Job prospects Carpenter, Shipbuilding in Nova Scotia

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "carpenter, shipbuilding" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Nova Scotia

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be very good for Carpenters (NOC 72310) in Nova Scotia for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
• Due to the seasonal nature of this occupation, employment opportunities tend to be more favourable during the summer months.

Carpenters are in high demand in many areas of mainland Nova Scotia, due in part to the high level of housing construction and renovation activity currently taking place. Opportunities for carpenters are not always advertised through traditional channels. Possession of a vehicle is often a job requirement, which may be a barrier to some candidates.

The limited supply of carpenters has prompted some employers or contractors to offer improved compensation, drawing workers from up to an hour away. It has also served to improve hiring prospects for recent graduates from carpentry programs, as well as jobseekers with experience but no formal training. Some employers may hire an applicant with little carpentry experience as a helper or labourer, but provide informal on-the-job carpentry training. Those pursuing a formal apprenticeship in carpentry may be challenged by a lack of existing Red Seal journeypersons who are able to supervise them

Here are some key facts about Carpenters in Nova Scotia:

• Approximately 5,150 people work in this occupation.
• Carpenters mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Construction (NAICS 23): 86%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 91% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 9% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 48% of carpenters work all year, while 52% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 40 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• 31% of carpenters are self-employed compared to an average of 11% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: more than 95% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: less than 5% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 16% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 26% compared to 27% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 32% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 21% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: less than 5% compared to 20% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Nova Scotia 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 "carpenter, shipbuilding" in Nova Scotia or across Canada.

Learn more