B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
As the job market continues to evolve amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report suggests that employers are looking for candidates with skills that weren't as relevant prior to 2020, including experience in virtual customer service and safety adherence.
According to Randstad Canada's annual career forecast for 2022, COVID-19 isn't the only factor impacting employer priorities when hiring new workers.
The HR services company says economic pressures, evolving customer preferences, competitive markets and regulatory requirements have also forced companies to become more efficient and re-evaluate their business models.
"Again this year, we anticipate that the job seekers will be spoilt for choice if they have the skills so sought after by employers," said Patrick Poulin, group president of Randstad Canada, in a press release.
Randstad says skills including budgeting, accounting and quality control have become "of paramount importance" to employers trying to run a successful business during the pandemic.
According to the report, the "most sought-after professionals" for 2022 are customer service representatives, salespeople and scheduling specialists, in addition to budgeting and accounting positions.
Randstad Canada's full list of the fastest-growing roles for 2022 includes:
While retail workers and cashiers were in high demand in 2021, according to the report, customer service representatives are "now more important than ever" for businesses.
With consumers focusing more on online shopping, Randstad said companies have taken notice that even just one bad experience with a brand will send shoppers elsewhere.
"This is why roles such as customer service representatives and administrative assistants have come to the forefront," according to the report.
Randstad noted that scheduling specialists is a new role added to this year's list due to the increased need for businesses to address safety protocols amid COVID-19.
To ensure that a work environment is safe, the report says more employers are using "intelligent scheduling software" to adhere to public health measures and still be able to cater to consumers.
"Initially, organizations were focused on making sure their workforce had the technology and security they needed to remain operational, now the focus is on the long-term need to push sales, provide best in class customer service, provide a safe environment for their employees and customers and effectively manage their budgets," Poulin said in the release.
"From an employee perspective, this provides Canadians with the opportunity to level up, refine and repurpose skills that they may have used in previous roles," he added.
And the latest data shows employees may already be taking advantage of this.
According to the latest Indeed Job Search Survey, the share of Canadians actively looking for work rose in December, with greater job search activity reported among those both employed and not.
Of those Canadians surveyed, 34 per cent said they were actively looking for work, which Indeed economist Brandon Bernard called a "statistically significant increase" from the 28 per cent reported in November.
In addition, the survey from Indeed found that both employed and unemployed job seekers were more confident in their skills to find work quickly in December, compared to November.
"The question for the months ahead is whether job search activity and confidence can remain robust through the near-term economic hit from the surge of new COVID-19 cases that began towards the end of the year," Bernard said.
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
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The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
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A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.