Job prospects Plant Maintenance Electrician in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "plant maintenance electrician" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be very good for Industrial electricians (NOC 72201) in Ontario for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
• Several positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

• Manufacturers, mainly motor vehicle and parts, steel mills, and food producers
• Building equipment contractors
• Metal ore mining companies

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

• Opportunities to support upgrades and maintenance of electrical equipment in the province’s large manufacturing base
• Investments in mining operations

What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?

• There are two voluntary skilled trades associated with this occupation in Ontario, namely, Industrial Electrician, and Electrician (Signal Maintenance)

What Other Information Will I Find Helpful?

• In northern Ontario, the mining industry is a major source of work for industrial electricians.

Here are some key facts about Industrial electricians in Ontario:

• Approximately 14,850 people work in this occupation.
• Industrial electricians mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Motor vehicle, body, trailer and parts manufacturing (NAICS 3361-3363): 31%
  • Construction (NAICS 23): 14%
  • Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 9%
  • Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 486, 487, 493): 7%
  • Primary metal manufacturing (NAICS 331): 6%
• 71% of industrial electricians work all year, while 28% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of industrial electricians are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: more than 95% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: less than 5% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 6% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 41% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 40% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 10% compared to 24% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Ontario by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "plant maintenance electrician" Industrial electricians (NOC 72201) or across Canada.

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