Labour Market Insights
Growing & Declining Occupations: Top Occupations and In-Demand Jobs for Windsor-Essex for December 2024
Windsor-Essex’s job market saw the typical seasonal slowdown in December 2024, with job postings experiencing a decline across most sectors. This trend aligns with the holiday season, as many companies opt to delay the hiring process until the new year. Despite the current dip, there is optimism for a resurgence in January 2025, when businesses anticipate ramping up recruitment efforts. In this blog, we will explore the most in-demand and most searched-for jobs in the region, providing insights for both jobseekers and employers as they navigate this transitional period.
In December 2024, there were 2,722 total active job postings from 1,083 companies for a decrease of 17% in total active job postings from the previous month. The number of new job postings also decreased this month, down 37% from November, with 1,143 new jobs posted in the month of December. The Job Board received 20,058 job post clicks, down 11% from the previous month.
The top 15 searched-for occupations overall in Windsor-Essex for December 2024 on the Job Board were:
| Ranking | Searched Overall in December 2024 | Number of Search Instances (December 2024) | Net Change from November 2024 | % Change from November 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 920 | +277 | +43.1% |
| 2 | Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers | 891 | -371 | -29.4% |
| 3 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 852 | +5 | +0.6% |
| 4 | Material Handlers | 762 | +6 | +0.8% |
| 5 | Delivery Service Drivers and Door-to-Door Distributors | 660 | +214 | +47.9% |
| 6 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 504 | -116 | -18.7% |
| 7 | Administrative Assistants | 429 | -374 | -46.6% |
| 8 | Receptionists | 411 | +66 | +19.1% |
| 9 | Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations | 378 | +120 | +46.5% |
| 10 | Administrative Officers | 336 | -178 | -34.6% |
| 11 | Cashiers | 300 | -102 | -25.4% |
| 12 | Light Duty Cleaners | 289 | -136 | -31.3% |
| 13 | Medical Administrative Assistants | 287 | -54 | -15.8% |
| 14 | Accounting Technicians and Bookkeepers | 280 | -90 | -24.3% |
| 15 | Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers | 217 | +1 | +0.5% |
These numbers are specific to the Job Board. To learn more about the occupations listed in these tables, visit the Career Library.
Occupations that saw a significant increase in interactions on the Job Board in December as compared to November include Delivery Service Drivers and Door-to-Door Distributors (up 47.9%); Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations (up 46.5%); Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations (up 43.1%); Receptionists (up 19.1%); and Material Handlers (up 0.8%).
Occupations that saw a significant decrease in interactions on the Job Board in December as compared to November include Administrative Assistants (down 46.6%), Administrative Officers (down 34.6%), Light Duty Cleaners (down 31.3%), Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers (down 29.4%), and Cashiers (down 25.4%).
Typically, Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers is the most searched-for (and most in-demand) occupation for Windsor-Essex. However, December saw a significant increase in interest in Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations. The demand for this occupation did decrease slightly over the previous month (job postings were down 2.1% as noted in the table below), but it is still the second-most in-demand occupation for the region.
Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations prepare, heat and finish cooking simple food items and serve customers at food counters. Kitchen helpers, food service helpers and dishwashers clear tables, clean kitchen areas, wash dishes, and perform various other activities to assist workers who prepare or serve food and beverages. They are employed by restaurants, cafés, hotels, fast food outlets, cafeterias, hospitals, and other establishments. Regional employers for Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations include McDonald’s, Windsor Regional Hospital, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and AgeCare Royal Oak Long Term Care Residence.
