work); and
- Identifying strategies and opportunities to attract employees to the natural resource sector.
