Barriers to Labour Market Entry

1
Barriers to Labour Market Entry

• NWT Bureau of Statistics
• November 1, 2006

2
Brown Bag Series 2006-07

• This is third in a series of analytical
  presentations that will be undertaken in 2006-07
  by the Bureau of Statistics on behalf of ECE. The
  planned topics are
• Labour Supply in the NWT
• Employment income patterns
• Barriers to labour market entry
• Forecast occupation demand
• Education and labour market success
• A profile of older workers in the NWT
• Current and past presentations are available on
  the Bureau of Statistics website at
  www.stats.gov.nt.ca

3
Presentation Outline

• Barriers to Labor Market Entry
• Education
• Opportunities (Geography)
• Specific (reported) Barriers
• Conclusions

4
Overview

• What do we mean by barriers?
• Education as a help or hindrance
• Location, location, location
• Actual and perceived barriers

5
NWT Labour Force Activity, 2005
6
Potential Labour Supply 2004

• 24 of the NWTs population 15 is not in the
  labour force, 16 of the population does not want
  a job.

7
Education
8
Employment Rates, by HLOS

• One of the major determiners of labour market
  success, and conversely a barrier to labour
  market entry is education.

9
Employed Persons by HLOS

• Over 80 of all the employed persons in the NWT
  have high school or greater

10
Labour Supply by HLOS

• 57 of the available labour supply has less than
  a high school education

11
Education Levels, by Community Type, 20-59 year
olds

• 89 of those living in Yellowknife have a high
  school or higher compared to 52 for the small
  communities

12
Labour Supply by HLOS, By Geography

• In Yellowknife, 29 of the labour supply has less
  than high school, compared to 40 for the
  regional centres, and 66 in the smaller
  communities

13
Opportunities(Geography)
14
Employment Rate, by Community, 2004

• Obvious disparity exists in the employment rate
  statistics across NWT communities

15
Labour Market Distribution 2004

• One third of the population over 15 years of age
  has an employment rate of less than 50 and is
  located across 29 communities.

16
of Employed Who Worked More than 26 Weeks, 2003

• In Yellowknife, 84 of employed persons worked
  more than 26 weeks, while for small NWT
  communities, this rate drops to 57

17
of Pop 15 Who Worked Full-time Hours, by
Community Type

• Only 39 of those 15 and over in the smaller
  communities worked more than 30 hours per week in
  2003

18
Willing to do Rotational Work, by Community
Type

• The willingness to travel from ones home
  community to a work site is most prevalent among
  respondents living in small communities, where
  few opportunities exist.

19
Specific Barriers
20
NILF, Dont want a job
21
NILF, No Job Wanted, 20-59 years of age

• 59 of those not looking for work, and not
  wanting a job are either going to school or take
  care of family

22
NILF, No Job Wanted, by geography 20-59 year olds

• Child care and family responsibilities tops the
  list of reasons across all community types, along
  with school attendance

23
Labour Supply - Those wanting a job
24
Labour Supply, Reasons Why Not Looking, by Age

• Were less interested in those under 20 (they
  should be in school), and those 60 and over (42
  of whom indicate theyre retired)

25
Labour Supply, Reasons Not Looked, 20-59 year
olds

• 10 of respondents cited childcare and family
  responsibilities as reasons for not looking for
  work

26
Labour Supply, Did Not Look, by Gender, 20-59
year olds

• While females tend to the the caring respondents,
  males tend to be the most pessimistic
  (availability of jobs) and the most optimistic
  (waiting for recall).

27
Labour Supply, Reasons Not Looked, by
Ethnicity, 20-59 year olds

• The belief that no jobs are available is
  actually correlated to community size rather than
  ethnicity

28
Labour Supply, Reasons Not Looking, by
Geography, 20-59 year olds

• 96 of those who dont believe there are
  available jobs, live in the smaller communities
  of the NWT

29
Conclusions
30
Conclusions1

• Education matters
• Higher levels of educational attainment
  correspond to improved access and success in the
  labour market
• Geography also matters
• 1/3 of the working-age population in 29
  communities
• Opportunities are not as prevalent locally
• Rotational employment is an option
• Education can trump geography
• University degree employment rates are high even
  in small communities
• Think nurses, teachers, government employees
• Specific actual and perceived barriers
• Family responsibilities
• Actual and perceived availability of jobs

31
Conclusions2

• Removing, and mitigating, barriers through
• Education and training
• ECE programs and services
• Socio-economic agreements with industrial
  developers
• Preferential hiring, training agreements,
  transportation
• Addressing specific barriers though support
  programs
• Encouraging participation in non-traditional
  occupations
• Social support programs