NORTH BAY -- COVID-19 has changed the way employers get work done. At the early stages, the outbreak resulted in a 30 per cent drop in job postings in North Bay alone.
"Now we're seeing opportunities open up again," said YES Employment Services CEO LeeAnne Maille.
Maille says many employers under restrictions are planning for the future and that they want to interview candidates or hope to bring laid off workers back to the work force.
"It's a matter of when. It's not a matter of if and we have a very resilient community of employers as well," said Maille.
While much of the workforce is doing their jobs from home and some employees were laid off, there are still different job markets that need to fill positions.
"Currently, the biggest demand are COVID-19 related occupations where there's a need for people to work in grocery stores, senior living and long-term care facilities cleaners," said Maille. "Food services and delivery is also big."
Meanwhile, YES Employment Services, the North Bay Labour Market Group, and the City of North Bay's economic development team are working on a survey for employers to fill out based on their needs during this unprecedented time.
"Our local businesses are innovating at incredible rates with just what they're trying to do to serve the public in a safe way," said North Bay Mayor Al McDonald.
McDonald is hopeful all of the businesses in the city will fill out the survey and send it back to the three organizations working on it, so it can best respond to the needs.
"We want to be ready to serve and the one thing we know is that we don't know everything," said Maille. "So, we want to make sure to gather that information."
Maille says YES Employment Services is doing its best to match clients with the best job during this difficult time.
