A new report examining Windsor-Essex’s labour market suggests the region has been creating jobs at a strong pace — but a persistent challenge remains: Connecting people with the opportunities available. Workforce WindsorEssex unveiled its latest Community and Labour Market Plan during a presentation Thursday at Landmark Cinemas, outlining trends in employment, population growth, immigration, and skills training across the region. The report shows employment in Windsor-Essex has grown significantly over the past decade. According to Workforce WindsorEssex, employment in the region has increased about 38 per cent since 2011, outpacing the region’s roughly 25 per cent population growth over the same period. That growth suggests the local economy has been adding jobs faster than the population has expanded. But strong job creation does not necessarily mean everyone is finding work. Local labour market data shows roughly 140,000 people in Windsor-Essex are not participating in the labour force, meaning they are neither working nor actively looking for work. That figure is near a two-year low and close to historic lows, a trend officials say highlights a different concern — where the region’s future workforce will come from. Justin Falconer, CEO of Workforce WindsorEssex, said the mismatch between available jobs and available workers continues to surface when examining the region’s labour market data. “It’s a frustrating recurring theme,” Falconer said. “We have people without jobs and jobs without people, and that’s always a big concern.” With fewer people sitting outside the workforce, the report suggests population growth and immigration will continue to play a key role in sustaining the region’s labour supply. Population growth in Windsor-Essex in recent years has been driven largely by immigration and migration, helping expand the region’s working-age population. Kelsey Santarossa, director of community and workforce development at Workforce WindsorEssex, said newcomers often arrive with valuable skills but face barriers when trying to enter their professions in Canada. “One of the biggest gaps that we have is credential recognition,” Santarossa said. “People are coming in with incredible skills that aren’t necessarily recognized.” Santarossa said newcomers often need additional certification, language training or Canadian work experience before they can work in their original fields. The report also highlights ongoing labour shortages in the skilled trades. Data in the report shows apprenticeship enrolment has not kept pace with the growing demand for trades workers across sectors such as manufacturing, construction, and automotive. Researchers say there are encouraging signs among younger workers. About 40 per cent of local apprentices are students entering trades programs while still in high school. Tashlyn Teskey, senior manager of research and innovation at Workforce WindsorEssex, said those programs are helping introduce students to trades careers earlier. “Which means they’re starting that apprenticeship training early,” Teskey said. “So that’s really nice to see.” Teskey said the next step will be ensuring people who finish high school or enter the workforce later still have pathways into the trades. “What we really need to see is some of the support for maybe those older job seekers after they’ve graduated high school to still enter into that field,” she said. Officials say identifying these gaps now can help employers, educators, and policymakers better prepare the region’s workforce for the jobs still to come. You can view the full report here.
