In addition, about 130,000 more Nova Scotians than today will be over 65 by the year 2025. Those leaving the province tend to be younger and well educated, while those arriving tend to be over 50 years of age. We already see declining enrolments in education, increasing costs in health care, and workforce shortages looming in key industries and construction trades. This has contributed to one of the best rates of job growth among provinces in the late 1990s. However, the promising job growth figures mask changes on the horizon.
Many new jobs being created require higher levels of skills than the jobs being lost.
Nova Scotia will need to invest even more wisely in education and training to keep its workforce competitive. Nova Scotians will also require higher levels of literacy, including computer literacy, to be ready for the opportunities to come. We cannot make ourselves better off by selling to each other within the province. Exporting allows us to tap markets much larger than our own. Exports generate wealth and jobs.