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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 (2019-2020):

-2.6%

Job growth (2019-2020):

-4,500

Total employment (2020):

167,900

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Key points

The majority of employment in this industry occurs in the Mainland / Southwest region.
Most employees 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 2020

Men: 71%

Women: 29%

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Provincial average in 2020

Men: 52%

Women: 48%

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Age groups

% of employees under 25 years of age

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

% of employees 55 years and older

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Employment

Types of employment

	2015	2020	B.C. average (2020)
Part time (% of employees working part time)	2015 6%	2020 5%	B.C. average (2020) 21%
Self-employed (% of employees who are self-employed)	2015 8%	2020 7%	B.C. average (2020) 18%
Temporary jobs (% of employees in temporary jobs)	2015 8%	2020 6%	B.C. average (2020) 11%

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Workplace

% of workers in firms less than 20 employees

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

% of workers in private sector jobs

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Unemployment rate

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Earnings

Average hourly wages in this industry

Men

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Women

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Youth

2015
2020
B.C. average (2020)

Source: 2020 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: 2020 Labour Force Survey

Employment outlook

			2021	2026	2031
Forecasted employment			2021 176,200	2026 180,200	2031 182,900

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted average annual employment growth rate

2021 - 2026
2026 - 2031

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted industry share of total employment

2021
2026
2031

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/

Latest numbers for B.C. in November 2022