Therapist
| Starting | $39.55 |
|---|---|
| Overall | $46.29 |
| Top | $51.80 |
Interest in consulting with members on interdisciplinary teams to establish personalized care plans, and to advise on health promotion programs
Interest in co-ordinating information to develop intervention programs to address client needs related to self-care, work and leisure activities
Interest in manipulating and maintaining equipment used in programs involving manual and creative arts, industrial and vocational skills, and recreational activities
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
Occupational therapists enable individuals, groups and communities to develop the means and opportunities to identify, engage in and improve their function in all aspects of life. In general, this involves:
Intervention programs may include:
For example, occupational therapists may:
Some occupational therapists specialize in working with a specific age group or clients who have a specific disability (for example, arthritis, mental health problems or spinal cord injuries). Occupational therapists also may be required to supervise assistants.
Occupational therapists usually work standard office hours although some positions require evening and weekend work. In clinical settings, they may spend much of their working day standing, bending and assisting patients. Lifting items that weigh up to 20 kilograms or more may be required in some employment settings.
Occupational therapists need the following characteristics:
They should enjoy working with people, finding innovative ways to deal with challenges and taking a methodical approach to their work.
Occupational therapists must complete an accredited occupational therapy program. The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) will grant academic accreditation only to occupational therapy programs that lead to a master's degree in occupational therapy.
The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
For a broad list of programs and courses that may be related to this occupation try searching using keywords.
Occupational therapists enable people who experience obstacles (due to impairment of body structure, a change in function, or barriers in the social and physical environment) to participate in the activities of everyday life.
Under Alberta's Health Professions Act and Occupational Therapists Profession Regulation, only regulated members of the Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT) may call themselves occupational therapists. Regulated members provide health services listed in Schedule 15 of the Health Professions Act.
Registration requires successful completion of: (1) an approved occupational therapy degree program, (2) 1,000 hours of supervised clinical practice, and (3) an approved certification examination. Applicants who have been out of practice for a period of time also may have to demonstrate that they are currently competent to practice. For official, detailed information about registration requirements, visit the ACOT website or contact ACOT.
Occupational therapists registered by and in good standing with a regulatory organization elsewhere in Canada may be eligible for registration in Alberta if registered occupational therapists in the two jurisdictions have similar responsibilities and competencies. For more information, see "What if I am already certified in another province or territory?" and the Alberta regulatory authority (below).
To find more information on the certification process for internationally educated occupational therapists, see Occupational Therapist Registration Process on the AlbertaCanada.com website.
Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT)
300, 10436 - 81 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T6E 1X6
Phone number: 780-436-8381
Toll-free phone number (within Alberta): 1-800-561-5429
Fax number: 780-434-0658
Website: www.acot.ca
Above-average occupational growth is expected in Alberta for 2016 to 2020. Job openings are a result of employment turnover and newly created positions.
Occupational therapists may be employed by or work on a contract basis for:
Occupational therapists employed in community programs or private practice may offer services such as medical or legal evaluations. Those who are self-employed often provide consulting services to various levels of government.
In Alberta, 83% of people employed as occupational therapists work in the Health Care and Social Assistance (PDF) industry.
The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
Over 2,400 Albertans are employed in the Occupational therapists occupational group. This group is expected to have an above-average annual growth of 3.1% from 2016 to 2020. As a result, 74 new positions are forecast to be created each year, in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
For information about current collective agreements in the public and not-for-profit sectors, see the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $33.18 | $51.46 | $39.55 | $36.12 |
| Overall | $31.91 | $62.87 | $46.29 | $44.05 |
| Top | $42.65 | $79.92 | $51.80 | $48.08 |
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* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Educational Services | $82,452.00 |
|---|---|
| Public Administration | $80,918.00 |
| ALBERTA, ALL INDUSTRIES | $74,695.00 |
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $74,139.00 |
Alberta College of Occupational Therapists (ACOT) website: www.acot.ca
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) website: www.caot.ca
Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) website: www.hsaa.ca
Society of Occupational Therapists (SAOT) website: www.saot.ca
For more information on career planning, education and jobs, visit the Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) website, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline toll-free at 1-800-661-3753 or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton, or visit an Alberta Works Centre near you.
Updated Apr 11, 2014. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.