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Go2, ski association talk recruitment

Move On Up to showcase opportunities in ski industry

By Andrew Mitchell

Although the title of Go2’s new campaign invokes memories of TV’s The Jeffersons, Move On Up is a key piece of the ski industry’s ongoing efforts to attract new employees.

This fall Go2, the human resources body for B.C.’s tourism industry, is working with the Canada West Ski Areas Association under the Move On Up banner to promote careers in the snow sports industry at job fairs in Abbotsford, Victoria, Kelowna and Vancouver — dates and locations still to be determined.

As well, Move On Up has launched an online “Work The Dream” contest, offering youth a chance to work a day in the tourism dream job of their choice.

The website, www.moveonup.com, also acts as a portal for people to learn more about careers in tourism, with job descriptions, career profiles, salary levels, and training and education programs available. Employers can also post tourism job opportunities on the site.

Move On Up was created in the recognition that B.C.’s winter resorts are understaffed.

Labour shortages are of particular concern to Whistler, with the Chamber of Commerce estimating the town will be thousands of employees short over the next few years.

There are several reasons for what is increasingly being recognized as a national worker shortage, ranging from changing demographics and the retirement of baby boomers to the resurgence of the resource and construction industry siphoning employees from other sectors. Immigration reforms and extensions to worker visas have been identified as short-term patches for the shortages.

“Move On Up, along with our partnership with Canada West Ski Areas Association, helps us profile an area within the tourism industry where growth potential will only happen if there are enough staff to work the jobs that are created,” said Arlene Keis, CEO of Go2.

“Overall the B.C. tourism industry will require over 84,000 new workers for a wide range of tourism careers by 2015 and we need to be creative to attract these workers.”