Employment and Labour Market

According to the Labour Market News, Central Alberta (January 2009), the Red Deer Region ranks fourth in terms of job creation, improving from sixth position in the 1992-2001 period. Central Alberta's average unemployment rate overall for 2008 was 3.3 per cent, compared to the Alberta average of 3.5 per cent.

Red Deer College (RDC) is a primary developer behind the educated workforce. RDC offers a diverse array of programs: applied degree; degree completion; university transfer; certificate and diploma; academic upgrading; trades & industrial training; distance learning; international opportunities and continuing education. The College also provides industry specific training to meet specialized skill requirements.

• Active labour force in the Red Deer Region is 107,300.
• 99,600 people are currently employed in the Red Deer Region.
• 70.3 per cent labour participation rate
• Alberta's minimum wage is $8.80 per hour as of April, 2009.

The Red Deer Region has one of the youngest populations in Canada with a most frequently occurring age of 23. The median age of residents in Red Deer County is 38.1. Seventeen per cent of Red Deer's population is 20 to 29 years old. There is a higher proportion of 20 to 29 years old in the area, due to an influx of young people into the local labour force.