Food and Beverage Processing Labourers

(NOC 9617)

in All Manufacturing and Utilities

Labourers in this group do material handling, clean-up, packaging and other activities related to food and beverage processing. They work in fruit and vegetable processing plants, dairies, flour mills, bakeries, sugar refineries, meat plants, breweries and other food and beverage processing and packaging plants.

Job Outlook

Good

Read more

  • Estimate Decline employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 25 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate Moderate rate of unemployment in 2022

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

  • Estimate 435 employment change, 2021-2023
  • Estimate 1945 openings due to growth and retirements, 2021-2023
  • Estimate rate of unemployment not available for these occupation.

Hourly Pay

$14.50

Minimum

$15.65

Median

$19.94

Maximum

Annual Pay

$4,317

Minimum

$20,483

Median

$45,784

Maximum

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

Hourly Pay

$14.00

Minimum

$20.80

Median

$33.00

Maximum

Annual Pay

$6,056

Minimum

$30,111

Median

$70,518

Maximum

About the job

Nature of work

Labourers in this group do material handling, clean-up, packaging and other activities related to food and beverage processing. They work in fruit and vegetable processing plants, dairies, flour mills, bakeries, sugar refineries, meat plants, breweries and other food and beverage processing and packaging plants.

Job duties

Food and beverage processing labourers:

  • Move raw materials, finished products, and packaging materials throughout plant and warehouse manually, or with powered equipment.
  • Measure and dump ingredients into hoppers of mixing and grinding machines or mobile tank trucks.
  • Feed and unload food, beverage and associated products processing machines.
  • Feed flattened boxes into forming machines to construct containers.
  • Remove filled containers from conveyors and manually pack goods into bags, boxes or other containers.
  • Clean work areas and equipment.
  • Check products and packaging for basic quality defects.
  • Help process control and machine operators in performing their duties.

Sample job titles

  • bakery labourer
  • brewery labourer
  • dairy helper - food and beverage processing
  • industrial butcher helper
  • labourer - food and beverage processing
  • meat packer - food and beverage processing
  • production helper - food and beverage processing

Skills

  • You should have good physical health. You must be able to take direction and carry out instructions given by a supervisor.

Job requirements

  • Some high school education may be required.

Other considerations

  • Shiftwork is common at various hours of the day or on a part-time basis. There is some movement among jobs in this group. Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing may move to machine or process operating positions with experience.

By the numbers

Quick look

1,335

employed in 2016

77.9%

employed full-time

0.7%

self employed

43.4%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
56.6%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
45

median age

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

15,275

employed in 2016

83.2%

employed full-time

3.2%

self employed

27.6%
Icons/female Created with Sketch.
72.4%
Icons/male Created with Sketch.
44.7

median age

Where will I likely work?

39.0%

Annapolis Valley

$22,848 median annual income
24.0%

North Shore

$21,275 median annual income
14.6%

Southern

$18,725 median annual income
14.6%

Halifax

$10,412 median annual income
7.9%

Cape Breton

$25,581 median annual income

Compared to: All NS Occupations

47.0%

Halifax

15.6%

North Shore

12.9%

Annapolis Valley

12.7%

Cape Breton

11.8%

Southern

Top Industries of Employment

73.7%

Manufacturing

8.1%

Wholesale trade

6.6%

Retail trade

4.5%

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

2.0%

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

What is the age of Employment?

28.0%

45-54

22.0%

15-24

19.0%

55-64

15.0%

35-44

13.0%

25-34

3.0%

65+

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

24.5%

45-54

20.8%

55-64

19.3%

35-44

16.5%

25-34

15.0%

15-24

Top levels of education

44.0%

High school

$24,246 median annual income
28.2%

Less than high school

$16,513 median annual income
15.8%

College Diploma

$20,539 median annual income
7.1%

Trade Certification

$22,777 median annual income
4.1%

Bachelor

$18,315 median annual income

Compared to: All Manufacturing and Utilities

38.1%

High school

$28,505 median annual income
23.3%

Less than high school

$19,224 median annual income
19.9%

College Diploma

$38,781 median annual income
12.2%

Trade Certification

$43,975 median annual income
4.5%

Bachelor

$39,715 median annual income

Education & training

High School Diploma or Equivalent

High School Program

Adults without a high school diploma can contact the Nova Scotia School for Adult Learning (NSSAL) for tuition-free programming across the province. NSSAL oversees adult education programs in Nova Scotia. NSSAL partners with the Nova Scotia Community College, Adult High Schools, Université Sainte-Anne, and community-based learning organizations to deliver programs. NSSAL offers clear, accessible pathways from adult basic education to a high school credential or GED.

Institutions providing this program

Universite Sainte-Anne

Pointe-de-l'Église, NS

Nova Scotia Community College

Various, NS

Adult High Schools

Various, NS

Community Learning Organizations

Various, NS

Employment requirements & contacts

No regulating bodies were found under this occupation profile

Contacts

Food & Consumer Products of Canada
Mississauga, ON

Additional resources

There are no additional resources for this occupation.