Bright Futures in Canada Newsletter

Bright Futures in Canada

Issue #1

September 2008

Greetings!

It is with great pleasure that I extend to you a warm welcome to the introductory issue of the Electricity Sector Council's online newsletter, Bright Futures in Canada. We are very excited to launch this newsletter as a way of keeping those involved in planning and participating in the sector's future up to date with the latest news from the Council.
The Canadian electricity sector is facing a disabling human resources crisis. The 2004 Sector Study, Keeping the Future Bright, administered by the Canadian Electricity Association and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, projected that 40 per cent of electricity sector workers will be eligible to retire by 2014. This could have an alarming affect on our workforce and could seriously challenge the sector's productivity. Tom Goldie

The Electricity Sector Council was formed in direct response to this looming crisis. Working in partnership with dedicated stakeholders from industry, human resources and education, not to mention the millions of Canadians who have an interest in keeping the lights on in Canada, the Electricity Sector Council is developing human resources strategies and tools to ensure Canada maintains a strong, vibrant and safe electricity workforce.

In this newsletter you will learn about industry trends, stories from the field, and key events to look out for, as well as what the Electricity Sector Council and its partners are doing to address the human resources challenges in the electricity sector. We sincerely hope that you find this newsletter informative and engaging. If you have any suggestions or would like to hear more, we welcome your feedback and opinions. Please let us know how this resource can best serve you.

Let's work together to keep Canada's future bright! We thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Banner

Tom Goldie, Chair, Board of Directors, Electricity Sector Council
Senior Vice-President, Corporate, Hydro One

Industry News
Consult this regular section to read news reports from the changing landscape of the electricity sector in Canada.

The Electricity Sector in Canada
Composed of over 100,000 hard working men and women from all over the country, Canada's electricity sector Lines

workforce forms an interconnected and valuable industry to ensure the safe and reliable generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. They work together to power companies, offices, and factories among their larger consumers right down to the TVs and lamps in your home; in fact, the federal government has recognized the electrcity industry as part of Canada's critical infrastructure. Everyone has an interest in keeping the lights on in Canada and everyone would be affected by a critical labour shortage in the electricity sector.

The Human Resource Challenge

The 2004 Canadian Electricity Human Resource Sector Study, Keeping the Future Bright, identified the alarming potential shortage of skilled labour in Canada's electricity sector due to the mass retirement of the sector's largest and most experienced demographic. Currently more than one-third of electricity sector employees are aged 50 or older, while only about 8 per cent are younger than 30. The study estimated that approximately 40 per cent of Canada's electricity workforce will be eligible for retirement by 2014, meaning the industry needs an influx of more than 17,000 new electricity sector workers in the next 10 years to meet the sector's human resource needs.

Not only is the electricity sector facing a decreased supply of skilled labour due to retirements, it also faces the stress of increased demand. Despite greater public awareness and incentives to conserve energy, demand for electricity is actually growing.

Click here to read how the Electricity Sector Council will help.

Feature Projects

Consult this regular section of our newsletter to hear about the progress of our many important and exciting projects. From approval announcements and funding confirmations to reports and results, this column will keep you up to date on how the ESC's projects are tackling human resources issues in the electricity sector.

You can find more information about our project details in the next issue of our newsletter, or visit the Projects page of our website at http://www.brightfutures.ca/projects/index.html

Our Community
Do you have something to say about the issues discussed in this newsletter? Is there anything you would like to see in the next issue? Do you know an exceptional electricity sector worker who deserves recognition?
We want this newsletter to be a resource for you and your electricity sector-related needs. Here are some ways you can contribute:

Letters to the Editor
Submitted Stories or Story Ideas
News from your business the sector might be interested in hearing
Employee Profiles
Testimonial from an electricity sector worker
Industry reports
Volunteer/Exceptional Employee Recognition
If you have any comments, questions or suggestions for our newsletter please contact us to let us know what we can do for you!