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Manufacturing

Table of contents

Overview Workforce Employment Earnings

Location of work Employment outlook Related careers Additional resources

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Overview

Employment summary

Growth (2016-2017):

+2.0%

Job growth (2016-2017):

+4,100

Total employment (2017):

174,200

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Key points

Manufacturing generated about nine percent of the provincial GDP in 2011.
The majority of jobs in this industry are found in the Mainland / Southwest region.
Nearly every employee in the industry is in the private sector.
There are far fewer women in this industry than in others.

The Manufacturing industry is made up of businesses that are typically engaged in the physical or chemical transformation of materials or substances into new products. These products can be ready for use or put into the creation of another product.

Workforce

Gender

Employment by gender in 2017

Men: 70%

Women: 30%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Provincial average in 2017

Men: 52%

Women: 48%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Age groups

% of employees under 25 years of age

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

% of employees 55 years and older

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Employment

Types of employment

	2012	2017	B.C. average (2017)
Part time (% of employees working part time)	2012 6%	2017 8%	B.C. average (2017) 22%
Self-employed (% of employees who are self-employed)	2012 7%	2017 7%	B.C. average (2017) 18%
Temporary jobs (% of employees in temporary jobs)	2012 7%	2017 6%	B.C. average (2017) 14%

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Workplace

% of workers in firms less than 20 employees

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

% of workers in private sector jobs

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rate

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Earnings

Average hourly wages in this industry

Men

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Women

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Youth

2012
2017
B.C. average (2017)

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Location of work

% employment of this industry

% employment of all industries

Vancouver Island / Coast

Mainland / Southwest

Thompson-Okanagan

Kootenay

Cariboo

North Coast & Nechako

Northeast

Source: 2017 Labour Force Survey

Employment outlook

			2018	2023	2028
Forecasted employment			2018 176,100	2023 178,000	2028 179,200

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted average annual employment growth rate

2018 - 2023
2023 - 2028

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted industry share of total employment

2018
2023
2028

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Related careers

Manufacturing managers (NOC 0911)

Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics (NOC 7311)

Material handlers (NOC 7452)

Labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing (NOC 9614)

Labourers in food and beverage processing (NOC 9617)

Additional resources

BC Alliance for Manufacturing
http://www.manufacturingbc.org/

BC Wood
http://www.bcwood.com/

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)
https://www.cme-mec.ca/

Wood Manufacturing Council (WMC)
http://www.wmc-cfb.ca/

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Latest numbers for B.C. in April 2019