New Jobs Data Show Canadian Dads Working More; Best Career Advice from Fathers
This Father’s Day, there’s good news for dads when it comes to the job market. According to the newest jobs data released by Statistics Canada, the labor force participation rate of men ages 25-54 increased nearly a full point last month to 91.4% from 90.6% a year ago, the highest it has been in over a decade. The unemployment rate for the same group also declined to 4.7% last month, compared to 5.1% a year ago.
The improving job market for working-age men comes as no surprise to Shane DeCoste, an Express Employment Professionals owner in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who says employers are facing labour shortages and making extra efforts to recruit those not currently in the labour market.
“We are hearing from companies that they are struggling to find qualified talent to fill vacancies and new jobs created by growth of their business,” DeCoste added. “Effort and resources invested in hiring is increasing, meanwhile open jobs continue to grow. Companies have made it clear that hiring and retaining qualified talent is often their biggest challenge.”
With Father’s Day approaching, Express owners shared the best career advice received from their own fathers. Interestingly, often the best advice received wasn’t communicated in words – but in actions.
“The best advice my father gave me was never really spoken to me,” said Hanif Hemani, an Express franchise owner in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. “It was often just simply displayed, and set, by his example. It was his work ethic and his expectations that he, and we, be the best.”
Express franchise owner Shane DeCoste echoed such sentiments.
“My father worked all his working life as a Boilermaker traveling to large industrial facilities,” DeCoste explained. “Dad wasn’t one to sit you down and give you advice, but he led by example.”
Despite the power of leading by example, some words of wisdom proved influential and transformative.
DeCoste notes that his father, “did have a few pieces of advice that would surface from time to time that stuck with me: Anything worth doing is worth doing right the first time. Avoid taking short cuts with your work and no matter the task, always do it to the best of your ability. Your word is your name-be careful how you use it.”
Terry Stewart, an Express franchise owner in Surrey, British Columbia said his late father provided two lasting pieces of career advice.
“First, he never heard of a good, reliable, smart hard worker who showed up for work early every day get fired,” Stewart said. “Second, every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it; sign your work with excellence.”
“Any Father’s Day where there are numerous job opportunities for dads out there is a happy Father’s Day,” said Bill Stoller, CEO of Express. “But there’s work to be done with some dads still on the sidelines-because their participation in the workforce is not only about their success but also about the success of their children.”
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