Modest hiring forecast for Niagara: survey
A slow to modest hiring climate is expected across Niagara in the coming months, according to employment and recruitment company Manpower.
The latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, released this week, states about 17 per cent of employers in Niagara Falls plan to hire new staff between April and June, while none anticipate cutbacks.
Another 83 per cent plan to maintain their current staffing levels in the upcoming quarter.
Seasonal variations are removed from the data, such as for jobs in the hospitality and tourism sector, said Erica Melarangeli, manager for Manpower’s Niagara-Halton region.
“It’s pretty solid that we’re not seeing that anybody is planning to cut back. I think that’s a good news story,” she said.
“Even though (the second quarter net employment outlook of four per cent is) down six per cent over the projection for last quarter (January to March), it is an increase of 10 per cent versus this time last year, so even though it may seem as though it’s a slow hiring climate, there are some areas that are not all doom and gloom.”
Melarangeli said some of Manpower’s clients have told them they were successful in landing new bids.
“What we are seeing with the clients that we are dealing with (is) a slight uptick in manufacturing. There are some mid-size plants that have won some bids that we are working with. It could be entry level to skilled type of positions.”
In St. Catharines, 20 per cent of employers surveyed plan to hire new staff in the second quarter, while three per cent anticipate cutting staff. However, 77 per cent plan to maintain their current staffing levels.
“With seasonal variations removed from the data, St. Catharines’ second quarter net employment outlook of seven per cent is a four percentage point increase, when compared to the previous quarterly outlook,” said Melarangeli.
“It is also an increase of 14 percentage points from the outlook reported during the same time last year, indicating a cautiously optimistic hiring pace for the upcoming months.”
In Welland, 13 per cent of employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter, three per cent anticipate cutbacks, while 83 per cent plan to stay at current staffing levels.
“Of everybody surveyed, only one per cent are unsure of where they’re going — they’re not sure of their hiring intentions at all,” said Melarangeli.
She said at the end of June, Manpower anticipates another uptick in agriculture for Niagara.
Darlene Minatel, vice-president of Manpower Canada operations and strategic accounts, said the organization expects to see modest increases for job seekers on a national scale, too.
“Many companies, especially in the manufacturing sector, are taking a cautious approach until they see what effect political changes in the United States will have on the Canadian economy,” she said.