Print the Plan

Enhance Human Resources Planning to Support Sector Diversification

Significant Progress

Way Forward Commitment:

Our Government recently announced the creation of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation. The former Department’s structure placed each sector of the economy into a separate silo. The new Departmental structure eliminates these silos and instead focuses on addressing key challenges that firms operating in all sectors of the economy face when entering new markets and expanding their operations.

To enhance sector diversification efforts, beginning in 2017-18, our Government will implement an evidence-based framework for the identification of target sectors, using an industry partnership approach. This approach will require engagement of various industry partners and the use of research tools, such as asset mapping, to complete gap analysis, assess regional demand and capacity of a sector to fulfill that demand, and determine levels of competitiveness.

Also in 2017-18, our Government will commence the development of a comprehensive human resource plan to support sector diversification and the development of a productive and knowledge-intensive economy. This plan will be informed by forecasted labour market opportunities and enhanced labour market information products to assist in workforce planning for individuals and businesses. Further, by March 31, 2018, our Government will have collaborated with sector associations and industry groups to better respond to their private sector labour market needs and support industry diversification. This work will include working with priority sectors, including the agriculture, aquaculture, and oil and gas industries.

What We’ve Accomplished:

  • Through leveraging of federal labour market funding, the Provincial Government is actively supporting sector associations and industry groups across multiple sectors, including oil and gas, aquaculture, agriculture and technology, to undertake research to better respond to private sector labour market needs, forecast labour market opportunities, and to support industry diversification.
  • This work is informing the development of enhanced labour market information products and a Comprehensive Human Resource Plan for the province.
  • As part of the Agriculture, Aquaculture, Technology and Forestry Work Plans, industry stakeholders and government are working collaboratively to address established human resource work plan priorities that will support sector growth and diversification through the following activities:
    • The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture has been approved for funding through the Labour Market Partnership to study the labour market recruitment, retention needs of the industry including the emerging training needs and develop labour market information for the Agriculture and Agrifood sector;
    • The Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association has been provided funding through the Labour Market Partnership to analyze the labour supply and demand of the Aquaculture Industry, including a review of training capacity and to develop an Aquaculture Attraction and Retention Strategy to address employment issues, strengthen the human resource capacity and undertake attraction and retention strategies;
    • Our government has developed a process to prioritize employers from the Agriculture, Aquaculture and Technology sectors applying under the Provincial Nominee Program; and
    • In 2018-19, the Technology Industry has committed to work with government and industry stakeholders to address employment issues, strengthen human resource capacity and undertake new initiatives to attract and retain workers.
    • In 2019-20, the Forestry Industry will work with government and stakeholders to address labour issues, strengthen human resource capacity and undertake new initiatives to attract and retain workers.

News Releases

Minister Byrne Announces Funding for the Newfoundland Aquaculture Industry Association