National Outlook – 10-Year Projection (2011-2020)

This section provides labour demand and labour supply projections for this occupation over the 2011-2020 period.

Note: The tables, graphs and middle paragraph shown under this section display updated 2011-2020 projection results. The remaining narrative text (2009-2018 projections) will be updated shortly. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The data in the following table are derived from HRSDC’s Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS). COPS uses a variety of models to produce a detailed 10-year labour market projection per broad skill level and per occupation at the national level, which focuses on the trends of labour supply and labour demand over the next ten years.

This occupation (Purchasing and Inventory Clerks) is part of a larger occupational group called Recording, Scheduling and Distributing Occupations (NOC 147).

Occupation Projection for Canada

Over the 2008-2010 period, this occupation experienced a drop in employment. The unemployment rate increased at the same pace as for other occupations. The average hourly wage, one of the lowest among the 140 occupations, increased at the same rate as for all occupations. According to key labour market indicators, the number of job seekers was sufficient to fill the job openings in this occupation.

Over the 2011-2020 period, an occupation will be in excess demand (a shortage of workers) if the projected number of job openings is significantly greater than the projected number of job seekers. An occupation will be in excess supply (a surplus of workers) if the projected number of job openings is smaller than the projected number of job seekers. For Recording, Scheduling And Distributing Occupations, over the 2011-2020 period, job openings (arising from expansion demand and replacement demand) are expected to total 67,290 and 90,142 job seekers (arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility) are expected to be available to fill the job openings.

Based on projections and considering that supply and demand in this occupation were balanced, it is expected that this occupation will have excess supply. In other words, the number of job seekers will be greater than job openings over the 2011-2020 period. The majority of job openings will be due to retirements even though the retirement rate will be slightly lower than the average. There will be distinctly more job openings due to economic growth than there were over the 2001-2010 period when the occupation faced job losses. However, employment growth will remain weak because of the growing use of new technologies. With regard to supply, the majority of job seekers will come from the school system, although immigration will account for more than 20%. As this occupation generally requires only a secondary school diploma, unemployed workers in this occupation should be able to find work in other occupations requiring the same level of training.

This Chart contains data for Projection of Job Openings vs. Job Seekers for Canada. Information is available in the following tables.

In which industry or sector do people in this occupation find jobs in Canada?

This table shows the industry and sectors employing the highest number of people in this occupation.

What percentage of people in this occupation are self-employed?

The graph displays the percentage of people in this occupation who are “self-employed”, according to the 2006 Census, in comparison to the Canadian average across all occupations.

As shown in the graph, according to the 2006 Census, 2% of people in this occupation were self-employed, while the average for all occupations was 12%.

The data from the Labour Force Survey (2009) regarding self-employment for this group are not sufficiently reliable to be published.

What proportion of people in this occupation work full-time and part-time?

The graph displays the proportion of people in this occupation who worked full-time and part-time in comparison to the Canadian average across all occupations.

According to the Labour Force Survey (2009), 87% of workers in this occupation worked full-time, compared to the average of 81% for all occupations.

What proportion of men and women work in this occupation?

The graph displays the proportion of men and women in this occupation in comparison to the Canadian average across all occupations.

According to the Labour Force Survey (2009), women represented 52% of workers in this occupation, compared to the average of 48% for all occupations.

What percentage of people in this occupation are members of a union?

This occupation (Purchasing and Inventory Clerks) is part of a larger group called Recording, Scheduling and Distributing Occupations (NOC 147). According to the Labour Force Survey (2009), the unionization rate for this group was 29%, while the unionization rate for all occupations was 31%.