Job prospects Construction Equipment Operator in Northwest Territories

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "construction equipment operator" in Northwest Territories or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Northwest Territories

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be moderate for Heavy equipment operators (NOC 73400) in Northwest Territories for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are several unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

• This occupation will benefit from major public and private construction projects scheduled in the Northwest Territories over the next few years.
• For example, the federal government is providing NWT $94.5 million over five years through the Canada Community-Building Fund to support core infrastructure and housing development projects in the territory.
• Canada's interest and inflation rates started to decline in 2024, which may stimulate economic activities in the construction sector.

Here are some key facts about Heavy equipment operators in Northwest Territories:

• Approximately 300 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
• Heavy equipment operators mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (NAICS 21): 35%
  • Public Administration and Defence (NAICS 91): 30%
  • Construction (NAICS 23): 25%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 94% compared to 88% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 6% compared to 12% for all occupations
• 59% of heavy equipment operators work all year, while 41% work only part of the year, compared to 71% and 28% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 41 weeks compared to 44 weeks for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: more than 95% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: less than 5% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 39% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 26% compared to 26% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 31% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: less than 5% compared to 18% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: n/a
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "construction equipment operator" Heavy equipment operators (except crane) (NOC 73400) or across Canada.

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