Huron County manufacturers are struggling to fill skilled trades positions, as over 2,600 jobs are currently vacant.
The region currently has a high demand for electricians, welders, and other tradespeople.
The region has the lowest population growth in Ontario, with unemployment sitting at just 4.9 per cent, well below the provincial average of 7.9 per cent.
Huron Manufacturing Association Chair Larry Livingston explained that a low jobless rate, combined with the aging workforce, has left a gap in skilled trades that schools and manufacturers alone cannot fill.
"We're running into an aging population, and an aging workforce, and that's not getting replenished," he noted. “The school boards traditionally have never really pushed until recently, on apprenticeship. They always pushed for higher education."
Livingston said the association is working to encourage young people to enter the skilled trades. It sponsors various training programs in the skilled trades.
Local manufacturers are also working to retain young people by offering scholarships and high school “bus tours” to show career opportunities in trades.
As well, the association reported a recent surge in interest, with 32 students applying for scholarships last year, up from just four in the early years of the program.
Livingston complained that the region is often overlooked by the province.
“There's not enough emphasis from Queens Park in looking after the economic impact that the rural environment provides," explained Livingston.
He noted that limited public transit and housing options make it harder to entice newcomers, including immigrants with relevant skills.
"We also have to be able to provide infrastructure and worship for those individuals. Infrastructure here in our region is horrible," he continued. "We're just starting to see a resurgence in bus routes, for instance. You can't get people from areas like London or Stratford, up into this area."
The Huron County Manufacturing Association was formed about 26 years ago and boasts over 100 members.
