Labour Market Insights
Skills and Key Job Requirements: Top Occupations and In-Demand Jobs for Windsor-Essex for May 2025
This month, we’re looking at the latest employment statistics for Windsor-Essex, capturing the intricacies of job postings, sector performance, and in-demand skills. While there is a general decline in job postings, particular occupations and sectors are experiencing growth in the region.
In May, there were 3,519 total active job postings from 1,333 companies, representing a 14% decrease from the previous month. The number of new job postings decreased by 23% from April, with 2,336 new jobs posted in May. The Job Board received 28,371 job post clicks, up 10% from the previous month.
Job postings in Windsor-Essex had been on a rebound since January, although consistently lower than the same time period the previous year. This month, we did see a decline in job postings for the first time this year. Job postings are down 39.2% from 5,790 in May 2024. Windsor-Essex, like the rest of Canada, continues to be affected by U.S. tariffs and shifting consumer habits.
The top 15 searched-for occupations overall in Windsor-Essex for May 2025 on the Job Board were:
| Ranking | Searched Overall in May 2025 | Number of Search Instances (May 2025) | Net Change from April 2025 | % Change from April 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers | 1,436 | -32 | -2.2% |
| 2 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 1,027 | +276 | +36.8% |
| 3 | Administrative Assistants | 941 | +195 | +26.1% |
| 4 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 851 | +72 | +9.2% |
| 5 | Material Handlers | 651 | -185 | -22.1% |
| 6 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 631 | -236 | -27.2% |
| 7 | Medical Administrative Assistants | 614 | +80 | +15.0% |
| 8 | Administrative Officers | 592 | +248 | +72.1% |
| 9 | Delivery Service Drivers and Door-to-Door Distributors | 568 | +112 | +24.6% |
| 10 | Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations | 474 | +44 | +10.2% |
| 11 | Construction Trades Helpers and Labourers | 473 | -8 | -1.7% |
| 12 | Social and Community Service Workers | 441 | +145 | +49.0% |
| 13 | Receptionists | 420 | +52 | +14.1% |
| 14 | Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers | 416 | +146 | +54.1% |
| 15 | Light Duty Cleaners | 404 | +5 | +1.3% |
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 May as compared to April include Administrative Officers (up 72.1%); Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers (up 54.1%); Social and Community Service Workers (up 49.0%); Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers (up 36.8%); and Administrative Assistants (up 26.1%).
Occupations that saw a significant decrease in interactions on the Job Board in May as compared to April include Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations (down 27.2%); Material Handlers (down 22.1%); Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers (down 2.2%); and Construction Trades Helpers and Labourers (down 1.7%).
The top 20 in-demand occupations by local employers for May 2025 were:
| Ranking | In-Demand Occupation for May 2025 | Posting Count (May 2025) | Net Change from April 2025 | % Change from April 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons and Visual Merchandisers | 135 | -41 | -23.3% |
| 2 | Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations | 124 | +10 | +8.8% |
| 3 | Transport Truck Drivers | 107 | -35 | -24.7% |
| 4 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 86 | -31 | -26.5% |
| 5 | Cooks | 77 | -11 | -12.5% |
| 6 | Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers | 72 | +7 | +10.8% |
| 7 | Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses | 96 | -36 | -37.5% |
| 8 | Licensed Practical Nurses | 49 | -35 | -41.7% |
| 9 | Food Service Supervisors | 48 | -2 | -4.0% |
| 10 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 48 | +6 | +14.3% |
| 11 | Mechanical Engineers | 46 | -17 | -27.0% |
| 12 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 45 | -7 | -13.5% |
| 13 | Construction Millwrights and Industrial Mechanics | 43 | -1 | -2.3% |
| 14 | Administrative Assistants | 39 | -10 | -20.4% |
| 15 | Electrical and Electronics Engineers | 38 | -37 | -49.3% |
| 16 | Social Workers | 38 | +3 | +8.6% |
| 17 | Delivery Service Drivers and Door-to-Door Distributors | 38 | 0 | 0% |
| 18 | Restaurant and Food Service Managers | 37 | -8 | -17.8% |
| 19 | Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers | 35 | -42 | -54.6% |
| 20 | Program Leaders and Instructors in Recreation, Sport and Fitness | 34 | -5 | -12.8% |
Occupations that saw an increase in total active job postings in May as compared to April include Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers (up 14.3%); Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers (up 10.8%); Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations (up 8.8%); and Social Workers (up 8.6%).
Occupations that saw a decrease in total active job postings in May as compared to April include Industrial and Manufacturing Engineers (down 54.6%), Electrical and Electronics Engineers (down 49.3%), Licensed Practical Nurses (down 41.7%), Registered Nurses and Registered Psychiatric Nurses (down 37.5%), and Mechanical Engineers (down 27.0%).
In comparing the most searched-for and most in-demand jobs lists for the region in May, the occupations that saw increases in both search and demand include Home Support Workers, Caregivers and Related Occupations; Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers; and Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers.
