Older Workers - The Age Advantage!

Labour market information (LMI) includes information about the number of people employed or unemployed in a given industry, the wages paid, and the forecasted outlook for jobs in that industry. It also includes information about the education, training, certification, and licences required for a job.

What this means for the Older Worker

Labour market information is collected about the workforce in each region of the province and across the country. The information about jobs in Nova Scotia will be different from that in Alberta or British Columbia. The information indicates trends and sometimes makes predictions about employment rates in certain job categories.
The more information you have about a job or new career in which you are interested, the better prepared you are to make the right decisions.

Jobs you once thought you knew a lot about may have changed significantly or have disappeared altogether.

When you are making a career change, it makes good sense to be sure:

work is available in that career
you can live with the rate of pay
whether jobs in a particular field exist in the area you have chosen to live.

Labour market research can give you that information.

There are two kinds of information available. Primary information comes from talking to people who work in jobs that interest you. You can also gather primary information by setting up an information interview with an employer or employees to learn more about a specific job of interest. This direct approach gives you specific information about the company, the work, and the position. Secondary information comes from publications or websites, such as the Human Resource and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) site, or from software, like the Career Choices computer program. You will need both primary and secondary information to help you make your decision.

Things to think about

Gathering more information from as many resources as possible will save you time in the long run.
The goal is to find the right job for you: work that you will enjoy and that reflects your values, interests, skills, and personal vision.
It is far better to make decisions based on collected facts than on myths and outdated information.

Things to do

Make a list of jobs in which you are interested. On separate pieces of paper, write the name of each job. Now, list as many questions as you can think of for each job.
Once you have prepared a list of questions, visit your local job or career resource centre and get some help on researching labour markets.
Check out labour market information for your region at HRSDC's website at http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca.

Current Initiatives