Job prospects Assistant, Social Services in Alberta

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as an "assistant, social services" in Alberta or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Alberta

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be moderate for Social and community service workers (NOC 42201) in Alberta for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

• Employment opportunities for this occupation depends mainly on government funding and population demographics. 
• The Alberta government's Budget 2024 added $1.55 billion for its Alberta Recovery Model, this funding will support employment opportunities with a focus on delivering mental health and addiction services. 
• Alberta's 2024 Budget also includes funding to support vulnerable people, including women's and homeless shelters. 
• Demand for community integration services may affect the outlook for this occupation.  

Here are some key facts about Social and community service workers in Alberta:

• Approximately 16,600 people work in this occupation.
• Social and community service workers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Social assistance (NAICS 624): 47%
  • Nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623): 23%
  • Religious, grant-making, civic, and professional and similar organizations (NAICS 813): 6%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 81% compared to 80% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 19% compared to 20% for all occupations
• 63% of social and community service workers work all year, while 37% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 24% compared to 53% for all occupations
  • Women: 76% compared to 47% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 20% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 7% compared to 13% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 31% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 30% compared to 21% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 9% compared to 9% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Alberta by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as an "assistant, social services" Social and community service workers (NOC 42201) or across Canada.

Learn more