Prince George's workers support economic growth by playing important roles in ventures of all sizes. The workforce fuels and contributes to commercial and industrial success by offering skilled labour to drive the city's and region's economic engine. Impacts made by local workers on the local economy include:
- Helping traditional forestry and forest products manufacturing sectors evolve over time.
- Aiding the mining sector's expansion.
- Expanding investments in transportation and other infrastructure throughout northern British Columbia.
- Assisting sustained growth in other sectors including healthcare, education and professional services.
Workforce Employed by Industry
An overview of employment by industry in the Cariboo Development Region for 2018:
Services-producing sector
| 56,800 (70.4%)
|
Goods-producing sector
| 23,900 (29.7%)
|
Health care and social assistance
| 11,800 (14.6%) |
Wholesale and retail trade
| 11,500 (14.2%)
|
Manufacturing
| 10,300 (12.8%)
|
Construction
| 7,400 (9.2%) |
Accommodation and food services
| 5,700 (7.1%) |
Educational services
| 5,600 (6.9%) |
Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas
| 5,300 (6.7%) |
Other services (except public administration)
| 4,000 (5.0%)
|
Public administration
| 4,000 (5.0%) |
Transportation and warehousing
| 3,900 (4.8%) |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 3,200 (4.0%) |
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing
| 2,900 (3.6%)
|
Business, building and other support services
| 2,200 (2.7%) |
Information, culture and recreation
| 2,100 (2.6%) |
Workforce Training
Prince George is home the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and the College of New Caledonia (CNC) main campuses, which had an annual combined student population of around 12,500 students for the 2017-18 academic year. These institutions offer a number of programs to develop important skill sets that provide competitive advantages and prepare students for entry into the local workforce across multiple sectors.
Demographics
According Statistics Canada, Prince George has a relatively young population compared to the rest of British Columbia. The average age in the City of Prince George is 39.4 while British Columbia's average age is 42.3 years. Moreover, 38.6 per cent of Prince George residents are 24 years old or younger. Given North America's ageing population, Prince George is positioned to provide a productive and competitive workforce in the coming years.