While COVID-19 was at its peak, Quebec province applied the strictest lockdown rules to deflate the surge in cases. The rules affected the job sector harshly. People were fired, some returned to their homeland, while some faced the pay cut. However, an interesting thing that has come to light is while these jobs were suffering, there were some job profiles whose demand increased in the market.
What are the NOC codes in Canada and 15 in-demand jobs in Quebec?
In layman terms, NOC Code is National Occupation Classification. In Canada, every job is listed under a number in Canada’s job classification system. The unique four-digit codes are used for various services and programs, and it helps to make job search easy.
Here are the 15 in-demand jobs in Quebec province along with their NOC Code.
1. Clerks and Store-shelf stockers (NOC-6622)
Grocery clerks and the shelf stockers are responsible for purchasing, stocking, pricing, filling the requested emails, and ordering the stocks. Most of them are in the FMCG sector. FMCG stands for fast-moving consumer goods and is the fourth largest sector globally. It includes personal and health care products, food items, and other consumable items. To remain safe from Novel Coronavirus, new measures were introduced to people, expanding the e-commerce market and increasing the timely preparation of the order, thus increasing the demand by 19% in 2019 and 2020 for the period extending from March to October.
2. School Teachers (NOC-4031)
All the schools around the globe adapted to the online mode of teaching, leading to a huge rise in job positions for more school teachers for secondary schools in the province by 27%. To avoid the exhaustion and disruption of study in Canada, the schools decided to hire teachers to fill the gap and ensure no hindrance in students receiving proper education in this new setting.
3. Computer engineers and programmers/Interactive media developers (NOC-2174)
The digital transformation of offices saved most of the jobs. As people were able to work remotely from the comfort of their homes, the requirement for computer programmers and media developers increased rapidly to assist other industries. The average employment rate in the sector increased by 17% in 2019 and 2020, extending from March to October.
4. User Support Technician (NOC-2282)
User Support Technicians are properly equipped to carry the work remotely. User support technicians are employed in finance, computer service, public administration, and the BPO domain. As most industries have already shifted towards digital, and while some are still adapting to this new change, companies have a huge demand for technicians to solve technical issues remotely, avoiding work loss. The requirement for technicians increased by 52.9% between 2019 and 202, extending from March to October.
5. Financial Managers (NOC-0111)
Finance is the sector that won’t go out of business as all the industries and businesses are majorly money-oriented. Finance Managers, responsible for bookkeeping, tax management, payroll servicing, auditing, insurance, and manufacturing management, were in major demand during the pandemic to access the profit and loss. The job demand rose by 37.2% between 2019 and 2020.
6. Research Assistant and Post-secondary teachers (NOC- 4012)
Online mode of learning and blended education style became normal due to the pandemic. To provide support to lecturers and professors, the universities are hiring more research assistants and post-secondary teachers. They shared the workload and increased productivity, and enhanced the online learning experience. Due to this, the demand rose by 37.9% between 2019 and 2020.
7. Pharmacists (NOC-3131)
Pharmacists have been one of the supporting pillars in these uncertain times. From home delivery of healthcare products and drugs to ensuring the availability of the major medicines needed by the population and healthcare facilities, the job demand of pharmacists rose by at least 59.5%.
8. Accounting clerks (NOC- 1431)
The pandemic crashed many businesses, small or big, and to access and overcome these losses, accounting clerks played a major role. Accountants are required in all sectors to handle the money flow. They evaluate the assets, reconstruct debts, modify the leases, and more to help overcome the financial losses. The jobs in this profile increased by almost 18.7% between 2019 to 2020.
9. Medical Administrative Assistants (NOC-1243)
Healthcare industries saw the most job increase during the pandemic. An increasing number of patients and staff shortages led to a huge rise in the hiring of medical assistants. The average employment for medical administrative assistants increased by 16.7% between 2019 to 2020.
10. Mechanic trades, supervisors, and contractors (NOC-7301)
In the repair and maintenance sector, you can easily find mechanics, supervisors, and contractors. Due to overload in hospitals and people staying 24×7 inside their houses, there is a huge demand for people installing AC and other equipment. This increased this job profile by 47.9% between 2019 to 2020, extending from March to October.
Financial auditors are responsible for the money flow in any organization. Finance can make or break any business, and the job demand for highly skilled accountants is always present. From debt to assets, they are masters in managing every little expense. Employers started hiring auditors to assess their funds as most people were jobless or had to spend more than required as nobody was prepared for the crisis. The demand for accountants and auditors in Quebec increased by 18.4 % between 2019 to 2020.
12. HR Professionals (NOC-1121)
HR professionals are responsible for hiring, firing, making suitable business plans and goals. As working remotely became the new normal, many employees struggled to cope with these further adjustments and faced many obstructions to meet their goals. In such times, HRs helped their employees and kept supporting them in one way or another. This led to a rise in hiring for HR professionals by 25.5% more.
13. Supply chain, scheduling, and tracking coordination occupants, Supervisors (NOC-1215)
These professionals work in wholesale, manufacturing units, retail sector, warehouse, and transportation. The pressure increased on the supply chain as the demand increased in sectors such as FMCG and more. Many manufacturers faced major disruptions with meeting these demands. In such times, these professionals ensured to address the issue and fulfill the market needs. The job roles increased by 48.7% between 2019 to 2020.
14. Delivery drivers and courier drivers (NOC-7514)
These professionals are employed in retail, food, e-commerce, and other sectors. During the lockdown phase, they played a vital role by delivering food, groceries, and all the online ordered products at the doorsteps to ensure no one had to leave their home and follow the rules laid by governments. To meet the public need, the industry is hiring more such professionals leading to increased employment in this sector by 62.4% between 2019 to 2020.
15. IT Consultants and Analysts (NOC-2171)
Since Analysts and consultants can work remotely, the IT sector was not hit majorly by this pandemic. In this pandemic, the demand for IT consultants and analysts increased drastically. These professionals create and test new software, implement new plans, and provide valuable advice on creating new software. Employment in this sector rose by 30.9% between the years 2019 to 2020.
Rakhee Talukdar is an edtech expert with five years of experience in the education technology sector, focusing on K-12 and higher education systems in various countries, including Canada, USA, Finland, France, and Germany. Her background includes founding a startup and working with early-stage educational ventures, giving her a nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities within these educational landscapes. Additionally, Rakhee specializes in helping students craft compelling Statements of Purpose (SOPs) for studying abroad, leveraging her insights into different education systems to guide students in articulating their academic and professional goals effectively. Her comprehensive knowledge and strategic approach make her a valuable resource for students navigating their educational journeys and financial planning.