Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter
Smoky River Regional Economic Development (SRRED) is hoping residents and business owners will answer two surveys being conducted to help determine the workforce needs and opportunities across the region.
“We are doing these surveys as part of the Labour Market Partnership program,” explains SRRED executive director Diane Chiasson.
“Smoky River Regional Economic Development is gathering input from local employers to better understand workforce needs, challenges, and future hiring trends,” she adds.
“Your insights will help inform training programs, workforce development initiatives, and regional strategies to support business growth and talent attraction.”
The surveys aim to determine the businesses in the Smoky River region and their employment structures, to assess hiring activity and challenges, to identify in-demand skills and qualifications, explore workforce trends and future projections, evaluate employer engagement in training and education, and inform regional workforce planning and investment.
“Businesses will benefit because the research will uncover real-time hiring challenges, recruitment patterns, skill shortages, and the evolving demands of the local labour market,” Chiasson explains.
“Residents will provide information that will help to determine who are employed individuals, job seekers, students, retirees, self-employed. The research from this study will identify workforce characteristics, skill levels, employment challenges, and career aspirations.”
Residents will be asked to respond to their survey through economic development’s Facebook page with a QR code or their municipality will have printed copies. Business will also be able to respond through a Facebook QR code and the survey will be sent via email.
“Business owners or managers should answer the questions regarding the issues concerning businesses,” Chiasson says.
The residents’ survey is for anyone who lives in the Smoky River region, whether you’re working, looking for work, self-employed, retired, a student, or between jobs. Input will help SRRED better understand the region’s workforce and improve local training, employment programs, and economic opportunities.
The surveys are relatively short and will take the responder only between 5-7 minutes to complete. Individual responses will remain confidential and will only be used in summary form for planning purposes.
“The information will be used to create three employment sectors needed that will be targeted in the promotional project to attract employers,” Chiasson says.
“Additionally, the information will help the region prepare for the future of employment.”
The survey will be available to respond to in mid-July.