Technical writers
High opportunity occupation
Career Overview
Technical writers write manuals and specifications for publication or presentation.
They work for governments, large corporations, private consulting firms, publishing firms and other establishments or they may be self-employed.
Job Titles
Duties
Technical writers:
- Analyze material, such as specifications, notes and drawings
- Conduct interviews and research to gather information on a specific field
- Write, review and update manuals, user guides and other documents to provide instruction and to explain clearly and concisely the installation, operation and maintenance of software and electronic, mechanical and other equipment
- Develop and maintain help documentation
- May design and develop training course material
- May help create content for software products, such as on-screen instructions and error messages
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
1,110% Employed Full Time
61%Work takes place in a conventional indoor office setting.
Career Pathways
Workers entering this field typically begin their employment in entry-level positions.
With experience, workers may progress to supervisory and management positions.
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
Technical writers usually require a university degree in the area of specialization, such as computer science or engineering.
Education programs in B.C.
The following program areas are related to this occupation:
- Broadcasting Related
- Writing (Creative, Editing, Technical)
- English/Literature Related
- Linguistics Related (Arts)
- Linguistics (Science)
- Journalism
- Publishing
- Pre-press/Desktop Publishing/Digital Imaging Design
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!
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
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.
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.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
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
1,110Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 15 | 1.4% |
| Kootenay | 40 | 3.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 775 | 69.8% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 10 | 0.9% |
| Northeast | 0 | 0.0% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 65 | 5.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 210 | 18.9% |
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)
580Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | Not available | Not available |
| Kootenay | Not available | Not available |
| Mainland/Southwest | 430 | 2.2% |
| North Coast and Nechako | Not available | Not available |
| Northeast | Not available | Not available |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 30 | 1.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 110 | 1.6% |
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) |
|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 350 |
| Educational Services | 60 |
| Information, Culture and Recreation | 50 |
| Manufacturing | 30 |
| Finance, Insurance and Real Estate | 20 |
Resources
Resource information is currently not available.