Herbalists work in:
- health food stores
- chiropractic offices
- physiotherapy clinics
- herbal healing centres
- wellness centres
- private homes
- farms
- greenhouses.
Herbalists are often self-employed and build their own client base. They may be employed by others or set up their own shops or private practices. Some herbalists:
- work with medical / naturopathic doctors or other health practitioners
- grow herbs for sale
- develop and / or produce herbal products for wholesale distribution
- provide consulting services
- host workshops, classes and plant walks
- write books, blogs or make videos.
Advancement in this occupation generally takes the form of building a larger client base or offering other alternative health services (such as recommending diet and lifestyle changes, or doing bioresonance therapy).
Herbalists are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 3232: Practitioners of Natural Healing. In Alberta, 75% of people employed in this classification work in the Health care and social assistance [pdf] industry.
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
- trends and events that affect overall employment (especially in the Health Care and Assistance industry)
- location in Alberta
- employment turnover (work opportunities that come up when people leave existing positions)
- occupational growth (work opportunities that come up when new positions are created)
- size of the occupation.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
In Alberta, the 3232: Practitioners of natural healing occupational group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 3.3% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 20 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.