Bioenergy labour shortage could get worse, report finds

Bioenergy labour shortage could get worse, report finds

With bioenergy projects taking off across Canada, small- and medium-sized companies in the industry are having a hard time finding labour for the jobs.

These are the findings of a recent report from BioTalent Canada, a resource for biotechnology employers, job seekers, educators and government agencies.

"Generating opportunity: Human resources needs in the bioenergy, biofuels and industrial biotechnology subsector" was released in September 2009.

It found that 63 per cent of bioenergy, biofuels, and industrial biotechnology organizations reported having unfilled positions that call for industry-specific skills.

The companies said that these positions range from general management to manufacturing.

That demand for labour could climb, BioTalent said, noting that by 2010, the federal government has mandated that gasoline have five per cent ethanol.