Bartenders
Career Overview
This group includes supervisors of bartenders.
People in this occupation:
- Mix and serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
- Work in restaurants, hotels, bars, taverns, private clubs, banquet halls and other licensed establishments
Job Titles
Duties
Bartenders perform some or all of the following duties:
- Take beverage orders from serving staff or directly from patrons
- Mix liquor, soft drinks, water and other ingredients to prepare cocktails and other drinks
- Prepare mixed drinks, wine, draft or bottled beer and non-alcoholic beverages for food and beverage servers or serve directly to patrons
- Collect payment for beverages and record sales
- Maintain inventory and control of bar stock and order supplies
- Clean bar area and wash glassware
- Make sure provincial/territorial liquor legislation and regulations are followed
- May train and supervise other bartenders and bar staff
- May hire and dismiss staff
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
3,445% Employed Full Time
11%Work generally takes place in an indoor setting and involves contact with a variety of liquids.
Career Pathways
With experience, progression to managerial positions in food and beverage service is possible.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school may be required
- Completion of college or other program in bartending
or
Completion of courses in mixing drinks is usually required - Responsible beverage service certification may be required
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Actively looking for ways to help people.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Convincing others to change their mind or behaviour.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.
Teaching others how to do something.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
3,445Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 65 | 1.9% |
| Kootenay | 100 | 2.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 2,025 | 58.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 45 | 1.3% |
| Northeast | 25 | 0.7% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 560 | 16.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 620 | 18.0% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
1,080Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 20 | 1.2% |
| Kootenay | 20 | 0.8% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 690 | 1.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 2.1% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.3% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 170 | 1.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 170 | 1.1% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 930 |
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 70 |
| Manufacturing | 30 |
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 20 |
| Retail Trade | 20 |
Resources
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British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA)www.bcrfa.com
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Canadian Professional Bartenders Association (CPBA)canadianbartenders.com
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Go2HR – Career Explorerwww.go2hr.ca/careers-tourism
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Restaurants Canadawww.restaurantscanada.org
