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 the Cariboo Development Region workforce and business locations by industry as of October 2016:
| Services-producing sector | 52,800 (66.5%) |
| Goods-producing sector | 26,600 (33.5%) |
| Wholesale and retail trade | 12,900 (16.2%) |
| Manufacturing | 9,600 (12.1%) |
| Health care and social assistance | 8,900 (11.2%) |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas | 7,400 (9.3%) |
| Construction | 7,100 (8.9%) |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5,400 (6.8%) |
| Educational services | 5,300 (6.7%) |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,800 (6.0%) |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,500 (4.4%) |
| Public administration | 3,200 (4.0%) |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 2,900 (3.7%) |
| Agriculture | 2,400 (3.0%) |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | 2,200 (2.8%) |
| Business, building and other support services | 2,000 (2.5%) |
| Information, culture and recreation | 1,700 (2.1%) |
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Workforce Training
Prince George is home the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and the College of New Caledonia (CNC) main campuses and has an annual student population of around 10,000 students. 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 while British Columbia's average age is 42.3 years. Moreover, 31 per cent of PG's 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.