The top 20 in-demand occupations by local employers for December 2024 were:
| Ranking | In-Demand Occupation for December 2024 | Posting Count (December 2024) | Net Change from November 2024 | % Change from November 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers | 103 | -23 | -18.3% |
| 2 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 94 | -2 | -2.1% |
| 3 | Transport Truck Drivers | 83 | -12 | -12.6% |
| 4 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 73 | -17 | -18.9% |
| 5 | Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses | 65 | +7 | +12.1% |
| 6 | Cooks | 59 | -15 | -20.3% |
| 7 | Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations | 57 | -1 | -1.7% |
| 8 | Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers | 54 | -1 | -1.8% |
| 9 | Food Service Supervisors | 54 | -9 | -14.3% |
| 10 | Restaurant and Food Service Managers | 46 | +3 | +7.0% |
| 11 | Material Handlers | 40 | -12 | -23.1% |
| 12 | Administrative Assistants | 37 | -17 | -31.5% |
| 13 | Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness | 37 | +6 | +19.4% |
| 14 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 37 | -5 | -11.9% |
| 15 | Administrative Officers | 35 | -17 | -32.7% |
| 16 | Early Childhood Educators and Assistants | 35 | -8 | -18.6% |
| 17 | Accounting Technicians and Bookkeepers | 31 | -8 | -20.5% |
| 18 | Retail Sales Supervisors | 29 | -5 | -14.7% |
| 19 | Machinists and Machining and Tooling Inspectors | 29 | -8 | -21.6% |
| 20 | Medical Administrative Assistants | 28 | -3 | -9.7% |
Occupations that saw an increase in total active job postings in December as compared to November include Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness (up 19.4%); Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (up 12.1%); and Restaurant and Food Service Managers (up 7.0%).
Occupations that saw a decrease in total active job postings in December as compared to November include Administrative Officers (down 32.7%), Administrative Assistants (down 31.5%), Material Handlers (down 23.1%), Machinists and Machining and Tooling Inspectors (down 21.6%), and Accounting Technicians and Bookkeepers (down 20.5%).
In comparing the most searched-for and most in-demand jobs lists for the region in December, there are no occupations on the lists that saw both a significant increase in searches and in job postings. However, we did see one occupation with a significant increase in job postings that does not typically appear on the list throughout most of the year: Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness. The increase in demand for this occupation could be due to fitness and recreational facilities needing additional staff to accommodate a busier post-holiday workout season. In fact, we saw this trend in January 2024 as well.
Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness lead and instruct groups and individuals in recreational, sports, fitness, or athletic programs. Fitness appraisers conduct fitness tests and assessments and design, develop, and deliver fitness programs. They are employed by community centres, sports and fitness clubs, outdoor centres, resorts, recreational facilities, health care facilities, retirement homes, correctional institutions, government departments, private businesses, tourism associations, and similar establishments. Regional employers of Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness include GoodLife Fitness Centres Inc., Movati Athletic, Town of Tecumseh, Town of Kingsville, and Crunch Fitness.
Hiring by 2-Digit NAICS:
| Ranking | NAICS Code | 2-Digit NAICS Label | Posting Count (December 2024) | Net Change from November 2024 | % Change from November 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 62 | Healthcare and Social Assistance | 428 | -72 | -14.4% |
| 2. | 44-46 | Retail Trade | 423 | -123 | -22.5% |
| 3. | 31-33 | Manufacturing | 384 | -100 | -20.7% |
| 4. | 56 | Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services | 315 | -113 | -26.4% |
| 5. | 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | 269 | -58 | -17.7% |
| 6. | 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | 244 | -39 | -13.8% |
| 7. | 54 | Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 215 | -65 | -23.2% |
| 8. | 81 | Other Services (Except Public Administration) | 153 | -23 | -13.1% |
| 9. | 91 | Public Administration | 152 | +45 | +42.1% |
| 10. | 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 107 | -41 | -27.7% |
| 11. | 52 | Finance and Insurance | 93 | 0 | 0% |
| 12. | 23 | Construction | 84 | -47 | -35.9% |
| 13. | 61 | Educational Services | 78 | -12 | -13.3% |
| 14. | 41 | Wholesale Trade | 73 | -19 | -20.7% |
| 15. | 71 | Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 60 | -16 | -21.1% |
| 16. | 51 | Information and Cultural Industries | 57 | +7 | +14.0% |
| 17. | 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 49 | -2 | -3.9% |
| 18. | 22 | Utilities | 9 | -4 | -30.8% |
| 19. | 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 8 | +3 | +60.0% |
| 20. | 55 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | 4 | 0 | 0% |
Most sectors in Windsor-Essex for December saw a decrease in job postings, save for Public Administration (up 42.1%) and Information and Cultural Industries (up 14.0%), and Finance and Insurance remained unchanged from the previous month. Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction was also up (60.0%), but this sector is very small in Windsor-Essex to begin with. Since we saw job postings down 17% from the previous month (and also down 42.8% from 4,757 total active job postings from December 2023), it is not surprising that the majority of sectors saw a decrease in job postings for the month of December. Job postings typically decrease around this time, as companies would wait until the new year to hire to fill vacancies to avoid holiday-related vacations and interruptions in the interviewing, hiring, and onboarding process. We may see an increase in January 2025’s numbers.
