An Engineering Labour Market Report published by the Engineers Canada Association expected about 111,000 engineering jobs to become available across Canada by 2020. However, the global pandemic, provincial closures, travel bans and massive healthcare crises have led several industries across Canada to experience a slower than expected growth.
Whether you are a fresh engineering graduate, someone looking for career advancement or a new Canadian, 2021 thankfully brings a lot of good news for the engineering job market in Canada. There are numerous opportunities due to the lack of experienced engineers and the number of retiring engineers. Many job market analysts believe that 2021 will be a winning year for engineers across the country.
Here are the top five engineering jobs in Canada that are in-demand and their projected growth*:
Mechanical Engineering
- 2,100 annual job openings predicted over the next five years
- 60% of these openings generated due to retirement
- Ontario remains the hub of mechanical engineering jobs
The demand for Mechanical Engineers in Canada is high mainly due to the application of their skills in diverse domains. Many mechanical engineers are employed in the architectural, engineering, and related services industry. Skill gaps between the new and experienced engineers are a key challenge for this particular realm of engineering. Experienced new Canadians and inter-provincial migration are likely to find great opportunities.
Civil Engineering
- 17,354 average number of civil engineers expected to be employed in Ontario between 2020-2025
- Ontario has the highest concentration and number of jobs in the civil engineering industry
- New Canadians expected to occupy 50% of jobs in the civil engineering industry by 2025
The job market for civil engineering jobs is expected to remain consistent with the exceptions of British Columbia and Manitoba, where excess demand for civil engineers is expected. Most civil engineering jobs will be concentrated in the architectural, engineering, and related services industry across Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia.
Geosciences
- Average 135 annual job openings predicted for next five years
- 40% of the total job market in British Columbia
- Saskatchewan & Manitoba have the highest wages for this job field
The geological and geotechnical fields are predicting high levels of job growth in the future, compared to other engineering fields in Canada. However, there is a scarcity of qualified and experienced engineers in this industry. Major sectors looking for professionals in this field are mining, oil sands and the utility industry. These are concentrated around British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta, along with a few in Quebec, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Software Engineering
- 1250 job openings annually over the next 5 years
- Nearly 800 software engineering degrees granted by Canadian universities
- 50% of total software engineer opportunities in Ontario
Innovation has become a key focus of businesses across the world, and Canada is no different. Canadian companies are striving to bring the most advanced technological developments in their products and processes to gain a competitive advantage in the market. As software is the base of almost any innovation, there is no surprise that this engineering field is buzzing with opportunities.
Electrical Engineering
- 1800 annual job openings predicted over the next 5 years
- 65% of these openings are due to the need for the replacement of retiring professionals
- Approximately 590 new Canadians expected to join the workforce per year for the next 5 years
The electrical engineering industry is a potential job mine. Thanks to the ongoing trend of sustainable development and energy efficiency, utility businesses are constantly engaging with active and passive engineering job seekers to find and employ top skilled electrical engineering professionals to help fulfill their sustainability goals. But utilities are not the only sector where electrical engineers are in demand. In fact, many electrical and electronics engineers also work in the architectural, engineering, and related services industries.
