Curators work in public and private museums, historic sites, universities, art galleries, zoos, botanical gardens and other related facilities. They may be employees or work as private contractors.
There are over 250 museums, historic sites, art galleries and zoos in Alberta. Some are seasonal; others are open year round. In medium and large facilities, curators usually start in junior positions and advance to more senior positions. When applying for a junior position, related volunteer or paid work experience and courses in museum studies are definite assets.
Curators are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 5112: Conservators and Curators. In Alberta, 77% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
- Trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
- Location in Alberta
- Employment turnover (when people leave existing positions)
- Occupational growth (when new positions are created)
- Size of the occupation
In Alberta, the 5112: Conservators and curators occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 0% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 0 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.