Top Growing and Top Declining Occupations
In terms of the Top Growing and Top Declining Occupations for Windsor-Essex for December, we do see some familiar occupations on the Top Growing list:
For instance, Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers; Medical Administrative Assistants; and Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses all appear on the top most in-demand occupations list noted earlier. While Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers did not make the top list for December, this occupation was featured in the list quite a few times this year. We typically do not see Sales and Account Representatives – Wholesale Trade (Non-Technical) on the most in-demand occupations list, however, it is clearly trending upward.
Sales and Account Representatives – Wholesale Trade (Non-Technical) sell non-technical goods and services to retail, wholesale, commercial, industrial, professional, and other clients domestically and internationally. They are employed by establishments that produce or provide goods and services such as petroleum companies, food, beverage and tobacco producers, clothing manufacturers, motor vehicles and parts manufacturers, hotels, business services firms, and transportation companies. Auctioneers and Sales Representatives in Wholesale Trade who are Supervisors are also included. Regional employers for Sales and Account Representatives – Wholesale Trade (Non-Technical) include Fastenal Canada Outer Drive Windsor, Cintas Corporation, Kognitive Sales Solutions, PepsiCo Canada, and Premium Retail Services (Canada) Inc.
While the occupations on the Top Declining list have seen a decrease in postings, based on the number of job postings over 2024, they all appear regularly on the top most in-demand occupations list, meaning that they are still very much in-demand in the region, although hiring may have been slower throughout 2024 as compared to 2023.
Top Hiring Employers:
Looking at the companies posting jobs in Windsor-Essex, the below table shows the top 10 hiring companies in the region.
| Ranking | Company | Number of Postings (December 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Loblaws Companies | 71 |
| 2. | Windsor Regional Hospital | 46 |
| 3. | Walmart Canada | 33 |
| 4. | Corporation of the City of Windsor | 29 |
| 5. | McDonald's Corporation | 26 |
| 6. | Starbucks | 24 |
| 7. | AgeCare Royal Oak Long Term Care Residence | 22 |
| 8. | Mastronardi Produce Limited | 22 |
| 9. | Plasman | 21 |
| 10. | Shoppers Drug Mart | 21 |
In looking at the above table, we can see where some of the more in-demand sectors and occupations are hiring more specifically. For instance, Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers, the most in-demand occupation for the month, would be hired by Loblaws, Walmart, and Shoppers Drug Mart. Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations, the second-most in-demand occupation, would be hired at McDonald’s Corporation and Starbucks.
THE FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT WERE SOURCED FROM:
MONTHLY JOB DEMAND REPORT
As of April 2019, the monthly Job Demand Report for Windsor-Essex is created by Workforce WindsorEssex using data collected from unique national, provincial and locally-significant job boards. Between May 2017 and March 2019, job posting data was purchased from CEB Talent Neuron.
MONTHLY JOB SEARCH REPORT
The monthly Job Search Report for Windsor-Essex is created by Workforce WindsorEssex using data collected from four job finding tools, including WEexplore, WEmap jobs, WEjobs board, and the Bridge Timeline Tool. Gender and age information of users is voluntarily shared with the organization.
Questions? Please contact: info@workforcewindsoressex.com.
