About The Guide

Why read this guide?

BC's economy and labour market is changing

iPods™. Blackberries™. Voice over Internet telephones. Laptops. Email. High-speed Internet. Hybrid cars. GPS systems. Video games. DVD players. Digital cameras. Instant messaging. Cell phones. DNA testing. What's special about them?

Twenty years is not a long time, but in the mid-1980s, these products or services were not commonplace and some of them, like DNA testing, weren't even possible. Most people didn't have a personal computer. Students used calculators to do their homework and typewriters to write papers. Researchers had to rely on printed information available at local libraries. Faxing was a new means of sending documents quickly. Most letters were sent via Canada Post. There was no easy access to email. Only a few people knew about, and could use, the Internet, and data transfer rates were very slow.

Microwave ovens were a relatively new invention, and most people went to theatres to watch movies. VCRs weren't a common piece of household equipment. CDs were about to replace cassette tapes as the preferred medium for sound recordings, but you could still buy vinyl records at music stores. iPods™ and downloadable music were probably not even dreamt of, and there were no DVD players. If you needed to make a phone call when you were away from home, you went to the nearest pay phone. Cell phones weren't available.

Today, cell phones, DVDs, digital cameras and high-speed Internet connections are found in many households. We know what DNA testing is, and might have used a GPS system in our car to find our way around a strange town.

Some of these products have profoundly affected the way the economy works. Computer-based technologies and electronic communications have caused many businesses to change the way they make or market their products, or deal with clients and suppliers. A whole new industry that provides access and support to users of these technologies has emerged.

With the Internet and better means of communications, it's no longer necessary for workers to live in the same community, in the same province, or even in the same country as their employer, co-workers, or those who are competing with them in the job market. When you pick up the phone and dial a corporation's 800-number to make a reservation or report a problem with a product or service, you might end up speaking to someone who works at a call centre in BC, but they could also be located in New Brunswick, Missouri, or as far away as India. Fifteen years ago, this would not have been possible.

The world is changing around us, and it's not just because new products and technologies are being developed. People's tastes, ideas and expectations are evolving. So is the way that goods and services are being marketed.

Specialty coffee shops in bookstores are a good example of this. You couldn't go to your neighbourhood bookstore for coffee in the mid-1980s (and you probably wouldn't have known what cappuccino was). You certainly wouldn't have been encouraged to browse through the latest bestsellers while sipping a latte.

Big-box retailing and retail outlets that sell a certain image or product label that's prominently displayed on their merchandise all represent relatively new developments in marketing to price- and image-conscious consumers. In addition, environmental, humanitarian and social concerns are becoming increasingly important factors in the decisions made by individuals, businesses and governments.

What does all this have to do with you? How might it affect your future?

In our fast-paced society, people are changing jobs more than ever before. It's no longer common for workers to be employed in one job until they retire. Instead, they can be expected to change careers as often as once every five years. Workers have to be able to market themselves, and they need skills that will be useful to a variety of different employers.

Not so long ago, you could find a stable, well-paid job even if you didn't have a high school education. Specialized training was usually only necessary if you wanted to pursue a professional career. Planning for the future by researching the job market and the economy wasn't as critically important as it is today.

Today, job-seekers have to cope with a labour market that's radically different from what it used to be. The types of jobs that are available have changed. Mining, forestry, fishing and agriculture no longer dominate the economy to the extent that they once did. And even in these traditional industries, workers are expected to have different skills and more education than in the past.

Basic skills and a willingness to work aren't necessarily going to get you a satisfying, long-term job. Neither will a university degree. Getting a job that suits your skills and abilities will probably require some research on your part. If you've done your research and understand how the economy works, you'll be in a much better position to find the job that's right for you.

So, what do you need to know?

If you're planning to work in British Columbia, you need to know what kinds of jobs are available in the province, which industries are hiring new workers, and where you're likely to find an employer who needs someone with your skills and abilities. One way to do your research is to find out more about how BC's economy is structured, which industries employ the most people, how the economy has been changing, and how it's expected to change in the future.

Ultimately, your decision about the right career for you will be influenced by a lot of factors that can't be measured in terms of dollars and cents. Most people spend more time on the job than in any other activity in which they're involved. There are a lot of issues to consider when you're planning your career, including:

• What sort of lifestyle do you prefer?
• Are you prepared to work the long hours required in some occupations?
• Is your salary the most important consideration or are other aspects of the job more important?
• Are you willing to accept risks, or do you want a secure job in a safe environment?
• What sort of work are you most likely to enjoy?
• Can you sit at a desk all day, or do you like to do physical work?
• Would you rather work outdoors, or indoors?
• Do you like to work with your hands, to make things? Or do you prefer research-oriented jobs to manual work?

These are just some of the kinds of questions that you need to ask yourself when you're looking at career options. Making sound decisions about your career involves first defining your goals, understanding your strengths and evaluating your skills, and then combining that knowledge with information about how the economy works.

That's where this resource fits in. It contains a lot of the information you need in order to understand how BC's economy and labour market are structured.

Where can you find that information on this web site?

In the section entitled BC's Economy under What do you mean when you say… some of the terms that are used to describe the economy are defined. The BC's Economy section gives an overview of the BC economy: how it's structured; how it has changed since 1990; and what sorts of jobs are available. Of course, we can't accurately predict the future, but we've also included forecasts of what's expected to happen in the labour market during the next few years.

If you're looking for information about a specific industry, you may find that under the Major Industries section, which includes industry profiles for the goods sector, as well as profiles for the service industries. There's a brief discussion of emerging trends and the new economy under For More Information, and we've also given you some ideas about where you can find out more about the BC economy and labour market. Appendix 1 describes the data sources that we've used in A Guide to the BC Economy and Labour Market.

Knowledge is power. The more information you have, the more likely it is that you will make the right decisions about your future. This resource can help you make those decisions.