.
by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services
INUVIK (OCT 10/96) - It may be a long, cold winter ahead for those seeking employment.
The employment scene has never been more grim in his eight years as an employment counsellor, said Richard Barnes of Inuvik's Canada Employment Centre. Barnes was asked last week for his assessment of the local job scene, in the face of spiralling government cuts.
"We have less job orders now than at any time during my period here," said Barnes. "We're at a low point. Only about four job notices have been on the board at any given time since the summer rush," he said.
Barnes said there was a "very noticeable slowdown" in the number of jobs this year. The summer had its usual flurry of activity, during which time 20 or 30 jobs were on the board at any given time. But most of those jobs were seasonal work related to tourism. Since then, prospects have languished, he said.
And there's more bad news. The large number of unemployed people, coupled with a declining job pool, may be putting a downward pressure on wages.
Barnes said his clients have complained that wages offered by employers seem to be shrinking.
The jobs on the board appear to fit into two categories, Barnes said. Employers are either seeking highly-skilled workers for good-paying positions or lower-skilled workers for minimum-wage jobs.
Last winter's employment picture was brightened by the appearance of Shell Canada Ltd., which employed 50 workers (many of them local) to seal 12 old drill sites in a $3.3-million well abandonment project.
This winter also has a few bright spots. The Inuvialuit Petroleum Corporation's $1.5-million plan to test its Ikhil natural gas well will be a shot in the arm for the job market, if the project goes as expected. The big payoff in jobs may come later. If the field test meets expectations, the corporation and partners may move to build a natural gas pipeline linking Inuvik to the field. That project will yield considerable economic gains for Inuvik.
Another plus is the construction work on the new recreation complex. It's creating considerable local employment, and work is expected to continue there until at least February, if not beyond.
Barnes' advice to job seekers: "Keep doing what you're doing, keep going to employers, keep trying."