With 15,000 employees added in the last 12 months, the job market in Lethbridge is seeing a significant rise for the first time in almost half a decade.
“The workforce in Lethbridge today is about 80,000 people employed in our region. Even just one year ago, that number was 65,000, so that’s a massive swing in positive gaining employment in our region. So, those signs are pretty encouraging, it looks like there’s activity happening and that’s always encouraging,” said Trevor Lewington, CEO of Economic Development Lethbridge.
He says an economic phoenix is rising out of the ashes of the tough COVID years.
“We have fully recovered post-COVID. Employment is back to where it was before, housing starts are back before COVID, student enrollment at both of our post-secondaries is up for the most part. We are seeing most of the major indicators that are all on that upward movement, which is very encouraging for us as we look at those numbers.”
One of the keys to this newfound growth is investment from major corporations.
“It inspires confidence,” Lewington said. “When you see a large, multinational company making the largest investment they’ve ever made, you go, ‘Oh well I should probably be there too, there’s something going on in that region.'”
Between McCain and NewCold, over $800 million has been thrust into the southern Alberta economy, creating over 300 permanent jobs in the process and that’s only at the two companies.
“A project like that is going to double their capacity, it’s going to add tens of thousands of acres of new potatoes that are required to feed that plant,” said Lewington.
“That of course, in turn, provides opportunities for the region around us in agriculture. It’s everything along the value chain, not only for the construction of the project, but once it’s built, everything that feeds into the operations of those facilities.”
This positive job market also brings optimism for students who are hoping to soon enter the workforce.
“University of Lethbridge graduates, up to 95 per cent of them, get jobs after graduation, according to the research that’s done. So, their ability to get jobs post-graduation is very strong,” said Kathleen Massey, vice provost of students at the University of Lethbridge.
Meanwhile, Lewington says those seeking jobs should “check those websites” and start calling around, because it is a job seeker’s market.