There is some encouraging news for job seekers and those already employed in the London area.
According to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey, 10 per cent of employers plan to hire during the second quarter of the year, while another 83 per cent intend to maintain their current staffing levels. The remaining seven per cent were unsure of their hiring intentions.
“With seasonal variations removed from the data, London’s second quarter Net Employment Outlook of 13 per cent is unchanged when compared to the previous quarterly Outlook,” said Tracy Rocca, ManpowerGroup’s London area spokesperson. “It is also a six percentage point decrease from the Outlook reported during the same time last year, indicating a steady hiring pace for the upcoming months.”
Nationally, 16 per cent of employers plan to increase their staffing levels between April 1 and June 30, while three per cent anticipate cutbacks, according to the national employment agency. The survey also indicated 80 per cent of employers expect their current staffing levels will remain unchanged, and the remaining one per cent were unsure of their hiring intentions.
“Canadian job growth has picked up in the first quarter of 2019, and this appears to be reflected in the forecast for the second quarter of 2019. With the private sector ramping up hiring efforts, 66,800 new jobs were created January, and this trend can be expected to continue in second quarter of the year,” said Darlene Minatel, Country Manager for ManpowerGroup Canada. “Ontario and Quebec continue to experience a hiring surge, but many employers are still struggling to find the right candidates for open jobs.”
It is anticipated the transportation and public utilities sector will lead the hiring in the second quarter with 24 per cent of businesses planning to hire. However, that is a five percentage point decrease from first quarter’s reported forecast. Growth is also anticipated in the public administration, manufacturing, and finance, insurance and real estate sectors.
At the other end of the scale, the wholesale and retail trade is expected to experience its weakest labour market in two years, reporting Net Employment Outlook of only seven per cent.
Over 1,900 employers across Canada participated in the survey.
