Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades
Career Overview
This group includes heating, refrigeration, air conditioning, millwrighting and elevator installation trade contractors who own and operate their own businesses.
This group also includes supervisors employed in a wide range of establishments who supervise and coordinate the activities of workers classified in groups within the following areas:
- Machinery and transportation equipment mechanics (except motor vehicle)
- Automotive service technicians and other mechanics
Job Titles
Duties
Contractors and supervisors in this occupational group perform some or all of the following duties:
- Supervise, coordinate and schedule the activities of workers who repair and maintain aircraft, railway locomotives and cars, industrial machinery and equipment, construction and other heavy equipment, textile equipment, printing machines, heating equipment and furnaces, transformers and other electrical equipment, motor vehicles, air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, electric appliances, and other equipment such as motorcycles, outboard motors and snowmobiles
- Establish methods to meet work schedules and coordinate work activities with other departments
- Order materials and supplies
- Solve work problems and recommend ways to improve work productivity
- Train or arrange for training of workers
- Recommend personnel actions such as hiring and promotions
- Make sure that work safety standard are followed
- Prepare production and other 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.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
2,970% Employed Full Time
81%Work generally takes place indoors.
Career Pathways
There is little or no inter-trade movement among the supervisors in this group.
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.
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 is usually required
- Several years of experience as a qualified tradesperson in a relevant trade are usually required
- Journeyman/woman trade certification in a relevant trade is 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!
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Motivating, developing and directing people as they work, and identifying the best people for the job.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Talking to others to share information effectively.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
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.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
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
2,970Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 170 | 5.7% |
| Kootenay | 150 | 5.1% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 1,580 | 53.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 65 | 2.2% |
| Northeast | 75 | 2.5% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 455 | 15.3% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 480 | 16.2% |
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)
1,430Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 90 | 0.3% |
| Kootenay | 50 | -0.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 820 | 1.5% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 1.2% |
| Northeast | 30 | 0.5% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 220 | 0.8% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 210 | 0.5% |
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) |
|---|---|
| Construction | 560 |
| Retail Trade | 180 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 180 |
| Repair, Personal and Non-Profit Services | 170 |
| Manufacturing | 120 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.
