With more than 27,000 workers worldwide — including 13,000 in Canada — Tier 1 supplier Linamar Corp. has a lot to offer prospective employees.
The labour shortfall has auto companies and industry groups turning to overseas recruitment, as domestic training programs are unable to meet the demand. The Stellantis vehicle-assembly plant in Windsor, Ont., for example, provided only 18 full weeks of work during the first nine months of the year, Payne said. “Most people want to have stability in their work.”
“We’re probably short about 10,000 people in the [parts] industry, so it’s not hard to find jobs for people who want to work and have a useful skill set,” said Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association .On an increasingly automated factory floor, automotive companies are vying with other industries — such as aerospace, IT, even mining — for the same talent.
“The number of people walking in is increasing, which is a good sign,” said Rose. But the 10 to 30 walk-ins is a far cry from the 2,000 who would show up during the 2009 recession, she said.