Job Search in Transition: Understanding Employment Trends in Durham
A Snapshot of the Working Population
Of the survey respondents, 60% were employed—either full-time, part-time, self-employed, or seasonally. But even among those with jobs, many are actively seeking new opportunities. Part-time and seasonal workers, in particular, are the most eager to switch roles—often in search of full-time hours, better pay, and benefits.
What Matters Most to Workers?
Across all employment statuses, the number one priority is clear: work-life balance. Half of all respondents ranked it as extremely important. Other top factors included:
- Competitive pay
- Benefits
- Professional development opportunities
Interestingly, advancement opportunities ranked lower for most groups—with the exception of self-employed individuals, who see growth potential as a key motivator.
Job Search Tools: Old Meets New
Job seekers are casting wide nets. The most commonly used resources were:
- Online job search engines
- Social media
- Job fairs
- Friends and family
- Government job banks
The takeaway? Traditional job fairs are still relevant, especially for students and the unemployed, but digital platforms dominate for employed respondents.
Durham’s workforce is in flux. Even among the employed, there’s a strong appetite for better jobs. Employers looking to attract or retain talent need to pay attention to what really matters: flexibility, compensation, and opportunity.
About the DWA:
The DWA creates an annual plan supplying helpful information for community planning. The DWA hosts Jobs First Durham (JFD) a boutique job board with hyper-local information.
The DWA provides just-in-time custom labour market information and often conducts custom fee-for-service research. If you are interested in local data, please don’t hesitate to contact the DWA.
The Province of Ontario partially funds the DWA to supply Labour Market Information (LMI) to the Region of Durham.