Trucking no longer top job for Canadian males

OTTAWA — For the first time in decades, Canadian men are opting to be sales clerks rather than truck drivers.

According to Statistics Canada’s 2006 census report on Canada’s labor force, trucking is no longer the top employer in the country for Canadian males.
The report found that 285, 800 men said they were retail salespeople or clerks, overtaking truck driving as the most common occupation, which was reported by 276,200 men.

Retail jobs comprised one of the largest occupational groups in the country; their numbers rose by 132,300, the largest increase of all occupations. Cashiers, increased by 43,300, a reflection of expanding consumer spending in retail stores, says StatsCan.

In terms of absolute numbers, the busy retail sector was joined by construction and health care industries as the fastest-growing occupations.

No longer a young man’s game: For the first time in years,
trucking is not Canada’s largest employer

Construction trades helpers and laborers rose by 52,300 — much of the growth occurring in British Columbia and Alberta. The former province is building rapidly for the 2010 Olympic Games and is experiencing a hot real estate market.

In Alberta, the oil and gas industry is still relatively small compared to other sectors, but its rapid expansion in recent years has meant huge gains for a number of occupations. The number of oil and gas well drillers, servicers, testers and related workers increased by 78 percent to 11,500 — making it the fastest growing of all occupations.

A number of occupations experienced declines. Textile manufacturing, for example, saw sewing machine operators plunge by 18,300, or 32.7 percent. There was also a decline in the number of metal fabricators, including steel workers, during the five-year period.

According to data on labor mobility, 563,000 people or 3.4 percent of the total workforce, moved to a different province or territory between 2001 and 2006. Not surprisingly, mobility rates were highest in the territories and Alberta.

Data also showed that the aging of Canada’s labor force intensified. In 2006, those aged 55 and older accounted for 15.3 percent of the total labor force, up from 11.7 percent in 2001. This was the result of the aging of the baby boomers, and the increased tendency for older workers to continue working.

The median age of the labor force surpassed 40 years for the first time, rising from 39.5 years in 2001 to 41.2 years in 2006. The median is the point where half are older and half younger.