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SITE BC - Engineering MarketNelson Lee, MASc, PEng

nlee@eba.ca

June 30, 2012

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• The employer's perspective

• The job market - potential opportunities

• Steps you can take to be one employed

• A little background about me

What I want to share with you

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• Born in Canada to immigrants

• Wife is from Taiwan

• Lived and worked in Taiwan, HK, China 1990-2003

• Team Leader with EBA, A Tetra Tech Company

• Responsible for Business Development for Sustainability team of 6 and hopefully growing

• Fully employed but always looking for work!

Who is Nelson Lee

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• Aging work force

• More technically advanced business environment

• Cost of labour

• Shift in focus to an Asian market

The employer's perspective

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• Communication

• Performance ?

• Reliability ?

• Credentials

• Salary expectations

• Responsibility expectations

Employer's perspective

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• Optimistic view

• Potential risks such as

• Economy

• Environment / climate change

• Politics

Opportunities - the Job Market

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• "Begin with the end in mind", Stephen Covey

A look to the future

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• Strategy is about positioning yourself for success based on your understanding of the future,

• paraphrased from Michael Porter, Harvard

Why look to the future?

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What we know

2020-2030!

Forward Looking Statements

Some of this presentation may contain forward-looking statements. The audience is cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of these statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements.

These forward looking statements are intended to stimulate thought.

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•World population around 8 billion

•Canada 37+ million, 10-15% more than now

•AB 5 million, 25% growth

•BC 6 million, 30-40% growth

•SK 2 million, 40-50% growth

•Some of us retired,

•AB 24% increasing to 33% > 65,

•BC 12% increasing to 24% > 65

20 Year Outlook

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• Technology will advance!

• Highly mobile, electronic networking / marketing

• Services growing

• Urban populations increasing

• Demand for better education increasing

20 Year Outlook

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• Economy close to 50-75% greater,

• China largest economy

• India largest population

• BC and AB trade with Asia doubled, less dependent on US

• More foreign investment in resource sector, minerals and especially fossil fuel

• Greater proportion of seniors

• More of the current youth in "leadership" - stay home, social media life style

20 Year Outlook

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• TransCanada XL pipeline,

• Enbridge Gateway pipeline,

• TransCanada gas pipeline,

• Kinder Morgan line twinning project

• Shell, Encana, EOG, Progress, Apache, etc., BC Government supporting 3+ LNG plants, or more

• Shale gas, expansion in BC,

• Conventional oil and gas in AB, coal in BC/AB

• Enbridge gas plant purchases, other gas plant investments

Expected Big Opportunities

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•Federal monitoring of oil sands, BC monitoring of Air in NE

•BC Hydro dams, including Site C, transmission line projects (opening up 16 mines in NW BC), power demand up 30% in 20-30 years

•Pacific gateway project-roads, bridges, rail, ports investments, BC expansion to India and China, and transship to the US

•Foreign investment in mining and energy

•AB, BC GHG program, pending SK, Federal GHG limits, Renewable Fuel standards, regulations on coal industry

•Washington Marine Group $8 billion Navy contract

Expected Big opportunities

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•Circum-Polar initiative, DNIAND adaptation support, NT, MOT adaptation in transportation

•Renewable energy initiatives in ON/BC, energy efficiency in AB

•Mining initiatives, both exploration and development

•Global product labeling pressure

•Calgary to Edmonton rail service

•Collective residential, commercial development and transportation networks

•AESO transmission line in AB, BC Hydro transmissions lines along main corridor, while cutting staff

Expected Big opportunities

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•Attracting / retaining staff, especially intermediate and senior to meet goals

•Leveraging technology and management systems to be more productive, efficient and satisfying to stakeholders

•AB and SK are worker limited

•BC may approach worker limitations

Industry Challenges

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• Recall employer's perspectives

Steps you can take

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• Aging work force

• More technically advanced business environment

• Cost of labour

• Bottom line is great need!

The employer's perspective

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• Communication

• Performance ?

• Reliability ?

• Credentials

• Salary expectations

• Responsibility expectations

• Yes, they have concerns, but these can be addressed

Employer's perspective

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• Make employment your highest priority, daily activity

• Communication - work on English language proficiency - Toastmasters, classes

• Watch TV, read newspapers, read industry or professional journals - all in English

• Study job market, regulatory environment of your job market

• Join professional associations, attend, volunteer

• Attend conferences - volunteer, seek reduced rates, subsidies

• Local schooling, especially continuing professional development - knowledge and networking

Steps you can take

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• Local clubs, school boards, volunteering - networking

• LinkedIn, Facebook etc., be active, contribute

• Get involved in politics at any level - always looking for members, volunteers

• Form focus groups to understand market and opportunities

• Local work experience - Contract positions, temporary work, part-time work, ideally engineering

• Daily phone calls to potential employers with follow-up

• Set goals and track performance - drives and encourages

Steps you can take

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• Keep yourself fit, eat well and get sufficient rest

• Smile a lot, especially when talking to people on the phone!

• Let's face it, looking for work is work!

• It's hard and can be discouraging

• But in my experience,

• 10 calls, talk to one person,

• 10 talks, 1 solid lead,

• 10 leads, 1 job offer,

• 10 job offers, 1 perfect career

Steps you can take

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• AECOM

• AMEC

• Associated

• CH2MHill

• EBA

• Focus

• Golder

• Levelton

• Stantec

Environmental

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• Bechtel

• Flour

• Hatch

• Brown and Root

• Peter Kewitt

• PCL

• Ledcor

Engineering

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• The glass is really half full

• You can take control of your future

Conclusions

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EBA, A Tetra Tech Company, has a strong background and focus in greenhouse gas (GHG) markets and related environmental management systems (EMS).

For nearly 25 years he has advised corporations and governments on strategies for improving their sustainability related to environment, health, and safety performance and GHG management, both in consulting and in a third-party role.

Nelson currently leads EBA’s growing GHG / Climate Change / Sustainability Team and is frequently called upon to speak at seminars and provide training.

Nelson Lee, MASc, PEng Senior Sustainability

Strategist

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Nelson Lee, P.Eng.Senior Sustainability Strategist

Practice Leader, GHG and Sustainability Practice

nlee@eba.ca403.203.3305x850

604.685.0275

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