person, wearing a hard hat and overalls, standing near a red button in an industrial setting

Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations

(NOC 72011)
High opportunity occupation High opportunity occupation
Annual Earnings
$86,761
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
College Diploma or Apprenticeship, 2 or more years
Job Openings
(2024-2034)
1,850

Career Overview

Electrical trades and telecommunications contractors own and operate their own telecommunications or electrical trade businesses.

Electrical trades and telecommunications contractors supervise and co-ordinate the activities of workers in the following occupational groups:

People in this occupation:

  • Typically have a high level of technical knowledge
  • Need good leadership and organizational skills
  • Should enjoy working with and managing employees
  • Must be able to coordinate and schedule activities, negotiate with clients and resolve problems under sometimes demanding conditions

 

Job Titles

Cable installation and repair foreman/woman - telecommunications
Cable installation contractor
Cable installation foreman/woman
Cable installation supervisor
Cable installers and repairers foreman/woman - telecommunications
Cable maintenance and repair supervisor
Cable splicers foreman/woman - telecommunications
Cable splicing foreman/woman - telecommunications
Cable television system installers and repairers foreman/woman
Cablevision technicians foreman/woman
Cablevision technician supervisor
Cable workers front line supervisor
Chief electrician
Communications foreman/woman
Construction electricians and repairers foreman/woman
Construction electricians foreman/woman
Construction electricians supervisor
Electrical appliances installation foreman/woman
Electrical construction contractor
Electrical construction foreman/woman
Electrical contractor
Electrical equipment installation and repair foreman/woman
Electrical foreman/woman
Electrical installation contractor
Electrical installation supervisor
Electrical load tester supervisor
Electrical power inspector and tester supervisor
Electrical supervisor - drilling rig
Electrical systems contractor
Electrical wiring inspector supervisor
Electrical wiring installation contractor
Electrician foreman/woman
Electricians supervisor
Electric meter installers foreman/woman
Electric meter installers supervisor
Emergency team foreman/woman - telecommunications
Factory electrician supervisor
Front line supervisor - power line maintenance
Head-office repair supervisor
Industrial electrical systems foreman/woman
Industrial electricians foreman/woman
Industrial electricians supervisor
Installation foreman/woman - telecommunications
Installers and repairers foreman/woman - telecommunications
Line and cable contractor
Line and cable installation and maintenance supervisor
Line and cable installation foreman/woman
Line and cable installers foreman/woman
Line and cable repairer foreman/woman - power lines
Line and cable workers supervisor
Line foreman/woman - power lines
Line foreman/woman - telecommunications
Maintenance electricians foreman/woman
Maintenance electricians supervisor
Marine electricians foreman/woman
Meter installers and repairers foreman/woman
Microwave system foreman/woman
Plant electrician supervisor
Power line and cable workers foreman/woman
Power line maintenance workers front line supervisor
Power linemen/women and cable installers supervisor
Power line repairers foreman/woman
Power line repair foreman/woman
Power line service foreman/woman
Power line technician foreman/woman
Power system electricians supervisor
Power systems electricians foreman/woman
Power systems electricians supervisor
Residential electrician supervisor
Signaling system installation foreman/woman
Telecommunication cable installation foreman/woman
Telecommunication installation and repair worker foreman/woman
Telecommunication line installation, repair and testing foreman/woman
Telecommunication line installation, repair and testing supervisor
Telecommunication line installers foreman/woman
Telecommunication line installers, repairers and testers foreman/woman
Telecommunication line maintenance foreman/woman
Telecommunication line maintenance supervisor
Telecommunication line repairers foreman/woman
Telecommunication line repair foreman/woman
Telecommunication line service supervisor
Telecommunications contractor
Telecommunication service foreman/woman
Telecommunications supervisor
Telecommunication system installers and repairers foreman/woman
Telephone equipment installers foreman/woman
Telephone installation foreman/woman
Telephone installation supervisor
Trouble foreman/woman - telecommunications
Troubleshooter foreman/woman - telecommunications
Underground electrical conduit foreman/woman

Duties

Contractors and supervisors in this group perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of workers who install, repair and maintain electrical wiring, fixtures and control devices, power systems, telecommunication systems and cablevision systems
  • Establish methods to meet work schedules and co-ordinate work activities with other subcontractors or departments
  • Request materials and supplies
  • Solve work problems and recommend ways to improve productivity
  • Train or arrange for training of workers
  • Recommend personnel actions such as hiring and promotions
  • Make sure work safety regulations are followed
  • Prepare work progress reports
  • May manage the operations of their own company
  • May also supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of related apprentices, helpers and labourers

 

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.

