Scientists investigate that which already is; Engineers create that which has never been.
Albert Einstein
According to a recent labour market report released by Engineers Canada, the percentage of awarded engineering degrees among Canadian universities has increased by 8.7% over the last few years — which is a clear indicator of engineering's popularity as a future occupation in the country.
If you are considering engineering as one of your employment options as a student, here are some essential information that will be covered in this article:
What to know if you plan to become an engineer in Canada
- Overview of engineering specializations in Canada
- Popularity of different engineering careers according to provinces
Popular Engineering Specializations Among Canadians
First, let's go through the five most sought-after and well-known engineering jobs:
Next, let's review other specialized engineering jobs that are gaining more popularity and attention among Canadians these days before going to the specific provinces in the next paragraph:
There are also several other engineering branches worth mentioning such as artificial intelligence engineering, data engineering, marine engineering, mechatronics engineering, and agricultural engineering.
Continue reading to discover some of the most popular engineering jobs in various provinces in Canada alongside their average wage range based on several surveys conducted on job recruiting portals like Indeed, Glassdoor, and Argilus Job Solutions,
Ontario
We will start with one of the most populous provinces in Canada, Ontario. Ontario is home to Toronto, which is well known as the Silicon Valley of the North. So it's no surprise that big names like Google, Twitter, and Microsoft have set up satellite offices in the city. A bustling tech scene means a high demand for software and computer engineers.
On the other hand, the capital of Canada, Ottawa is popular for major construction projects such as the expansion of the GO Transit rail services and urban planning initiatives involving various infrastructure and transportation systems. This is where civil engineers come into the picture.
👷♂️+🎓Top engineering fields: Software Engineering, Civil Engineering
💵 Average annual salaries range: CAD $75,000–$120,000/year, CAD $70,000–$105,000/year
It's important to note that the salary of each engineer can differ according to their working experience, the city that they're working at, and the scale of the companies that they are working at. Obviously, if you are just starting as an engineer in training, your salary will be lower than a senior engineer.
British Columbia
Next, let's review the engineering job landscape in British Columbia. If Ontario has Toronto, then British Columbia has Vancouver. The city is slowly evolving as a great tech player, especially in terms of incorporating the technology of sustainable engineering through clean energy and renewable sources.
That's why you'll notice that software/computer engineers' jobs are once again taking the lead in British Columbia alongside the prominence of environmental engineers at CleanBC, an organization that constantly advocates for solutions regarding climate change.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering fields: Software Engineering, Environmental Engineering
💵 Average annual salaries range: CAD $80,000–$115,000/year, CAD $70,000–$90,000/year
Alberta
Moving on, let's talk about a province that's located in Western Canada, Alberta. Famous for its oil sands projects in Fort McMurray, the city requires many petroleum engineers to assist in the drilling process. So if you are considering a career in the oil and gas industry, you should start browsing for engineering jobs in Alberta.
On the same note, petroleum engineers also need to work hand in hand with chemical engineers who play a key role in optimizing processes for the extraction, refining, and distribution of petroleum products.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering fields: Petroleum engineer, Chemical engineer
💵 Average annual salaries range: CAD $90,000–$150,000/year, CAD $80,000–$120,000/year
Quebec
Quebec has the second largest Canadian city, which is Montreal. Even though the province is known for its large French-speaking population, Montreal is also known for being the world's third-largest aerospace manufacturing industry. That's why it's a haven for future aerospace engineers.
Additionally, Quebec has a large number of hydroelectric generating stations under the Hydro-Québec projects (also the 4th highest hydropower production globally). leading to high career opportunities for anyone who wants to be an electrical engineer in the province too.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering jobs: Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering
💵 Average annual salaries range: CAD $80,000–$130,000/year, CAD $75,000–$110,000/year
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is home to Halifax, which is a popular city for the shipbuilding industry in the country. Hence, marine engineers are instrumental in ensuring a smooth process of designing marine transportation to overseeing engine systems, for example in the context of a submarine.
