Labour Market Outlook predicts bright future
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Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills

Media Relations
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Plan for the future with the new B.C. Labour Market Outlook

The Labour Market Outlook produces a list of high-opportunity occupations by assigning indicators for expected job opportunities, current and expected labour market tightness and wage rate. These indicators are assigned a weight based on their effect on labour-market conditions. Projections are tested with employers, unions, industry groups and post-secondary institutions.

Which occupations will have the most job openings?

Over the next decade, close to three-quarters (73.4%) of the projected job openings in B.C. are in the top five occupational groups. In particular, the top three occupational groups will account for half (50.8%) of the total job openings in the province.

  • Sales and service (208,500 job openings; 21% of total)
  • Business, finance and administration (158,300 job openings; 16% of total)
  • Management (149,900 job openings; 15% of total)
  • Trades, transport and equipment operators and related jobs (117,100 job openings; 12% of total)
  • Education, law and social, community and government services (112,600 job openings; 11% of total)

Which regions of B.C. will have the most jobs?

Thousands of jobs are expected in every region of B.C. The regions with the largest number of job openings are the mainland/southwest and Vancouver Island/coast. The job openings are distributed between regions as follows:

  • Mainland/southwest: 654,600 job openings
  • Vancouver Island/coast: 176,700 job openings
  • Thompson-Okanagan: 120,000 job openings
  • Kootenay: 21,900 job openings
  • Cariboo: 18,500 job openings
  • North Coast and Nechako: 15,400 job openings
  • Northeast: 9,700 job openings

What occupations will have high opportunities?

The Labour Market Outlook produces a list of high-opportunity occupations, broken down by education and training requirements. These occupations are considered the best job opportunities for British Columbians within the next decade. The top three occupations by job openings in each category are:

  • Degree:
    • Registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses
    • Information systems analysts and consultants
    • Computer programmers and interactive media developers
  • Diploma/certificate, excluding apprenticeship:
    • Retail and wholesale trade managers
    • Administrative officers
    • Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates
  • Apprenticeship certificate:
    • Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
    • Hairstylists and barbers
    • Contractors and supervisors, heavy-equipment operator crews
  • High school and/or occupation-specific training:
    • Retail sales supervisors
    • Restaurant and food-service managers
    • Longshore workers

What are the top in-demand trades?

Over the next decade, over 83,000 job openings are expected in the skilled trades. The trades occupations with the highest projected job openings over the next 10 years are:

  • Cooks
  • Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers
  • Construction trades helpers and labourers
  • Hairstylists and barbers
  • Carpenters
  • Heavy equipment operators (except crane)
  • Electricians (except industrial and power system)
  • Painters and decorators (except interior decorators)
  • Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics
  • Bakers
  • Welders and related machine operators
  • Plumbers
  • Heavy-duty equipment mechanics
  • Motor vehicle body repairers
  • Industrial electricians