BC UNEMPLOYMENT: CONSTRUCTION

Balanced Labour Market, Engineers Remain in High Demand

Businesses have been operating in an employee’s market for some time now. While Goldbeck Recruiting President Henry Goldbeck hasn’t seen that trend reverse, he has seen it move toward an equilibrium.

“It’s becoming more of a balanced market,” he says. “The talented people are all working, so it’s still important for companies to present offers that are attractive.”²

He says that engineers, in particular, remain in high demand.

“Civil, structural, mechanical, and other engineers are highly sought after,” says Goldbeck. “Engineering firms are looking for people with five to ten years of experience who can be responsible for projects on their own. Those candidates are hard to find.”

Candidates Hesitant to Change Companies

A key factor in the labour market is the attitude of the talent. In recent years, Goldbeck has observed a cyclical nature with regards to their willingness to switch companies.

“Our recruiters have noticed that candidates are a bit more security conscious at the moment,” he reports.

While the much anticipated recession has yet to materialize, Goldbeck believes that the possibility remains in people’s minds.

“There seems to have been a back and forth on this since Covid,” he says. “The willingness of candidates to entertain new opportunities has expanded and contracted a few times. Right now candidates seem a bit reluctant.”

New Canadian Candidates Shouldn’t Be Overlooked

While many companies have made great strides in diversifying their staff, many also remain reluctant to hire new Canadians. Goldbeck acknowledges that language and cultural issues can present challenges, but urges hiring companies to keep an open mind.

“Learning how to assess these candidates is important,” he advises. “They may have experience working for international companies with English as their working language. On top of that, their technical skills and work ethic could be very strong. They should be assessed on an individual candidate basis. Sweeping these candidates away with one broom doesn’t give you the opportunity to make a proper assessment. You could be missing out on a real gem.”

Thank You to Departing Intern Julia Andermann

Finally, Goldbeck Recruiting would like to wish all the best to intern Julia Andermann, who recently completed her term with our company. Julia is a student at the German Federal Employment Agency, which is involved with unemployment insurance training, helping people find jobs, and integrating refugees into the German workforce. Goldbeck Recruiting has been affiliated with the agency’s co op program for 15 years.

“We’ve enjoyed having Julia on the team,” says Goldbeck. “She took part in a lot of client calls and interviews and also completed candidate research and reference checking.”  

The intern also enjoyed the experience.

“Just before I came to Vancouver we were studying active sourcing and head hunting, so it’s been great to see the things I learned at university in action,” she says.³

Andermann is fond of Vancouver’s mountains, beaches, and skyline.

“It’s beautiful,” she says. “I don’t want to leave.”

During her time in British Columbia she’s seen whales and a bear. Although she’s yet to eat poutine, she says she intends to before her departure.

“Julia comes from a town that has celebrated Oktoberfest for over 800 years,” notes Goldbeck. “Perhaps poutine should be added to the tradition.”