labour force
Labour Force Education
Kimberley and the surrounding rural area has an educated workforce
in comparison to the rest of the East Kootenay region, with a higher
percentage of university degree-holders among the prime working-age
population aged 25 to 64. There are slightly fewer residents with
apprenticeship and trades certifcation, but the entire region has a
substantially higher percentage of these skilled trades relative BC
overall.
Educational Attainment, Ages 25-64, 2006
| |
KIMBERLEY AREA*
|
EAST KOOTENAY REGION
|
B.C.
|
|
Less than High School
|
565
|
12.6%
|
14.2%
|
12.4%
|
| High School Graduate |
1,330
|
29.7%
|
29.8%
|
25.9%
|
| Apprenticeship/Trades Certificate
or Diploma |
720
|
16.1%
|
16.3%
|
12.0%
|
| College/University Graduate
below Bachelor Degree |
1,210
|
27.0%
|
27.5%
|
25.7%
|
| University Degree (or
equivalent) |
645
|
14.4%
|
12.2%
|
24.1%
|
| Total
|
4,485
|
100.0%
|
100.0%
|
100.0%
|
*Kimberley Area includes the surrounding rural
area E. Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
Labour Force Indicators
As of the 2006 Census, there were about 300 unemployed
workers in the Kimberley area. The unemployment rate of 7.3% was lower
than the 9.6% rate in the previous 2001 Census, but higher than the BC
and East Kootenay regional rates.
Kimberley's labour force participation rate is lower
than the region and province. This is consistent with the community's
somewhat older age profile (because very few senior citizens remain in
the labour force, thereby pushing down the participation rate).
Labour Force Indicator, 2006
| |
Total Labour Force
|
Unemployed
|
Participation Rate
|
Unemployment Rate
|
| Kimberley Area* |
4,170
|
305
|
62.1%
|
7.3% |
|
East Kootenay Region
|
30,760 |
1,600
|
67.2% |
5.2% |
| British Columbia
|
2,226,380
|
133,615
|
65.6%
|
6.0%
|
*Kimberley Area includes the surrounding rural
area E.
Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census
Employment Insurance Recipients
One way to track labour force trends apart from
the Census is through the percentage of the adult working age
population (age 19-64) who receive Employment Insurance (EI) payments.
Changes in these rates over time may affect more than just local
economic conditions (such as benefits running out for some recipients),
but they provide a general guideline to the state of the local and
regional labour markets.
The impact of the recent recession is very evident
in the table below, with significant increases in EI recipients from
September 2008 to March 2009, but with steady declines in the following
six months to September 2009.
The Kimberley area consistently has a higher rate
of EI recipients than the East Kootenay region overall, which is
consistently higher than the BC average.
Employment Insurance Recipients, Share of
Population Age 19-64, 2006
|
|
KIMBERLEY AREA*
|
EAST KOOTENAY REGION
|
B.C.
|
| December
2006
|
3.3
|
2.1
|
1.8
|
| March 2007
|
3.3
|
2.5
|
1.7
|
| June 2007
|
1.7
|
1.2
|
1.3
|
| September 2007
|
1.5
|
1.1
|
1.2
|
| December 2007
|
2.7
|
2.0
|
1.8
|
| March 2008
|
3.2
|
2.5
|
1.7
|
| June 2008
|
2.8
|
2.3
|
2.7
|
| September 2008
|
1.6
|
1.0
|
1.2
|
| December 2008
|
3.6
|
2.4
|
2.2
|
| March 2009
|
7.8
|
5.8
|
.3.6
|
| June 2009
|
5.0
|
4.3
|
3.2
|
| September 2009
|
3.4
|
3.2
|
2.8
|
*Kimberley Area includes the surrounding
rural area E.
Source: BC Stats
Labour Force by Occupation
The Kimberley labour market (including the surrounding
rural area) contained about 4,200 people as of the 2006 Census. The
most common occupational category, as it is throughout British
Columbia, is sales and service.
Occupational types that are substantially more common
in the Kimberley area relative to BC overall include trades, transport
and equipment operators; those related to primary industry, and health
occupations.
Labour Force by Occupation, 2006
| |
KIMBERLEY AREA*
|
EAST KOOTENAY REGION
|
B.C.
|
Sales and service occupations |
1,050
|
25.2%
|
25.8%
|
25.0%
|
Trades, transport and equipment
operators and related occupations |
920
|
22.1%
|
23.4%
|
15.2%
|
Business, finance and administration occupations |
550
|
13.2%
|
13.2%
|
16.9%
|
Management
occupations
|
345
|
8.3%
|
9.2%
|
10.3%
|
Occupations unique to
primary industry
|
265
|
6.4%
|
6.2%
|
3.9%
|
Occupations in social science,
education, government service and religion |
315
|
7.6%
|
6.0%
|
8.0%
|
Health occupations |
265
|
6.4%
|
5.1%
|
5.4%
|
Natural and applied sciences and
related occupations |
165
|
4.0%
|
4.4%
|
6.2%
|
Occupations unique to processing,
manufacturing and utilities |
125
|
3.0%
|
3.8%
|
4.1%
|
Occupations in art, culture, recreation and
sport |
125
|
3.0%
|
2.3%
|
3.4%
|
Other (inexperienced labour) |
35
|
0.8%
|
0.8%
|
1.5%
|
Total Labour Force Age 15+ |
4,170 |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
*Kimberley Area includes the surrounding rural area
E. Source: Statistics Canada, 2006 Census
COMMUNITY PROFILE
