In Alberta, if you want to learn to read a book, drive a car, ski the Rockies or become a doctor, you'll need to access the educational services industry. In 2016, the province had 2,388 public, private, separate, charter, and other K-12 schools, as well as dozens of post-secondary institutions. In 2014, 63.0% of Albertans aged 25-64 had a post-secondary education, below the Canadian average of 65.0%.
Gross domestic product (GDP) measures the overall size of an economy. In 2015, educational services made up 3.3% of Alberta's GDP. This represents a 2.0% decrease from 2013.
The educational services industry employed 138,000 people in 2015. This is an increase of 13,100 jobs (10.5%) from 2013.
| Educational Services Average Hourly Wage | $33.20 |
|---|---|
| Provincial Average Hourly Wage | $29.06 |
Alberta has a relatively young population compared to the rest of Canada. The number of students attending early childhood services through Grade 12 in all Alberta schools rose 2.7% from the 2013-14 school year to the following year, increasing from 657,811 to 676,300 students.
Until 2014, 17.0% of Albertans aged 18-34 attended post-secondary education, a figure which has not changed since 2006. While this was the lowest participation rate in Canada, it is expected to change with the economic downturn in 2015. Increasing unemployment generally encourages Albertans to upgrade their skills at post-secondary institutions. Finally, the influx of refugees also created a demand for adult English-language classes.
Between 2014 and 2024, the number of children aged 5-17 in Alberta is forecast to grow by 26.1%, creating a demand for more teachers at the elementary to high school level. As well, growing populations such as indigenous people, immigrants, refugees, and people with disabilities will also continue to drive the need for specialized educational services.
Employment in this industry is expected to grow at an average rate of 2.5% from 2015 to 2019.
OCCinfo has more information about occupations in Alberta, including details about duties, working conditions, educational requirements, employment outlook, and salary ranges. You can also find reports on region-specific information about wages, job vacancies, and hiring difficulties in this industry. Visit the Survey Analysis to learn more.
