Land agents work for oil and gas companies, land service companies, engineering firms, pipeline companies, electric and gas utilities, railways, communications companies, sustainable energy companies (such as wind and solar), and government agencies. They may work in various positions, such as:
- Contract land agent
- Land management technician
- Lease negotiator
- Land representative
- Land use technician
- Liaison co-ordinator
- Municipal land agent
- Petroleum landman
- Public consultation co-ordinator
- Right-of-way planner
- Surface land agent
Some land agents work as self-employed consultants. Work as a land agent may be seasonal and depends on construction in the energy sector. This may include new well sites, pipelines, and wind and solar installations.
Advancement opportunities vary depending on the agent’s educational qualifications and experience.
Land agents are part of the larger 2011 National Occupational Classification 1225: Purchasing Agents and Officers. In Alberta, 78% of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:
The employment outlook [pdf] in this occupation is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
- Time of year (for seasonal jobs)
- 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 1225: Purchasing agents and officers occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 1.4% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 156 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.