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Thoug Though it may be tempting to quit your job and dive headfirst into that flower-arranging course you always wanted to take, the experts say the key to any career change is research and more research. Talk to alumni, have coffee with a h hiring manager, check out what financial support t is available from governme government retraining programs and don’t forget to think about what you u love to do and what you’re good at. With that caveat in mind, here are some in-demand jobs from the Canadian Job Bank that have short-term training options and offer decent salaries.
DATA SCIENTIST OR ANALYST In a world where data is king, virtually every industry is hungry for people who can create databases, manage them and analyze the mounting volume of metrics collected at every click, swipe or tap. Wages An average of $34 an hour up to $50 an hour. Training Colleges and universities offer one-year post-graduate certificates in data analytics, most of which require a bachelor’s degree, although some community colleges will accept a combination of postsecondary education and experience. Outlook Good in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
PROJECT MANAGER These people keep the trains running on time – they plan, budget, set deadlines and document all the moving parts of complex projects – and are highly sought in construction, information services and publishing, and the finance and insurance industries.
Wages $38 an hour is the Canadian average for construction project managers, while computer project managers make an average of $48 an hour up to a high of $70 an hour. Training The Project Management Professional designation from the Project Management Institute is one quick way to add a recognized credential to your resume, but you need 4,500 hours of related work experience (if you have a bachelor’s degree) or 7,500 hours (if you don’t) and 35 hours of classes before you can take the exam. Outlook Good in Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia for construction project managers; good in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia for the others.
PUBLIC RELATIONS The name of the game is to increase the profile of your company, institution or government, which could mean everything from writing press releases about garbage pickup to live-tweeting a conference on blockchain
technology for a bank. Wages Canadian average is $29 an hour up to a high of $50. Training Some schools offer a fast-track 12-week certificate course, while online courses from private providers promise certificates in as little as six months. There are also one-year postgraduate diplomas, as well as four-year undergrad degrees. Outlook Good in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
PERSONAL SUPPORT WORKER As the population ages, the healthcare sector is booming. Personal support workers, who help look after patients both in home and institutional settings, don’t earn as much as nurses, but some colleges offer bridge programs to practical nursing, if that’s where your interests lie. Wages Minimum wage to a high of $36 an hour in Northwest Territories and Saskatchewan. Training Certificate programs are usually eight months and require first aid and CPR training, among other provincial certifications. Outlook Good in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.
HORTICULTURAL TECHNICIAN With a boom in construction and related landscaping requirements plus cannabis farming, green roofs, vertical farming and other eco-friendly initiatives in cities, the future is looking up, although the work is mostly seasonal. Wages Canadian average is $22.50 an hour and up to a high of $58 in Alberta. Training Learn on the job or take a 10-month course at a community college. Outlook Good in Ontario, Manitoba and British Columbia.
BUILDING INSPECTOR If you’ve been working in the construction trades or as a civil engineering technologist or architectural technologist, making the switch to building inspector is an attractive option. Wages The Canadian average is $31 an hour up to a high of $51. Training There are private, public and online courses recommended by provincial regulators (in British Columbia, it totals 150 hours) as well as an additional requirements like on-the-job training (British Columbia) or test inspections (Alberta), in addition to a licencing exam. Outlook Good in Quebec, Manitoba and British Columbia.