Skills in Demand by Education Level

Explore the skills in demand based on your level of education.

This page shows the most requested skills based on the National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities (TEER) category. Skills have been identified from job ads. They are grouped by the TEER level mentioned in the job ads.

Here is what those categories mean:

  • University: this job needs a university degree.
  • College or Apprenticeship (advanced): jobs need either a college program or apprenticeship training that is two to three years long. Or it might need experience in a role that usually needs college or apprenticeship training for less than two years. 
  • College or Apprenticeship: this job needs college courses or apprenticeship training for less than two years.
  • High School: you need a high school diploma.
  • No Formal Education: you don’t need formal schooling; you can show you know how to do the job through your work. 
  • Management: these jobs are at the management level.

Skill categories include:

  • 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

Some general insights:

  • Many job postings wanted people with either less than two years of college or apprenticeship, just a high school diploma, or no formal education.
  • Social-emotional skills are what most employers are looking for, no matter the education level. After that, they look for occupational skills.
  • Jobs that don’t need formal education often mention specific tools and equipment. 
  • Jobs in management or that need a university degree rarely mention tools and equipment.

University – these jobs need a university degree

In jobs that need a university degree:

  • Almost all job ads (92%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
  • Occupational skills are mentioned in over three-quarters of job ads (77%).
  • Technology skills are mentioned in about two-fifths of ads (41%)
  • Certifications are mentioned in about a quarter of ads (25%).
A table with three columns labeled Occupational skills, Social-emotional skills, and the third is tools, technology, and certifications. Each column lists the top ten skills for the category. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

College or Apprenticeship (advanced) – jobs need either a college program or apprenticeship training that is two to three years long. Or it might need experience in a role that usually needs college or apprenticeship training for less than two years

In jobs that need this level of education:

  • Almost all job ads (92%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
  • Most job ads (82%) mention occupational skills.
  • Technology skills are only mentioned in about a quarter of ads (25%).
  • Tools and equipment are mentioned in about one-sixth of ads (17%).
  • Certifications are asked for in about half of ads (50%), which is the highest of all education levels.
A table with three columns labeled Occupational skills, Social-emotional skills, and the third is tools, technology, and certifications. Each column lists the top ten skills for the category. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

College or Apprenticeship – these jobs need college courses or apprenticeship training for less than two years

In jobs needing this level of education or experience:

  • Almost all job ads (92%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
  • Most ads (88%) mention occupational skills.
  • Technology skills are only mentioned in about a third of ads (30%).
  • Tools and equipment are mentioned in about one-seventh of ads (14%).
  • Certifications are asked for in about a third of ads (33%).
A table with three columns labeled Occupational skills, Social-emotional skills, and the third is tools, technology, and certifications. Each column lists the top ten skills for the category. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

High School – you need a high school diploma

In jobs needing this level of education:

  • Almost all job ads (94%) mention needing social-emotional skills. 
  • Most of the ads (88%) mention occupational skills.
  • Technology is mentioned in about a third of ads (32%).
  • Tools and equipment is mentioned in about one-sixth of ads (16%).
  • Certifications are mentioned in about a fifth of ads (18%).
A table with three columns labeled Occupational skills, Social-emotional skills, and the third is tools, technology, and certifications. Each column lists the top ten skills for the category. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

No Formal Education – you don’t need formal schooling; you can show you know how to do the job through your work

In jobs that need this level of education or experience:

  • Almost all job ads (90%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
  • Most of the ads (88%) mention occupational skills.
  • Technology skills are only mentioned in about 8% of ads.
  • Tools and equipment are mentioned the most of all education levels, in about one-fifth of ads (22%).
  • Certifications are mentioned in about one-fifth of ads (20%).
A table with three columns labeled Occupational skills, Social-emotional skills, and the third is tools, technology, and certifications. Each column lists the top ten skills for the category. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

Management - these jobs are at the management level

In management jobs:

  • Almost all job ads (97%) mention needing social-emotional skills.
  • Most of the ads (84%) mention occupational skills.
  • Technology skills are mentioned in about a third of ads (34%).
  • Tools and equipment are rarely mentioned.
  • Certifications are mentioned in about a third of ads (29%).
A table with three columns labeled Occupational skills, Social-emotional skills, and the third is tools, technology, and certifications. Each column lists the top ten skills for the category. The chart file can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

Source: Vicinity Jobs, Postings by NOC TEER Level by Skill Group by Skill based on postings found between 01 Jan 23 and 31 Dec 23. 

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TEERCharts.xlsx (20.75 KB)

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