Jobs & Money Detail
Job market in British Columbia
British Columbia is in the midst of a construction boom with some CDN$83 billion in major capital projects listed in the BC government’s major projects inventory
Keith Sashaw, president of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association, says "what we're seeing is strength in all sectors of construction." He also said that finding skilled workers to build all the proposed projects is an increasing challenge, one that will be with the industry for some time as the workforce ages.
The national constructors association warns that language barriers, concerns surrounding the recognition of credentials and a lack of Canadian-based training make immigrants a long-term solution rather than a short-term fix. However, Sashaw and other BC industry leaders say recognition of British credentials should not be a problem, because UK training standards are among the highest in the world and most of BC's trades do not require certification. Below is a brief outlook of occupations – both construction-based and others – that are currently in demand in BC's job market. To find out more on your occupation, the labour market, salary and educational requirements, please visit Work Futures.
There are currently lots of employment opportunities for industrial electricians and carpenters due to the province's strong construction market and existing worker retirements. More construction projects are coming up all the time as BC prepares for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Plumbers, steamfitters, pipe fitters and gasfitters are also much sought after, while according to industry sources, there is a current and persistent shortage of construction managers and estimators. Smaller companies need properly trained estimators who can also serve as project managers or schedulers. Opportunities for welders and fabricators also are available all across the province, including Northern BC.
Away from construction-based industries, there are good employment opportunities anticipated for managers in accommodation, food services and retail trade industries due to economic growth in these sectors, as well as the retirement of existing workers. These opportunities are often available to younger workers with less experience, relative to management opportunities in other industries. Note that many workers in these occupations are self-employed. A large number of senior management opportunities are anticipated across a broad range of industries, due to both economic growth and the retirement of existing workers. However, the relatively high earnings available in these occupations tend to stimulate strong competition for these opportunities among people who are already employed in related occupations or middle/junior manager positions.
Good employment prospects for social workers are primarily the result of ongoing demand for community-based workers to replace those who leave the profession or move on to other job. Social workers with Bachelor of Social Work degrees are experiencing good employment conditions. Good opportunities also exist outside BC's larger metropolitan regions. Formal education and training, together with excellent communications and interpersonal skills, are essential in these occupations Finally, there is an above average growth in the hospitality and tourism industries and this is expected to continue to generate new jobs, especially for trained chefs and cooks.
Workers with trade certification or post-secondary training tend to have lower unemployment rates, higher wages and better advancement prospects.
Read other British Columia related articles:
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