Annual Earnings

$86,761

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$55.49/hr
Median$41.60/hr
Low$27.50/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2024 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

3,885

% Employed Full Time

75%
Source: 2021 Census

Electrical trades and telecommunications contractors and supervisors often work long and irregular hours to complete projects on schedule. Overtime and extended workweeks are common, and workers may also have to be on call in case of emergencies.

Working conditions vary depending on the worksite. Work may be done indoors, in offices and industrial settings, or outdoors at places such as construction sites, where workers are exposed to weather. Work on construction sites and within power plants can be noisy and dirty.

Depending on the job, workers may have to temporarily relocate to construction projects in remote areas.

The nature of the work may be stressful at times, when unexpected delays are encountered.

Career Pathways

Most individuals in this occupational group start their careers in entry-level positions. To become a supervisor or contractor, workers should gain as much experience, on-the-job training and education as possible.

There is some movement between jobs within a specific trade. However, there is little or no movement between trades.

Small businesses' contractors may execute tasks within their trade area of expertise, which is generally not the case for supervisors or contractors associated with a medium or large business.

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:

Enterprising
Enterprising

Education, Training and Skills

Completion of secondary school is usually required. In addition, electrical trades and telecommunications contractors and supervisors should have extensive work experience in the electrical trades and telecommunication industries.

In B.C., an individual must be a certified journeyperson or apprentice to work as a contractor or supervisor in the electrician and power line technician trades. Completion of an apprenticeship program in an electrical or telecommunications trade is a good way to get started in this field. Apprenticeship programs:

  • Involve a combination of work and in-class training.
  • Require workers to find a sponsor employer willing to participate in the program.

For more information, please see SkilledTradesBC's website at https://skilledtradesbc.ca.

Many electrical or telecommunications apprenticeship programs offer the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal qualification, which allows holders to work in any province or territory.

For detailed educational options for a particular trade related to this occupational group, please see the following profiles:

Workers who are certified for an occupation by a regulator elsewhere in Canada can apply for the same certification from the regulator in B.C. Under the terms of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), most applicants who are transferring their credentials from elsewhere in Canada will not be required to complete additional training or testing. However, the B.C. regulator may ask applicants to provide further information such as a letter of good standing, references, or criminal record check.

For those who trained outside of Canada and never received certification from any Canadian jurisdiction, a full assessment is likely needed. Most occupational regulators have a process for assessment and recognize internationally trained applicants.

Contact Technical Safety BC for details on how to apply for certification in B.C.

For information about labour mobility in Canada, visit www.workersmobility.ca.

View a list of Professional Regulatory Authorities in B.C.

Education programs in B.C.

The following program areas are related to this occupation:

  • Electrical Related
EducationPlannerBC Logo
Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

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!

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

69%
Management of Personnel Resources

Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.

68%
Monitoring

Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

67%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

66%
Active Listening

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.

66%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

66%
Time Management

Managing one’s own time and the time of others.

65%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

62%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

61%
Quality Control Analysis

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

55%

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

3,885
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 150 3.9%
Kootenay 120 3.1%
Mainland/Southwest 2,325 59.8%
North Coast and Nechako 85 2.2%
Northeast 55 1.4%
Thompson-Okanagan 520 13.4%
Vancouver Island/Coast 635 16.3%
Source: 2021 Census

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)

1,850
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 80 1.0%
Kootenay 40 0.0%
Mainland/Southwest 1,180 1.8%
North Coast and Nechako 20 -0.9%
Northeast 20 0.6%
Thompson-Okanagan 260 1.2%
Vancouver Island/Coast 240 0.2%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

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

IndustryJob Openings (2024-2034)
Construction1,520
Utilities90
Information, Culture and Recreation80
Transportation and Warehousing30
Manufacturing20
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Insights from Industry

More than half of the job openings in the coming years will come from the need to replace retiring workers.

Some contractors and construction tradespersons rely on non-residential building activity to generate business.

Demand for these workers depends largely on growth in the Construction industry. Commercial, institutional and industrial construction activity is expected to increase. For example, government and private infrastructure projects will create opportunities in various regions of the province.

The Communications and Utilities industries also expect to see growth, which should translate into increased work opportunities for electrical trades and telecommunications contractors and supervisors. Expanding communications networks, such as cellular phones, wireless email and broadband internet will increase the demand for associated technical occupations.

While increased competition has resulted in some job reductions in the larger telecommunications companies, the industry is seeing overall job growth.

Resources