Lack of applicants, experience and hard skills are key reasons 41% of Canadian employers struggle to fill open positions, according to ManpowerGroup’s (NYSE: MAN) 2018 Talent Shortage Survey.

Skilled trades are the hardest jobs to fill in Canada, according to the research, followed by sales representatives and drivers. Most of the jobs where demand is growing are mid-skilled roles that require post-secondary training, yet not always a full university degree.

“We continue to see increasing demand for skilled workers across all sectors of the Canadian economy from trades and transport to sales,” Darlene Minatel, country manager ManpowerGroup Canada, said.

Nearly three in four of the companies surveyed, 68%, are investing in learning platforms and development tools to build their talent pipeline, while 28% of employers are changing their existing work models, including offering flexible work arrangements to attract and retain talent. More than half of companies, 56%, are looking at different talent pools for skills, including boomerang retirees or returning parents and part-timers.

“Today’s job seekers don’t always have the skills employers need,” Minatel said. “To solve our growing skills gap, we need to take a new approach. Employers need to buy skills in the short term, cultivate communities of talent by borrowing from external sources and help people with adjacent skills transition from one role to another. Above all, we need to build talent through upskilling and reskilling programs to develop a workforce with the skills companies and individuals need to succeed.”

The survey included nearly 2,000 employers. It was part of ManpowerGroup’s global survey including 39,195 employers across 43 countries and territories.