Out-migration of workers discussed at Burridge session

BY ERIC BOURQUE

The Vanguard

NovaNewsNow.com

A.F. Theriault and Son Ltd. is among the firms that have felt the impact of the West-bound exodus of Nova Scotians.

The Meteghan River-based boatbuilding company lost about 40 well-trained trades people over the last couple of years – workers lured away by the prospect of higher wages – and it has been a struggle to bring the firm’s workforce back up, a company official said during a panel discussion in Yarmouth.

Everett Titus, marine manager with A.F. Theriault and Son, said the company has spent much money and time training employees and he added that while it has enough workers for now, the longer-term picture is less clear, given that the size and stability of the firm’s workforce will factor into its decisions regarding which contracts to pursue.

“Do we bid (on) this job or do we let it go?” he said during a session on labour force issues at the Burridge Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College.

A.F. Theriault and Son employs about 125-to-135 people, Titus said.

The discussion was part of a series of debates organized by NovaKnowledge.

Deborah MacAskill, a senior manager with Register.com and another of the panelists, said more effort should go into marketing the province as a good place to work and live.

“We don’t do a good enough job of promoting Nova Scotia,” she said.