Watch the video above: The job market in Saskatchewan is taking a dive along with oil revenues. After years of economic boom and a lack of skilled trades people to fill jobs, the situation is now the other way around. Calvin To reports.
SASKATOON – Saskatchewan’s job market is taking a dive along with oil revenues and falling commodity prices. After years of economic boom and a lack of skilled trades people to fill jobs, the situation is now the other way around in many instances.
JNE Welding President Jim Nowakowski employs about 150 trades people in his two shops in Saskatoon. He began his company 35 years ago and he’s been through the ups and downs since then.
His company manufactures products for oil production and he says his industry has been hit hard.
“There are nowhere near the number of jobs available in our industry as there were even a couple of years ago,” Nowakowski says.
“Some companies have had to lay off half or two thirds of their staff.”
For new job seekers, this means good training no longer means guaranteed employment.
READ MORE: Saskatchewan sheds 8K jobs in January
Still, the job market is growing. According to Statistics Canada, Saskatoon gained more than 8,000 jobs for the last two years in a row.
Growth is predicted for next year, but less so, according to Kent Smith-Windsor, executive director of the Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce.
“The fact that we hit those numbers in 2013 and 2014 suggests that we expect a job growth slowdown for 2015,” Smith-Windsor says.
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