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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

Select your region:
Vancouver Island / Coast Mainland / Southwest Thompson-Okanagan Kootenay Cariboo Northeast North Coast & Nechako
  % 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

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 June 2019
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