Top Skills in Demand by Occupation Group
Different jobs require different skills, but some skills are important for almost any job. The charts show the skills and certifications that are important for each group of jobs.
Skills are grouped as:
- Occupational Skills - skills learned on the job or through training
- Social-emotional – thinking skills, people skills, language skills, managing resources, and personal traits
- Tools and Equipment – the ability to use specific tools or equipment
- Technologies – the ability to work with specific technologies
- Certifications – specific certifications required by employers
To view skills in demand by industry visit our industry page.
General Observations for 2024:
- Of the 95,983 job postings recorded in 2024, 96% identified specific skills required for the job.
- Social-emotional skills were the most needed overall, with 93% of job postings requiring them. The highest demand for these skills was in legislative and senior management (98%), and farming, fishing, forestry, and mining (98%). The lowest demand was in Engineering, Math, Science, and Information Technology (91%).
- Occupational skills were mentioned in 88% of job postings. The highest demand was in sales and service (93%) and business, finance, and administration (93%). Art, culture recreation and sport had the lowest demand for occupational skills (67%).
- Jobs in math, science, engineering, and IT had the highest demand for specific technologies (71%). Jobs in farming, fishing, forestry, and mining had the lowest demand, with only 13 percent of job postings mentioning these skills.
- There wasn’t much demand for tools and equipment skills, with only 14% of overall job postings requesting these skills. However, trades and transportation and manufacturing and utilities both had the highest demand with 39% of job postings mentioning these skills.
- Trades and transportation had the highest demand for certifications (21%).
0 - Senior Management
This group includes legislators and senior managers.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important. Almost all job postings (98%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Within social-emotional skills, personal qualities like leadership, flexibility, problem solving, and decision-making are especially important, along with being good at working with others and managing resources.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in 91% of postings, up from 87% in 2023.
- Technologies and mentioned in 45% of postings, up from 29% in 2023.
- Tools and certifications are rarely mentioned.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
1 - Business, Finance and Administration
This group includes jobs related to finance, business services, administration, and support.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important. Almost all job postings (96%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Within these skills, personal qualities like leadership, flexibility, and decision-making are especially important, along with working well with others.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in 93% of postings.
- Technologies are mentioned in 62% but tools are rarely mentioned.
- Certifications are mentioned in 19% of postings.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
2 - Engineering, Math, Science, and Information Technology
This category includes jobs in science, engineering, architecture, and information technology.
These jobs need further education after high school, usually in a specific science or technical field. Moving up from technical to professional jobs often requires more education.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important. Most job postings (91%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Within these skills, personal qualities like leadership, flexibility, and decision-making are really important, along with working well with others.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in 88% of postings.
- Technologies are mentioned in about three-quarters of postings (71%), but tools are rarely mentioned.
- Certifications are mentioned in 21% of job postings.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
3 - Health
This group includes jobs in healthcare, where people directly help patients and provide support to medical staff.
Moving up from technical roles to professional jobs in medicine or dentistry usually requires more education. Getting promoted to supervisory positions usually requires experience in the job you are supervising. Support jobs in healthcare usually need short training programs specific to that area.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important. Most job postings (92%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Within these skills, personal qualities like leadership, flexibility, and decision-making are really important, along with working well with others.
- Languages are also important, with most postings requiring English or French skills.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in 84% of postings.
- Technologies are less important, mentioned only in about 20% of postings and tools are rarely mentioned.
- Certifications are asked for in 19% of job postings.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
4 - Education, Law, and Social, Community, and Government Services
This category covers jobs related to law, teaching, counseling, social science research, government policymaking, and running government programs. It also includes roles in religious services and leadership.
To work in these jobs, people usually need to finish a related program after high school. For some jobs, like paralegals, or social service workers, you will need extra education to move up to professional roles.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important, though not as much as in other job categories. Most job postings (94%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Within these skills, working well with others is the most important, followed by personal qualities.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in 69% of postings.
- Technologies are less important, mentioned in only about 23% of postings and tools and certifications are rarely mentioned.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
5 - Art, Culture, Recreation and Sport
This category includes jobs in art and culture, like performing arts, film and video, broadcasting, journalism, writing, creative design, libraries, and museums.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important. Almost all job postings (96%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in about two-thirds of postings (67%).
- Technologies are somewhat important, mentioned in just over a quarter of postings (28%), but tools and certifications are rarely mentioned.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
6 - Sales and Service
This category covers jobs in sales, customer service, and personal services in various industries like hotels and restaurants, travel, tourism, and cleaning.
Most of these jobs need some kind of training, either from a formal program after high school, or on-the-job training. Some specialized service jobs offer apprenticeship training. To move up to higher positions or supervisory roles, you usually need experience in the job and might need more training.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important. Almost all job postings (93%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Specific skills for the job are mentioned in almost all postings (93%), which is the highest demand for any job group.
- Technologies are less important, mentioned in about 20% of postings.
- 19% of job postings mention certifications.
- Tools are mentioned in only about 12% of postings.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
7 - Trades and Transportation
This category is all about jobs in trades like supervisors, contractors, construction workers, and transportation and machinery operators. These jobs are found in lots of different industries, but many are in construction and transportation.
Most of these jobs need some kind of training, either from college or vocational programs combined with on-the-job training. Many jobs in this group have apprenticeship pathways. Helpers usually learn on the job. With experience, you can move up to supervisory roles or become self-employed. However, it is not easy to switch between jobs in this category because they often need specific training and licenses.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important. Almost all job postings (92%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in most postings (91%).
- Certifications are mentioned in about 21% of postings.
- Tools are mentioned the most of all job categories, with 39% of postings mentioning them.
- Technologies are less important, mentioned in only about 15% of postings.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
8 - Farming, Fishing, Forestry and Mining
This category covers jobs in industries like mining, oil and gas, forestry, agriculture, and fishing. It includes supervisors and equipment operators.
Most of the jobs in this category are specific to these industries and are not found outside of them. To do these jobs, you usually need to finish college or a vocational program. Some jobs might teach you everything you need to know on the job.
- In these jobs, being good with people is important. Almost all job postings (98%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in many postings (69%).
- Tools are somewhat important, mentioned in about 26% of postings.
- Technologies and certifications are rarely mentioned.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
9 - Manufacturing and Utilities
This category covers jobs in manufacturing, processing, and utilities, like supervisors, production workers, and labourers.
For some jobs, you might need technical training, while for others you can learn on the job. Jobs dealing with process control are becoming more technical, so you might need training after high school for those. Many people start in simpler jobs and move up as they gain experience. Moving up to supervisor roles usually requires experience. Sometimes, your ability to move around in these jobs might be limited by seniority rules or you might need more training.
- In these jobs, it is important to work well with others. Most job postings (94%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
- Occupational skills are mentioned in most postings (91%).
- Tools and Equipment is mentioned in about 39% of postings.
- Technologies are only mentioned in about 16% of postings and certifications are rarely mentioned.
Here are the top skills they are looking for in each category.
Source: Vicinity Jobs. Skills and Certifications by Level 1 Occupational Group. January 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024.