Skills in Demand by Occupation

Top 10 Skills in Demand by Occupation

The skills employers look for the most vary by type of occupation. There are also skills employers look for across all occupations. The first chart list skills and certifications that are in demand across all occupations. The remaining charts list skills and certifications relevant to the occupational category. Skills are grouped as:

  • Occupational Skills  - skills learned on the job or through training
  • Social-economical - cognitive, interpersonal, language, resource management, and personal qualities
  • Tools and Equipment – the ability to use specific tools or equipment
  • Technologies – the ability to work with specific technologies

To view skills in demand by industry visit our industry page. To view the occupations in each category check out the “browse jobs” link on the homepage.

A table titled: Common Skills, Certifications & Technologies. The table is divided into two columns with the following labels: skills and certifications and technologies. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading.

0 - Management

This category includes legislators, senior management, middle management occupations.

A table titled: Management. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The bottom of the table has a section spanning all three columns titled Tools and Technologies listing those items in demand. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

1 - Business, Finance and Administration

This group includes financial and business services, administration and clerical supervision and support services. Some occupations in this category are unique to the financial and business services sectors however, most are found in all industries.

Professional occupations in this group like accountants, investment brokers, and human resources specialists are usually supplied from education programs specific to the profession. Some administrative and business occupations are supplied from experienced workers in related clerical occupations.

A table titled: Business, Finance and Administration. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The bottom of the table has a section spanning all three columns titled Tools and Technologies listing those items in demand. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

2 - Engineering, Math, Science and Information Technology

This category includes occupations in sciences, engineering, architecture and information technology. 

These occupations require post-secondary education in an appropriate scientific or technical discipline. Advancement from technical to professional occupations usually requires additional education.

A table titled: Engineering, Math, Science and Information Technology. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The bottom of the table has a section spanning all three columns titled Tools and Technologies listing those items in demand. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

3 - Health

This category includes occupations that provide health care services directly to patients and those that provide technical support to medical staff.

Advancement from medical and dental technical roles to professional occupations requires additional formal education. Advancement to supervisory positions requires experience in the occupations supervised. Support occupations in health are usually supplied from short training programs specific to the support area.

A table titled: Health. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The bottom of the table has a section spanning all three columns titled Tools and Technologies listing those items in demand. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

4 - Education, Law and Social, Community and Government Services

Occupations in this category are concerned with law, teaching, counselling, conducting social science research, developing government policy, and administering government and other programs. Religious services and leadership roles are included in this category.

These occupations usually require completion of a related post-secondary program. Individuals who work as paralegals, social service workers or educators and instructors who are not part of the elementary, secondary or post-secondary school system are usually required to complete additional formal education to advance to professional occupations.

A table titled: Education, Law, and Social, Community and Government Services. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The bottom of the table has a section spanning all three columns titled Tools and Technologies listing those items in demand. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

5 - Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport

This category includes occupations in art and culture, including the performing arts, film and video, broadcasting, journalism, writing, creative design, libraries and museums.

A table titled: Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications & Tech. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

6 - Sales and Service

This category contains retail and wholesale sales occupations and customer and personal service occupations related to a wide range of industries like as accommodation and food services, travel, tourism and cleaning services.  

Sales and service occupations can be linked, for the most part, to formal post-secondary or occupation-specific training programs. Others are characterized by periods of formal on-the-job training. Apprenticeship training is available for some specialized service occupations. Advancement from sales and service occupations to positions of increased responsibility, or supervision, usually requires occupational experience and may require completion of related training programs.

A table titled: Sales and Service. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The bottom of the table has a section spanning all three columns titled Tools and Technologies listing those items in demand. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

7 - Trades and Transportation

This category includes trades supervisors and contractors, construction and mechanical tradespersons, operators of transportation and heavy equipment and trades helpers. These occupations are found in a wide range of industries, with many in the construction and transportation industries. 

This category includes most of the apprenticeable trades, including all those related to the construction industry. Other occupations in this category usually require completion of college or vocational education programs combined with on-the-job training. Helpers get training on the job site. Advancement to supervisory positions or self-employed contractor status is possible with experience. There is limited mobility or transferability of skills among occupations in this category due to specific apprenticeship, training and licensing requirements for most occupations.

A table titled: Trades and Transportation. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The bottom of the table has a section spanning all three columns titled Tools and Technologies listing those items in demand. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

8 - Farming, Fishing, Forestry and Mining

These occupations include supervisors and equipment operators in the natural resource-based sectors of mining, oil and gas production, forestry and logging, agriculture, horticulture and fishing. Most occupations in this category are industry specific and do not occur outside of the primary resources industries. 

Occupations within this category generally require completion of college or vocational education programs. Some of these occupations, however, are characterized by on-the-job training and progression through experience.

A table titled: Farming, Fishing, Forestry and Mining. The table is divided into two columns with the following labels: occupational skills and social-emotional skills. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

9 - Manufacturing and Utilities

This category contains supervisory, production and labouring occupations in manufacturing, processing and utilities.  Occupations in this category are characterized by either technical training or internal progression, and on-the-job training.

Process control occupations in this category are increasingly technical and post-secondary training is usually required. For many occupations in this category, workers typically start out as labourers and advance to machine operation occupations through experience. Advancement to supervisory positions requires experience in the occupations supervised. Mobility in some of these occupations may be limited by seniority provisions of collective agreements or may require additional training.

A table titled: Manufacturing and Utilities. The table is divided into three columns with the following labels: occupational skills, social-emotional skills, and certifications. Top 10 skills are listed under each column heading. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

Source: Vicinity Jobs. Skills and Certifications by Level 1 Occupational Group. August 1, 2021 – July 31, 2022. Click here to download the charts. Top 10 skills appearing in at least 100 job postings.

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