With ever-advancing technologies and artificial intelligence creeping into the workforce, job security for current and future generations has never been more worrying. CKNW’s Future of Work series focuses on how British Columbia’s job market is going to evolve and how to help workers get the best possible employment opportunities in the future.
With an ambitious 20-year expansion plan at The Vancouver International Airport (YVR), the terminal is looking to use this project as a runway to provide more jobs.
Craig Richmond, CEO of YVR, was on the Jon McComb show earlier Friday to discuss about the potential jobs this $5.6-billion mission could bring to the Greater Vancouver area.
Richmond says by 2017, the airport had seen over 20 million people enter the facility. He predicted that in four years from now they will have seen 33 million people arrive and depart YVR.
It prompted the terminal to find new ways to adjust to the increase in people – like decreasing the wait times during check-ins.
“If you come into the country or you’re heading to the states, you would have probably used passport kiosks, we invented those in Vancouver and now we sell those all over the world.”
WATCH: Vancouver International Airports 20-year expansion plan
As the expansion plan moves forward, more opportunities to work in the airport open up. Richmond explained the airport is always interested in hiring people no matter where they’re from or how they identify themselves.
“However you identify, pay is equal and in the union the pay is equal. So there’s no difference between individuals and it’s all based on how well you do at work,” he said.
Richmond wants to address that job opportunities are quite literally open to anyone.
“I’m a member of a group called the president’s group to try and get more persons with disabilities into jobs,” he said. “So if you’re out there and you’ve always wondered ‘could I work at an airport?’ I’d remind people it’s not all pilots and people with bags, I have hundreds of people in offices.”
LISTEN: Future of Work: YVR Expansion
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