Job prospects Automation Engineer in British Columbia

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Explore current and future job prospects for people working as an "automation engineer" in British Columbia or across Canada.

Job opportunities in British Columbia

The recent trends from the past 3 years were updated on July 25, 2025. The job outlooks over the next 3 years were updated on December 10, 2025.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be Moderate for electrical and electronics engineers (NOC 21310) in British Columbia for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

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

A growing tech sector, advancements in robotics and new innovation hubs, could create job opportunities. 

Employment in this sector has fluctuated throughout 2025, as a tough investment climate and high interest on loans led some companies to reduce their workforce. 

Employment opportunities are centered in the Lower Mainland-Southwest region, as many companies have headquarters offices in Metro Vancouver; Victoria and the Okanagan are also emerging as tech hubs. 

Occupations that create automation systems include engineering, technology, and data science fields. 

These roles are central to designing, building, and maintaining automated processes in industries like manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and IT. 

Electrification and E.V. 

projects support employment in this occupation. 

Some analytical duties of this occupation are likely to change with adoption of digital innovations, which may enable workers to do their jobs more efficiently. 

Examples include cloud computing to improve data management and analysis (for example forecasting, optimizing, natural language processing), and blockchain for transparent and secure digital transactions. 

Some technology companies, particularly software engineering teams, are transforming to adapt to AI as a product feature and to replace staff as a central operational strategy. 

BC Hydro has put out several calls for power and has pledged to spend on several significant capital projects that could benefit employment. 

The Government of Canada's plans to increase defence spending will likely create job opportunities.

Here are some key facts about electrical and electronics engineers in British Columbia:

• Approximately 5,200 people work in this occupation.
• Electrical and electronics engineers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 34%
  • Computer, electronic and electrical product manufacturing (NAICS 334-335): 16%
  • Utilities (NAICS 22): 12%
  • Computer systems design services (NAICS 5415): 9%
  • Construction (NAICS 23): 6%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 95% compared to 78% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 5% compared to 22% for all occupations
• 79% of electrical and electronics engineers work all year, while 21% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 47 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• 13% of electrical and electronics engineers are self-employed compared to an average of 17% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 88% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 12% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 9% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 59% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 27% compared to 12% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in British Columbia by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology