First-of-its-Kind Study Provides New Insights into Engineers, Geoscientists, Technologists and Technicians Occupations in B.C.

VANCOUVER, May 4, 2017 /CNW/ - Released today, findings from a new study about key occupations that directly support the Asia Pacific Gateway will enhance employers' recruitment activities for Engineers, Geoscientists, Technologists and Technicians (EGTT).

The study, Digging Deeper: Understanding the Engineer, Geoscientist, Technologist, and Technician Labour Market in the Asia Pacific Gateway, is a federally funded initiative. It serves as a follow-up study to the Engineers, Geoscientists, Technologists and Technicians Labour Market Information study released in 2015 which provided a 10-year labour market information forecast with important supply and demand information on 31 EGTT occupations.

Digging Deeper focused on four key areas, which included understanding how occupations were dispersed across the different disciplines, how the EGTT occupations worked together in teams, and how new entrants enter the workforce. The study also explored the extent to which B.C. expertise is exported to support projects around the world and is valued here at home. 

"The Digging Deeper study serves as evidence that additional information was needed about EGTT occupations to help fine tune market forecasts and to make accurate predictions around hiring and retaining workers in EGTT occupations," said Krista Bax, Executive Director, Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table.

Key findings identified a need to improve methodologies and processes used to model labour market changes and labour market information forecasting for EGTT workers in the Canadian economy.  

"This report provides a more in-depth study of areas that are critical to our understanding of labour market supply and demand," said Janet Sinclair, Chief Operating Officer, APEGBC. "With a clearer picture of team structures, work environment, and entry into the professions, we will be better equipped to address some of the challenges facing the engineering, geoscience, and technology industries."

A better understanding of the workers in these occupations was identified, as well as what employers' needs and expectations are in the labour market. The research sheds light on the work environment, team structures and professional demands of EGTT occupations. In turn this information will help employers strategize on how they can recruit and retain workers, and improve business productivity and profitability.

"Engineering technologists and technicians are in demand today and the report shows a need to focus our attention on supply to 2024 and beyond," said John Leech, CEO, ASTTBC. "Given the significant role of our professionals in developing and sustaining B.C.'s economy and the environment, our joint labour market project work is critical to assuring B.C. has the required human capital to 'keep the lights on' and drive innovation."

"The initial study undertaken by the Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table served as a wake-up call for the consulting engineering community and others in identifying trends and forecasts that demonstrated this important sector of B.C.'s economy needs to focus on the challenges of recruiting and retaining key players in the sector," said Keith Sashaw, President and CEO, ACEC-BC. "Now that we have identified the challenges, we have to start developing solutions, and this second report will help us formulate responses."

EGTT occupations are critical to supporting Canada's Asia Pacific Gateway, a major driver in B.C.'s economy. While the study focuses on B.C., the findings are relevant to other jurisdictions in Canada.

The study's partners were four associations: the Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table, Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC, Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia, and Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia. The project is funded by the Government of Canada's Sectoral Initiatives Program.

Digging Deeper: Understanding the Engineer, Geoscientist, Technologist, and Technician Labour Market in the Asia Pacific Gateway is available online at http://apgst.ca/projects/pdfs/Digging-Deeper-Understanding-the-EGTT-in-the-APG.pdf.

To view the 2015 Engineers, Geoscientists, Technologists and Technicians Labour Market Information study, visit www.lmionline.ca/projects/egtt.

Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table
The Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table is a non-profit, regional partnership between labour, business and education/training institutions. Our mission is to ensure the Asia Pacific Gateway has enough people with the right skills and training to meet its needs.

Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia (ACEC-BC)
ACEC-BC, formerly known as the Consulting Engineers of BC (CEBC), is British Columbia's provincial association of engineering consulting firms. ACEC-BC represents 90 of B.C.'s consulting engineering companies that provide engineering and other technology-based intellectual services to the public and private sectors.

Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC)
Founded in 1920, APEGBC regulates and governs the engineering and geoscience professions under the authority of the Engineers and Geoscientists Act. The association is charged with protecting the public interest by setting and maintaining high academic, experience and professional practice standards for all 32,000 members.

Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia (ASTTBC)
Incorporated under the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians Act, ASTTBC's purpose is to protect the public interest through professional certification of engineering and applied science technologists and technicians and regulation of their practice. ASTTBC's over 10,000 technology professionals make a significant contribution to B.C.'s economic growth and development and to the sustainability of the environment.

SOURCE Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table

For media enquiries, please contact: Krista Bax, APGST, 604-723-0309, [email protected]; John Leech, ASTTBC, 604-230-5827, [email protected]; Megan Archibald, APEGBC, 604-412-4883, [email protected]; Keith Sashaw, ACEC-BC, 604-687-2811, [email protected]