Investments in labour market strategies are essential to tourism’s ability to recover and be a key economic engine and future job creator for the Canadian economy. For this reason, tourism businesses often lead the way in developing a community-based workforce action plan. An effective strategy helps address labour force priorities set by government and ultimately builds a resilient and inclusive labour market.
Community labour force development plans aim to engage all community stakeholders. These plans focus on the economic development goals of the region or community, tourism’s growth potential, skills and capacity required, demographic data, potential industry partners and employers, existence of education and training to meet demands/needs, and opportunities for public-private partnerships.
To help communities build a resilient, productive, and inclusive tourism workforce, we share here Develop Workforce Action Plan, one of many checklists available on TourismRecovery.ca, a free resource hub to support the reopening of the visitor economy.
Develop Workforce Action Plan
Identify workforce/labour market information and data to be collected, such as:
- Demographics (e.g., age, population trends, immigration trends, education trends)
- Available job seekers
- Type of jobs available
- Tools and resources to connect people to jobs (e.g., training supports)
- Workforce challenges and opportunities (e.g., barriers, labour or skills shortages, credential recognition for new Canadians)
Identify information to be collected on factors contributing to community workforce planning:
- Economic development goals and related skills and jobs demands
- Available education and training services
- Available housing or other infrastructure needs
- Employment support services (e.g., career development professionals, immigrant serving agencies)
- Potential public-private partnerships
- Available resources or tools aimed at helping connect job seekers to employment opportunities
Conduct research:
- Use range of methods (e.g., surveys, interviews, focus groups, web searches)
Review and analyze research findings:
- Compile statistics
- Integrate information from various sources
Develop key recommendations to address workforce needs:
- Seek feedback and input by community stakeholders
- Set economic, social, educational, and employment strategic goals, for example:
- Increase workforce participation of underrepresented groups
- Improve productivity and competitiveness
- Improve quality of employment
- Outline the types of activities and investments to address infrastructure deficiencies, for example:
- Improved education and training needs
- Improved housing options
Develop strategies to achieve stated goals, in areas such as:
- Skills development
- Recruitment and retention
- Immigration
- Diversity and inclusion
Develop action plan, for example:
- Identify outcome metrics (i.e., what you want to achieve)
- Define activities and timeline to meet goals
- Identify needed resources (e.g., expertise, tools, money)
Engage/consult community stakeholders to review and feed into the plan
Finalize plan:
- Incorporate changes based on the consultation
Implement labour market action plan, for example:
- Secure necessary resources (e.g., financial supports, expertise)
- Present action plan
- Delegate activities
- Develop communications strategy
- Establish schedule to review progress
- Adjust strategies as needed