Increased online shopping has employers looking for more transportation workers
Posted Oct 17, 2020 01:30:00 PM.
The Workforce Planning Board of Waterloo Wellington Dufferin says an increase in online shopping is contributing to more people heading back to work in Waterloo Region.
Job postings for material handlers, shippers, transport truck drivers, delivery and courier drivers and the service technicians who keep those vehicles on the road are all flooding online job search sites.
Executive Director Charlene Hofbauer says according to FindYourJob.ca, employers in Waterloo Region posted nearly 73,000 jobs in September, that's over 1,000 additional postings compared to August.
Waterloo Region's unemployment rate fell slightly last month to 12.2% with 2,000 workers re-entering the labour force in September.
“However, we are still 15,000 short of what our labour force was in February and need to look at challenges that those people may be having that are preventing them from engaging and pursuing opportunities.”
Hofbauer says businesses are hopeful these numbers will continue to improve especially as the Christmas season draws closer.
“I don't know if fear of a second wave will slow that number down or perhaps some people will choose to come back because safety measures are being put in place and we're seeing what those employers are doing.”
Hofbauer adds it's unclear as to whether or not the unemployment rate will continue to fall especially with the uncertainty that comes with a second wave of COVID-19.
Other jobs in high demand right now are in health care, manufacturing and business administrative roles.