Photo by iSawRed
Furthermore, Nova Scotia also has a series of government-funded projects on natural resources like the Tidal Energy Project in the Bay of Fundy which requires experienced environmental engineers to install and execute a series of tidal in-stream energy conversion (TISEC) devices.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering fields: Marine Engineering, Environmental Engineering
💵 Average annual salaries range: CAD $75,000–$110,000/year, CAD $70,000–$90,000/year
New Brunswick
As for New Brunswick, engineering jobs are generally high in demand with a special mention for electrical engineers especially those who want to work at the New Brunswick Power Corporation (NB Power), a primary electricity distributor in the province.
Forestry and conservation are also a main priority in New Brunswick so if you are an environmental engineer graduate, you can consider applying for a job here.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering fields: Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering
💵 General annual salaries range: CAD $70,000–$95,000/year, CAD $65,000–$85,000/year
Saskatchewan
A Canadian province with strong Indigenous roots, Saskatchewan has a rich mining industry which leads to a strong demand for both mining engineers and chemical engineers.
North Saskatchewan is known for having the world's largest high-grade uranium deposits and a mineral called potash, a key component in fertilizers. That's why many fertilizer production companies in the province hire chemical engineers to play a role in the local agricultural industry.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering fields: Mining Engineering, Chemical Engineering
💵 General annual salaries range: CAD $85,000–$130,000/year, CAD $75,000–$110,000/year
Manitoba
Due to its geography, climate, and increasing population, there has been an increased demand for civil engineers in Manitoba. One clear example that reflects all of this is the construction of an artificial flood control like The Red River Floodway.
Meanwhile, the growing population in Winnipeg also drives more job recruitment of civil engineers towards the province due to the increase in infrastructure and housing projects. On the other hand, Manitoba is greatly relying on renewable energy like hydroelectric power, with dams like the Keeyask Generating Station, leading to more job opportunities for electric engineers.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering fields: Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering
💵 General annual salaries range: CAD $65,000–$90,000/year, CAD $70,000–$95,000/year
Newfoundland & Labrador
This province has a wide range of offshore oil fields in cities like Hebron and Hibernia which is quite similar to Alberta. So you'll need someone who can supervise the oil drilling process and a group of experts who are well-versed in marine logistics and the efficient transportation of petroleum (shipbuilding and repair)
Marine engineers and petroleum engineers are certainly the top pick among job seekers in Newfoundland & Labrador, where good collaboration is needed to ensure marine safety and good economic revenue.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering jobs: Marine Engineering, Petroleum Engineering
💵 General annual salaries range: CAD $80,000–$120,000/year, CAD $90,000–$140,000/year
Prince Edward Island
Finally, we cannot miss out on a lovely island province of the country. Prince Edward Island is not only well known as the beautiful setting of a Canadian literature classic, but it's also a place that's rich in natural resources.
The island thrives on agricultural activities, so there is a need for sustainable farming practices and efficient waste management. Additionally, the island also has an ageing population — more demands for biomedical tools and services to provide the best care in the health sector.
👷♂️+🎓Popular engineering fields: Environmental Engineering, Biomedical Engineering
💵 General annual salaries range: CAD $65,000–$85,000/year, CAD $75,000–$110,000/year
Learn Different Engineering Topics With Superprof
Now that you have learnt about the most popular engineering jobs in different parts of the country and their respective salary range, you might want to kickstart your journey to become an excellent engineer. One way to enhance your knowledge in this field is through private tutoring with an experienced tutor.
At Superprof, you can connect with a wide range of tutors with different backgrounds in terms of education qualification, industrial experience, and tutoring specialization.
Not only that, you can pick a tutor based on your preferred learning mode (physical/online lessons) and also hourly rates.
Once you have reviewed the tutor's personal information, you can proceed to book your first lesson with him or her. With Superprof, you have this covered!
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