NEGLECT OF YOUNG CANADIAN UNDERGRADS GIVING RISE TO POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS SITUATION IN ALBERTA (AND CANADA)

The economic recession that engulfed the globe in mid-2008 has triggered a very disturbing situation in Canada, and Alberta in particular. There were massive job losses in Canada and Alberta not witnessed since 1980s and the people who were among the most severely hit were the young workers – in the age group of 18-26.

In Alberta the huge number of oilsands projects brought a fantastic economic upswing in the province from 2001-02 onwards. Fort McMurray, Calgary, and Edmonton were flush with jobs – with engineering jobs more concentrated in Calgary and Edmonton, and tradespersons’ jobs abounding in Fort McMurray. Hourly rates were going through the roof in the so-called ‘Middle East’ of North America, i.e., Fort Mc.

The burgeoning engineering companies in Alberta were offering jobs to fresh engineering undergrads to experienced alike at frenetic pace. The joke making round in 2005-06 was that if someone could spell ‘engineering’ that person was getting hired. There was a mad rush of immigrant engineers who claimed experience in oil, gas and other sectors.

But as the oilsands projects started to come to a grinding halt in 2008, massive lay offs ensued. And, bearing the brunt of this all were, among others, the young engineers. The saddest part is that these young engineers had cut their teeth in engineering in Canadian engineering schools. These young engineers who were aspiring to be the future torch bearers of Canadian expertise were given most shabby treatment by the oilsands related companies of Alberta.

During these trying times, most of the engineering companies and a number of operating companies of Alberta were and are found following dangerously short-sighted policy of relying on immigrant engineers, who have on paper more number of years of experience, to run their show.

A large chunk of these foreign educated Bachelor degree holders are pathetically ill equipped in terms of communication skills and Canadian outlook toward work culture and excellence in general. As well, most of the immigrant work force is relatively more aged.

Now, what is happening is that by not providing employment opportunities to the young Canadian engineers (EITs), the layer that would otherwise be ready to fill in the vacuum in the middle management level in the coming years when the baby boomers will be gone is not getting properly formed. These young undergrads not only bring the excellence of the Canadian engineering schools but also bring the mindset of Canadian work ethics and attitude right from the day one to their respective jobs.

The young men and women coming out of the various Canadian universities after completing their undergrad studies had formed the backbone of Canadian industrial resurgence in the late 20th century. These young men and women had brought with them the potential managerial skills so very vital to development and sustaining the edge in competition.

But that edge is getting severely blunted and lost especially in Alberta. Because, if the young engineers don’t get the experience they need in their formative years, out of the engineering schools, how will they develop the necessary oilsands and other oil and gas expertise which is fundamental to continuation of Canada’s reputation of delivering high quality output?!

Performance of a company and quality of work depends on the managerial competence of those entities. Canadian universities not only impart high quality education, they also provide a well rounded personality development, including solid grounding in soft skills, during the undergrad courses.

But if the young Canadian undergrads are not provided continued job opportunities how can they get groomed to be future managers of Canada? How will that competent layer be ready to fill the void created by the retiring baby boomers? A layer that is competent in communication skills and ingrained with Canadian work culture and values, a layer that is trained in Canadian excellence and trained to think like one! This situation is indeed potentially disastrous for Canada!!

But sadly, the incompetent and intellectually impoverished decision makers of the various engineering and operating companies are destroying the future of Alberta (and Canada) by not taking back the Canada educated engineering undergrads as soon as new job opportunities are coming up. The situations is getting further exacerbated by robot-like recruiters who cannot distinguish between ‘real’ talent and the ‘irrelevant’ talent which claims simply more number of years of experience on paper.

One hopes Alberta has not become totally devoid of sane and competent people, and that these people will realize the path of disaster the short-sighted blundering idiots are treading on. One hopes the companies in Alberta, especially the oilsands related, will refocus their attention on development of future layers of management based on home grown young undergrad talent by re-absorbing them in jobs.

If the handful sane elements in the provincial or federal Govt don’t intervene soon enough, the damage that will have been caused to future managerial competence of Alberta (and Canada) will be irreparable. Ruing at a later day will not undo the stupid actions of the present day. May God give the decision makers some modicum of intellectual sense!