WINDSOR, ONT. -- Windsor area employers expect a mild hiring climate for the second quarter of 2021, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey.

“Survey data reveals that five per cent of employers plan to hire for the upcoming quarter, while none anticipate cutbacks,” said Natasha Djukic of Manpower’s Stoney Creek office. “Another 86 per cent of employers plan to maintain their current staffing levels, while the remaining 9 per cent of employers are unsure of their hiring intentions."

Charity Magowan, a permanent placement recruiter for ManPowerGroup says the top industry across Ontario, specifically southwestern Ontario, appears to be the manufacturing/durable sector, along with the automotive and food sector.

“We break it down within 10 industry sectors and we do see growth within all 10,” says Magowan.

There were 1344 businesses across Canada that took part.

“We’ve seen a really good increase and a continued growth through the job market, both on the contract basis and permanent,” added Magowan.

Magowan says people have adapted to be online more.

“People are ordering online more, so obviously logistics has ramped up and had to increase to complete with that as well so we see the different logistics companies that are hiring,” says Magowan.

If the border reopened, the number of job opportunities would be expected to increase.

“Anytime that you increase the ability to hire for tourism and transportation, anything of those sectors you’re going to see that increase for sure, and I do believe had that happened it would show a different light with that mild,” says Magowan.

With seasonal variations removed from the data, Windsor’s second quarter Net Employment Outlook of +10 per cent is a five-percentage point increase compared to the previous quarterly Outlook, and a two-percentage point increase from the Outlook reported during the same time last year, said Djukic.

“This indicates a conservative hiring pace for the upcoming months,” says Djukic.

With files from CTV Windsor's Chris Campbell.