British Columbia, Canada, is in the process of facing an acute shortage of skilled workers.  It is projected that in the next decade there will be more than one million job openings:  676,000 positions will become vacant through retirement and 450,000 new jobs will be created in the private and public sectors.

According to government documents, there are about 650,000 children in the current school system from K-grade 12, which means that growth will considerably outpace the number of employees required.

Immigrants from all over the world, mainly from the U.K., the Philippines and Latin America, will be required to fill one-third of the new positions created. This will put additional pressure on certain businesses to make greater efforts not only to hire qualified employees but also to find avenues to retain them.

Without having qualified employee: businesses will begin to feel the pinch when it comes to profits and productivity.

The provincial and federal governments are making efforts to ease this looming scenario by implementing various programs to bring more skilled workers. One initiated by Victoria is the B. C. Provincial Nominee Programme that allows international graduates who have completed graduates masters or dociatrate in the physical work in the health programs be able to work in B.C.

Businesses will need to be proactive when it comes to recruiting and retaining employees from diverse cultural background to compete in the on-going changing markets at home and abroad. Companies that are slow to adapt in the workplace will have tough time succeeding.