THUNDER BAY – The automotive after-care market has partnered with the federal government to create an industry-specific website designed to provide a labour-market snapshot.
The Automotive Industries Association of Canada on Friday unveiled the portal at Thunder Bay’s Fountain Tire location with the help of Labour, Workforce Development and Employment Minister Patty Hajdu.
J.F. Champagne, AIA Canada’s president, said AutoConnex will allow people to get a better understanding of the various occupations available in the automotive after-care market.
“It’s a great tool for our industry to be able to understand the landscape of the labour market. It’s a great tool for government to get a better sense of the various occupations in our sector, and a great tool for people in our industry who want to go to speak with kids about the great futures they have or career opportunities they have in our sector,” Champagne said.
It’s that latter group he’d love to see use the website frequently, with a $21-billion industry that sometimes struggles to attract the next generation, despite good paying wages, in many cases.
“We want to see kids who are not too sure about what they want to do about their career go into the AutoConnex, see a series of different occupations and get a good understanding of what’s required in terms of education, what kind of compensation they might expect, the availability of jobs and projections over the next five years.”
Hajdu said the partnership will ensure both the industry and the federal government have the right information and labour-market data to know what jobs are out there and that people seeking those jobs have the necessary information to know if they qualify – and if they don’t, what skills they might need.
“The AutoConnex tool will allow employers to post information about what different pathways might into the sector might look like and what kind of skill sets you need, but it also will give young people and people who are looking to augment their education or their training with practical advice about what skill sets they need to study, what programs are available and what kind of rate of pay they can expect with different professions in their career.”
It can also remove stigma associated with the automotive-care industry, often seen as a last-ditch effort to find a job by many job-seekers.
“That couldn’t be further from the truth. These are skilled positions. There are so many different opportunities within the sector. Many of them require trade certificates and many of them are well-paying, middle-class jobs with oftentimes benefits and pensions,” Hajdu said, adding it’s also good for women, who are often steered away from skilled trades.
“A tool like this is actually showcasing women who are in this sector and what they’re doing, what kinds of skills they need and the opportunities that may exist within the sector.”
The federal government kicked in $560,000 to cover the costs of building the portal, through Hajdu’s ministry.
