In the Manitoba Labour Market Outlook Report for 2018-2024, it predicts continual job growth in the province.

Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Blaine Pedersen says the report shows the labour market in Manitoba is balanced, with the labour supply about equal to the labour demand.

Between 2018-2024, 168,700 jobs are predicted to be created, with unemployment predicted to decline slightly over the next five years.

Some of the report’s key findings include:

The report forecasts approximately 24,100 total job openings per year.

Occupations in sales and service, business, finance and administration, education, law, social services, community and government services are expected to see the most openings, for a combined total of 83,300 jobs.

Sixty percent of future job openings will require some post-secondary education and training.

Overall, Manitoba’s labour market is expected to remain balanced over the next seven years, with labour supply adequate to meet demand.

In the local region, according to Morden's Immigration Coordinator Shelly Voth, Morden has seen rapid growth within its business sector.

She explains the immigration program is designed to assist employers directly in filling the roles they need.

"So we're always in touch with employers, hearing where their shortages are and seeing how we can help them out with that. We're always targeting manufacturing people because that's where employers are looking for people."

In Morden and across the Southern Manitoba, welding is a trade that is needed, Voth says, and the program has been working hard to target welders and bring them into Morden.

To help address this continual need Voth says from our local workforce those who can be trained to help fill that growing void, and from an immigration perspective having those trained welders entered into the system so when they do land they can jump right into the job system.

Another group looking at aiding in filling the job sector are colleges, which are sending groups to various regions to see what are the needs in that area. One such excursion was the Assiniboine Community College ACC Days, which took place in Winkler on October 30.

Looking to the future, Voth says possible jobs in the future are likely tech related, however, that is dependent on the kinds of business that will set up.

"If somebody moves in that need something completely different, then we shift our focus and try to bring in people with those kinds of skills and set up training opportunities to train people here already, so it's hard to tell what the future will bring."

Voth says it is probable manufacturing will continue to be an industry that needs workers.