Power Rates & Specific Skilled Employees
Through discussions at meetings and some sensing sessions, a number of issues are common to many KMA members. High on the list are power rates and difficulty in finding employees with specific skills.
As a result, the KMA participates on a variety of councils and sensing groups studying these and other issues which impact the manufacturing sector. Attached is a letter which has been sent to the Minister of Energy which provides a pointed summary of the Hydro costs situation and some actions from the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses.
Also, the KMA is also part of a working group of the Local Employment Planning Council programme being administered by the Workplace Development Board. Below is a request for participants in the research being carried out as part of that process. This is a wide ranging programme and it is important that the manufacturing sector has its voice heard. If you are not the best person in your business to discuss this issue, please send the request to HR or whoever is best suited to participate.
A research project is being conducted in the Peterborough/Kawartha Lakes/Northumberland region through Wakeford & Associates and the Workforce Development Board/Local Employment Planning Council. The first step in this project is to gather first-hand information from employers about their skill needs and hiring experiences in the region. The next step is to identify a way to support the balance between employers’ need for skills, and the skills workers have to offer. This project is funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development. Kris Dawson of Putting People First Solutions is the HR Consultant (working with Wakeford & Associates) that is focusing on the Peterborough area. Kris is looking for employers who would be available to talk with her to do a focus group (of 6 – 10 or more people) or to conduct a one on one interview. The interview would take about 1 hour and the focus group would likely be a 2 hr session (depending on the number of attendees). If you can help, please contact Kris at kris@puttingpeoplefirstsolutions.com or at (705) 927-8493 and she will contact you to arrange a session between December 19th and January 6th.
Please contact Kris directly as that is most efficient way to set up times.