Talent Attraction in BC

Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) is the federal regional economic development agency for British Columbia (B.C.). PacifiCan’s mandate is to develop and diversify the B.C. economy and advance the interests of B.C. in Ottawa. PacifiCan requires the services of a Contractor with expertise on labour markets and talent attraction and retention to deliver a research report on the talent landscape in B.C. This study will help the agency better understand B.C.’s relative strengths and challenges in attracting and retaining skilled workers across industries and regions. The analysis will inform the Agency’s work in supporting business growth and development and fostering inclusive economic participation in the B.C. economy. The Contractor must conduct analyses using both quantitative and qualitative data.

Key research questions

• What is the current state of the talent landscape in B.C. in terms of education, skills, and employment? How does the talent landscape differ across the province’s economic regions and across industries? How is B.C. positioned to meet future skills needs? The analysis must include, but not be limited to, the following topics: o Education: post-secondary enrollment, graduation rates, and new graduate job placement; extent to which post-secondary training/programs meet industry needs; o Skills: utilization and integration of newcomers’ skills; shortages of local skills and talent by industry; o Employment: share of the workforce employed in innovation activities; industries currently experiencing talent attraction challenges.Page 2 of 4 • What are the drivers and deterrents of talent attraction and retention for B.C.? How does B.C. compare to neighbouring jurisdictions (i.e., Alberta, Washington and Oregon states)? • What are the historical and current patterns of the flow of labour between B.C. and neighbouring jurisdictions (e.g., movement of tech workers to the U.S. or skilled tradespeople to Alberta)? What factors influence the movement of labour between these jurisdictions? What are the potential implications of greater labour mobility in the Pacific Northwest for B.C. businesses and communities? • Considerations for attracting and retaining talent in B.C. (e.g., baseline skills shortages in B.C.’s labour force; talent needs for high-growth firms; wage gaps with other jurisdictions).