Despite a low unemployment in Windsor-Essex, issues remain with the local labour force.
More than 200 people who attended the Workforce Windsor-Essex Summit today heard about the shortage of skilled labour, the aging workforce and the declining participation rate.
Windsor-Essex has a 4.9 per cent jobless rate but officials who spoke at the summit warned if there isn't enough people to fill the jobs, the jobs may go elsewhere.
Local Economic Development Corporation CEO Stephen MacKenzie says the low jobless rate is cause for celebration, but it may not be sustainable for long.
"We are nearing full employment which is great but how many of the workers of some of our companies here are in that baby boom age range and will retire soon and are there replacement workers to fill those spots," says MacKenzie.
The summit at Caesars Windsor brought together representatives from government, education, training, employment services and employers.
President of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce Matt Marchand believes the jobless rate is only one snapshot of the local job market and there are a lot more people who have simply given up looking for work.