FOR EMPLOYERS
About the Region
The Northern BC region is the biggest tourism region in BC. It is where you will find northern lights, thick forests, and incredible water sources spanning for miles in BC’s untouched wilderness. A paddler’s paradise, the north is known for its magnificent freshwater and saltwater fishing, and has a long winter great for snowmobiling, ice hockey, cross-country skiing or dog sledding.
Visitors are drawn to the natural environment and outdoor recreation opportunities in this region, which makes up 6.2% of BC’s tourism revenue, numbering about 1200 businesses employing 6,500 full-time in the industry. Many of the communities are full of heritage and ancestry, and rich in First Nation lineage.
NORTHERN BC WORKFORCE PROFILE
In 2021, the tourism and hospitality industry employed 8,938 people in the Northern BC region. That accounts for 11% of total employment! Broken down by sector, that looks like:
- 49% Food and Beverage
- 21% Travel and Transportation
- 18% Accommodations
- 12% Recreation and Entertainment
Want to learn more about the workforce that powers the Northern BC region? Download the Northern BC workforce profile today!
RAISE THE HR BAR
Regional HR Consultant- Sarah Best
Are you a tourism and hospitality business in the Northern BC region needing HR help? Reach out to Sarah Best, the regional HR Consultant for the Northern BC region. Sarah started her career 24 years ago in mental health administration before merging into employment counselling, human resources and training facilitation, and transitioning fully into Human Resources as a consultant in 2020. She is also currently working on her CPHR designation coursework via BCIT.
Find out more about Raise the HR Bar and all that a regional HR consultant can help with here.
Project funded by Government of BC
The Northern BC region comprises a large number of seasonal businesses, which prevents you from offering year-round, full-time opportunities to stellar employees. It’s also challenging for you to entice seasonal workers to return year after year.
Where are you going to find workers to fill your openings? Do you have the resources, structure or tools to implement an effective human resource program that can engage employees in the long run? Explore a myriad of tips and articles that will help you attract qualified candidates and keep current employees happy and satisfied.
Employee training and development has a direct impact on improving customer service, productivity, consistency, staff morale, and sales. Investing in staff training is also a way to keep the superstar employees, making sure they are equipped with the right skill sets, certification and training for their positions.
Given the breadth of the industry, education requirements vary greatly, but many entry-level positions in the tourism industry do not require formal education or a degree.
Even though specific education might not be required, the more training you have, the more skills you can bring to help grow a tourism employer’s business, thus increasing your chances of landing that job you want. BC has many excellent education programs, including apprenticeship training, and tourism and hospitality programs that will help you earn certificates, diplomas and degrees. Click here for a map of secondary and post-secondary schools in your region.
Looking to connect with local tourism and hospitality students and instructors in BC and across Canada? Check out our database: https://www.go2hr.ca/articles/post-your-jobs-colleges-across-canada
In some cases, specific industry certifications are needed and are considered some of the basic job requirements. For example:
- SuperHost: customer service training for front-line staff.
- FOODSAFE: Required for foodservice workers to learn about the dangers and prevention of food poisoning. This course is available online, by distance education or in a classroom setting. We offer the distance education version of FOODSAFE Level 1.
- Foundations of Workplace Safety Course: an interactive online course designed specifically for young and new workers, covering employer and worker rights and responsibilities, common workplace hazards, and WHMIS basics.
- Serving It Right: BC’s mandatory self-study program for the responsible service of alcohol.
- Special Event Server: BC’s responsible beverage service program for serving alcohol at special events.
Whether you are a large or small business, a strong commitment to safety sets you apart as an employer of choice and inspires confidence from your current and future employees.
Participation in the Certificate of Recognition (COR) Program – an occupational health and safety audit and certification program – offers many benefits, including financial incentives from WorkSafeBC, improvement on employee morale and productivity, thus building a positive corporate image. Small employers with fewer than 20 employees can participate in the Small Employers COR (SECOR) program, which has a slightly different process and audit tool that takes into account the size of the operation in order to increase small employers’ success.
To get started, check out the Resource Library to download customizable tools and checklists for your health & safety program. If you have any questions, reach out to your regional Industry Health and Safety Specialist, Stephanie Mallalieu, who can provide you with one-on-one assistance in your program. Contact Stephanie at smallalieu@go2hr.ca or call 604-633-9787 ext. 220.
Looking to connect with local tourism and hospitality students and instructors in BC and across Canada? Check out our database: https://www.go2hr.ca/articles/post-your-jobs-colleges-across-canada
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FOR JOB SEEKERS
Work in BC’s untouched wilderness where you can:
- Lead a fishing excursion at a remote fish camp in the pristine wilderness.
- Paddle through angry rapids, or float along crystal clear rivers while developing friendships with visitors.
- Prepare traditional aboriginal dishes while learning about aboriginal culture.
- Offer snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, or dog-sledding adventures.
Tourism Only Job Board
Nearly # employers in the Northern BC region have posted jobs on our free tourism job board, looking to hire a wide variety of positions in all tourism sectors, from front-line to supervisory to executive level. Here are the latest jobs in the region:
LATEST JOBS IN THE Northern BC REGION
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