7611-NOC

Public works and maintenance labourers

(NOC 75212)
Annual Earnings
$62,568
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
No Formal Education
Job Openings
(2023-2033)
1,140

Career Overview

Public works and maintenance labourers:

  • Perform a variety of labouring activities to maintain sidewalks, streets, roads and similar areas
  • Work for municipal, provincial and federal government public works departments
  • Also work for private contractors under contract to governments

Duties

Public works and maintenance labourers perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Clean and maintain sidewalks, streets, roads and public grounds of municipality and other areas, working as member of crew
  • Sweep debris and shovel snow from streets, sidewalks, building grounds and other areas, and load snow and debris into carts or trucks
  • Shovel cement and other materials into cement mixers, spread concrete and asphalt on road surfaces using shovels, rakes and hand tampers, and perform other activities to help with maintenance and repair of roads
  • Spread sand or salt on sidewalks for snow and ice control
  • Dig ditches and trenches using shovels and other hand tools
  • Operate jackhammers and drills to break up pavement
  • Load and unload trucks with supplies and equipment
  • Collect money from coin boxes of parking meters along established route
  • Collect and load refuse on garbage trucks
  • Help equipment operators to secure attachments to equipment or trucks
  • Help with routine maintenance and repair of equipment
  • Help skilled tradespersons such as carpenters, plumbers and mechanics
  • May operate mobile sidewalk-cleaning equipment

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$62,568

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$33.00/hr
Median$30.00/hr
Low$20.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2023 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

3,325

% Employed Full Time

55%
Source: 2021 Census

Key aspects of the work in this occupation:

  • Work takes place indoors and outdoors in various weather conditions such as snow
  • Workers may be exposed to hazardous substances such as insecticides
  • Work takes place near or with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools that may be a source of accident or injury
  • Workers may be exposed to flying particles, noise, strong vibrations, intense odours and dust

Career Pathways

Progression to supervisory positions or to public works maintenance equipment operator positions is possible with experience.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Realistic
Realistic

Job Titles

Helper - garbage collection
Municipal labourer
Parking meter collector
Public works labourer
Road maintenance worker
Sewer maintenance worker
Sidewalk cleaner

Education, Training and Skills

  • Several weeks of on-the-job training are provided

Education programs in B.C.

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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

50%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

49%
Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

49%
Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

48%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

48%
Operations Monitoring

Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.

47%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

47%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

47%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

46%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

45%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

3,325
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 125 3.8%
Kootenay 120 3.6%
Mainland/Southwest 1,925 58.0%
North Coast and Nechako 145 4.4%
Northeast 50 1.5%
Thompson-Okanagan 435 13.1%
Vancouver Island/Coast 530 16.0%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2023-2033)

1,140
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2023-2033)

Map of BC Map of BC highlighting Cariboo region Map of BC highlighting Kootenay region Map of BC highlighting Mainland/Southwest region Map of BC highlighting North Coast and Nechako region Map of BC highlighting Northeast region Map of BC highlighting Thompson-Okanagan region Map of BC highlighting Vancouver Island/Coast region
Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 30 -0.1%
Kootenay 50 0.9%
Mainland/Southwest 590 1.0%
North Coast and Nechako 10 -1.0%
Northeast 10 -0.4%
Thompson-Okanagan 200 1.3%
Vancouver Island/Coast 260 2.0%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2023-2033)
Public Administration560
Business, Building And Other Support Services240
Construction60
Manufacturing60
Wholesale Trade40
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.