The hirings and separations database

Considering the sophistication of the services available in the financial markets and the quality and reliability of the systems used in this industry, it is surprising that such limited attention has been paid to labour market information even though it can serve a much wider population. The generation and dissemination of the wealth of stock market information and the nationwide, interbank system for clearing checks, for example, might inspire the much needed overhaul of the labour market information system. By using existing ways of collecting administrative information, with only minor changes, we would like to initiate a process through which relevant labour market information will be readily available to facilitate labour market exchange, high-quality counselling, and training needs assessment.

3. We recommend that HRD coordinate the development of a hirings and separations database, classified by occupation and industry. This information should be generated regularly and disseminated widely to increase understanding of employment patterns and trends. The database could be compiled from existing sources, such as tax remittance forms for hirings and records of employment for separations, and should use occupation and industry codes based on the National Occupational Classification and the Standard Industrial Classification.

The system could have a fee-for-access structure, that takes into consideration the type of service requested and the situation of the client. However, its fundamental universality should not be obstructed.

Table 7. Using the hirings and separations database