Interestingly, Social and Community Service Workers received an increase in searches, while Social Workers saw an increase in demand. What is the difference between these two occupations?
Social and Community Service Workers administer and implement a variety of social assistance programs and community services, and assist clients to deal with personal and social problems. They are employed by social service and government agencies, mental health agencies, group homes, shelters, substance abuse centres, school boards, correctional facilities, and other establishments. Regional employers of Social and Community Service Workers include Canadian Mental Health Association Windsor Essex County, New Beginnings-Essex County, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Family Respite Services Windsor-Essex, and United Way/Centraide Windsor-Essex Chatham-Kent.
Social Workers help individuals, couples, families, groups, communities, and organizations develop the skills and resources they need to enhance social functioning and provide counselling, therapy, and referral to other supportive social services. Social Workers also respond to other social needs and issues such as unemployment, racism, and poverty. They are employed by hospitals, school boards, social service agencies, child welfare organizations, correctional facilities, community agencies, employee assistance programs, and Aboriginal band councils, or they may work in private practice. Regional employers of Social Workers include Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Canadian Mental Health Association Windsor Essex County, Hiatus House, Windsor Essex Community Health Centre, and Family Services Windsor-Essex.
Hiring by 2-Digit NAICS:
| Ranking | NAICS Code | 2-Digit NAICS Label | Posting Count (May 2025) | Net Change from April 2025 | % Change from April 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 62 | Healthcare and Social Assistance | 580 | -125 | -17.7% |
| 2. | 44-46 | Retail Trade | 574 | -31 | -5.1% |
| 3. | 56 | Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services | 524 | -156 | -22.9% |
| 4. | 31-33 | Manufacturing | 491 | -67 | -12.0% |
| 5. | 72 | Accommodation and Food Services | 330 | -16 | -4.6% |
| 6. | 54 | Professional, Scientific and Technical Services | 273 | -127 | -31.8% |
| 7. | 81 | Other Services (Except Public Administration) | 239 | -36 | -13.1% |
| 8. | 48-49 | Transportation and Warehousing | 203 | -73 | -26.5% |
| 9. | 91 | Public Administration | 154 | -15 | -8.9% |
| 10. | 52 | Finance and Insurance | 135 | -26 | -16.2% |
| 11. | 11 | Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 133 | -18 | -11.9% |
| 12. | 23 | Construction | 130 | -35 | -21.2% |
| 13. | 41 | Wholesale Trade | 106 | -11 | -9.4% |
| 14. | 61 | Educational Services | 99 | -7 | -6.6% |
| 15. | 53 | Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 58 | -23 | -28.4% |
| 16. | 71 | Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 56 | -9 | -13.9% |
| 17. | 51 | Information and Cultural Industries | 36 | +8 | +28.6% |
| 18. | 22 | Utilities | 13 | -3 | -18.8% |
| 19. | 21 | Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 4 | -4 | -50.0% |
While job postings in the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector are down 17.7% in May as compared to April, it still stands as the top hiring sector in the region and a great place to start if you’re interested in a career in health. Job postings were down across almost all sectors this month, save for Information and Cultural Industries, which saw a 28.6% increase in the number of total active job postings in May. This increase could be due to the upcoming warmer months, vacations, and the increase in activities associated with summer break.
In-Demand Skills
Focusing on the demand side of the equation, if you are interested in a career in Social Work in the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector, review the following list of knowledge, skills, and tools/technology most commonly listed in the job postings for Social Workers for May 2025:
If you have any of these skills and are applying for Social Work positions, consider incorporating any applicable skills into your resume and application.
In the broader career landscape, when updating your resume and cover letter to apply for job postings, carefully read the skills and key requirements. Below are the top in-demand skills and key job requirements that employers were looking for in job postings for May 2025:
Adding these, if applicable, to your resume and job applications can show employers that you check many boxes and will be a good fit for the role.
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 (May 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Corporation of the City of Windsor | 45 |
| 2 | AgeCare Royal Oak Long Term Care Residence | 37 |
| 3. | Windsor Regional Hospital | 34 |
| 4. | Starbucks | 33 |
| 5. | Mastronardi Produce Limited | 29 |
| 6. | Shoppers Drug Mart | 29 |
| 7. | Extendicare | 25 |
| 8. | Loblaw Companies Ltd. | 23 |
| 9. | SyBridge Technologies Inc. | 23 |
| 10. | Green Shield Canada | 21 |
From the above list, we can identify specific employers driving demand in the Healthcare and Social Assistance sector, with AgeCare Royal Oak Long Term Care Residence, Windsor Regional Hospital, and Extendicare all appearing high up in the list. We can also see a demand in the Retail Trade sector with Shoppers Drug Mart and Loblaw Companies Ltd.
THE FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT WERE SOURCED FROM:
MONTHLY JOB DEMAND REPORT
Since 2019, the monthly Job Demand Report for Windsor-Essex has been created by Workforce WindsorEssex using data collected from unique national, provincial, and locally-significant job boards.
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.
