(Bloomberg) -- Older workers in Alberta’s energy industry view diversity, equity and inclusion practices less positively than younger generations, posing a challenge for the sector’s efforts to attract workers, according to a study from Ernst & Young.

About 67% of Alberta energy workers under 25 years-old say DEI efforts have affected them in a positive way, according to a survey conducted by the consultancy, and some 55% of respondents aged 25 to 34 said the same. That drops off to less than 30% for respondents 35 and older. 

Similarly, of the respondents that considered themselves novices in DEI knowledge, about 62% were 45 years or older, according to the study released Wednesday.

The age gap in diversity awareness and perceptions threatens the industry’s ability to recruit new generations of employees — as well as the immigrants that make up nearly all of the country’s labor-force growth — at a time of heightened competition for workers, said Karleen Batty, partner and energy markets strategy and transactions leader at EY in Calgary. 

“If we don’t do things right to make sure that not only can we attract — but also retain — a diverse workforce, we’re not going to have enough people to do what we need to do in this sector,” Batty said in an interview. 

The firm surveyed 261 workers in Alberta’s energy and resources industry. Of the respondents, 59% of respondents were men, while 20% identified as women, with the remainder identified as gender diverse, some other category or chose not to answer.

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