Prince George is a major supply centre servicing northern BC and the region. Important local industries include wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, health care and education services, transportation, construction and forestry. Prince George’s geographic location and skilled workforce, on-going investment and abundant resources create real opportunities for expansion of current key industries and the development of new ones.
The Prince George service sector represents 75.8% of overall employment while the goods-producing sector represents 24.2%. The goods-producing sector provides more employment than the provincial average due to the higher number of positions in manufacturing and forestry, fishing, mining, and oil and gas sectors.
A detailed analysis of current labour shortages within specific industries in Prince George demonstrates the overlapping needs of each sector. There is a lack of skilled and professional labour in trades and engineering across industry sectors and many industry-specific shortages, demonstrating the need for education and training programs and effective recruitment and retention strategies.
1.8% projected growth in employment demand 2006-2011 (New Caledonia College Region)
o Agriculture 5.8%
o Oil and Gas 2.4%
o Mining 4.5%
o Construction 3.8%
o Rail Transportation 2.6%
o Health Services 3.9%
o Accommodation and Food Services 2.3%
o High Tech Business 2.3%
