Looking for an in-demand job in Canada? Try being a dental hygienist or barista

If working for a big corporation isn’t your cup of tea, then you may be drawn more to jobs offered by small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

But if you’re just starting out your career, or looking for a change, knowing where the jobs are might help you pick your new or budding career path.

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“Working for a small business offers you a unique opportunity to seek different opportunities and responsibilities that can help develop your skills,” says Jodi Kasten, managing director of Indeed Canada. “Or if you’re just starting your career, working for a small business can teach you the valuable skills you need to start and navigate a career.”

And SMB jobs in Canada today are booming.

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“SMBs play a pivotal role in the Canadian economy,” Kasten says. “According to Statistics Canada, as of December 2015, there were 1.17 million employer businesses in Canada, 98 per cent of which were small businesses. Their sheer impact on the Canadian economy and employment is vital.”

According to Indeed’s report, small businesses employ a large number of Canadians. In 2014 alone, 8.2 million people worked for a small business. SMBs were also responsible for 88 per cent of net employment change between 2005 and 2015.

While demand can be found across Canada, Ontario is the province with the highest (49 per cent of postings). This is followed by B.C. (19 per cent), Quebec (14 per cent), Alberta (12 per cent), Manitoba (two per cent), and Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick (all at one per cent). This is because more than half of Canada’s SMBs are concentrated in Ontario and Quebec, the report states (407,185 and 235,075, respectively).

And it may be jobs for line cooks and prep cooks that have the most postings so far in 2018, but it’s positions for dental hygienists that are seeing the most growth, Kasten points out.

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But the list did come with some surprises for Kasten.

“One surprising finding was that traditional industries reigned, while tech-related jobs were noticeably absent from the list,” she says. “This was an unexpected result, considering the enormous demand for tech-related roles from companies in various industries. However, given the importance of healthcare and Canada’s vibrant restaurant scene, we were not surprised to see dental and healthcare-related roles dominate the list, as well as food and beverage industry roles.”

Check out the full list of the fastest-growing SMB jobs in Canada today below.

1. Dental hygienist

Salary: $34.64 per hour

Education: College diploma or university degree, certification

Number of postings per one million people in 2015: 1,273

Number of postings per one million in 2018: 4,907

Growth: 285 per cent

2. Line cook/prep cook

Salary: $14.17 per hour

Education: High school diploma

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 2,698

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 67,612

Growth: 151 per cent

3. Kitchen helper

Salary: $11.74 per hour

Education: High school diploma

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 1,213

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 2,783

Growth: 130 per cent

4. Dental assistant

Salary: $20.82 per hour

Education: College diploma

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 2,850

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 6,436

Growth: 126 per cent

5. Barista

Salary: $12.14 per hour

Education: High school diploma

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 1,531

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 3,454

Growth: 126 per cent

6. Crew member

Salary: $13.03 per hour

Education: High school diploma

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 1,198

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 2,422

Growth: 102 per cent

7. Customer service associate/cashier

Salary: $11.62 per hour

Education: High school diploma

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 1,288

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 2,386

Growth: 85 per cent

8. Sheet metal mechanic

Salary: $24.54 per hour

Education: High school diploma, certification

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 864

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 1,537

Growth: 78 per cent

9. Dental receptionist

Salary: $19.63 per hour

Education: High school diploma

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 2,334

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 4,145

Growth: 78 per cent

10. Medical receptionist

Salary: $14.49 per hour

Education: High school diploma

Number of posting per one million in 2015: 894

Number of posting per one million in 2018: 1,505

Growth: 68 per cent