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.
“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