5 Energy job trends in Canada
Are skyrocketing employment rates no longer a reality in the Energy industry as the economy has slowed down? According to the Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS), growth employment rates in the Energy sector in Canada will drop from 1.1% to 0.6% over the period 2017-2026. In fact, the Energy industry is becoming less labor intensive, but for a good reason: more efficiency.
Energy still leads investments across Canada. Seven of the 10 largest infrastructure projects in the country are power plants, according to the ranking "the Canada's top 100 infrastructure projects." However, Energy companies are now focusing on efficiency gains rather than capacity. They are eager to hire strategic talents. Here are five emerging jobs resulting from the current shift in the Canadian Energy industry.
Big Data Analyst
Since the oil drop in 2014, oil companies have been increasingly focusing on productivity and cost-saving strategies to survive in the low-price era. Canadian oil sands companies, in turn, are mainly relying on in-situ operations and horizontal drilling to drain more oil with fewer rigs. Digital resources, such as sensors, measuring devices, and actuators, all of which collect real-time data from the oil well, are critical for tapping efficiency gains over production growth. An oilfield can generate terabytes of data to be processed, stored and analyzed. Digitalisation skills are needed to manage and improve the system to direct investments.
Supply Chain Manager
Diversifying markets has never been so vital for the Canadian Oil and Gas industry. Several factors have conspired against a further expansion of oilsands exports, such as the U.S. crude oil production recovery, politicization of pipeline projects approvals, and environmental policies. According to a Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers report, investment in Canada’s oil and gas sectors fell 19% in 2017, partially because of pipeline constraints. Professionals combining marketing and logistics backgrounds became a valuable asset to develop and implement market access strategies.
Power Engineer
Power utilities currently account for most of the top largest infrastructure projects in Canada. Hydro projects, such as British Columbia's Site C, Manitoba's Keeyask, and Quebec's four-part La Romaine, as well as non-hydro renewables projects, such as wind and solar – the fastest growing sources of electricity in Canada – will create a range of Energy related jobs, in particular for Power System Engineers. Power engineers operate and maintain reactors, turbines, boilers, generators, stationary engines and auxiliary equipment to generate electrical power and to provide heat, light, refrigeration and other utility services.
Smart Grid Technicians
Smart grid technology is emerging in the power industry as a digital solution to increase efficiency, reliability, and decentralization over power grid networks, particularly for integration of non-hydro renewable projects. Projections from the National Energy Board (NEB) shows Canada roughly doubling non-renewables capacity, including wind, solar, and biomass, to 20% by 2040. Digitalising the grid to support the increasing penetration of renewable generation will demand skilled workers for dealing with roles such as implementing meters, maintaining the smart grid, and managing energy distribution and transmission.
Energy Manager
Energy management services have become increasingly strategic in Canada as energy costs escalate and environmental policies tackle carbon emissions. A broad range of business segments, including manufacturers, hospitals, universities, grocery chains, government sites, constructors, and utility companies rely on energy managers or consultants to plan, monitor, and recommend cost-saving energy usage. Investments in energy efficiency are supported by provincial and federal programs, such as the $182-million CAN fund for green building projects, announced by Canada’s Ministry of Natural Resources earlier this year.
Technology background for all
Along with these 5 job trends, occupational requirements overall are also changing in the Energy sector. From a new business perspective, supported by processes involving optimization and digitalization, now is the time to recruit workers more familiar with all types of technology. The good news is that Electricity and Oil & Gas will remain a profitable and indispensable source of energy for a long time.