Labour Market Insights
Preparing to Exit the Roadmap: Top Occupations and In-Demand Jobs for Windsor-Essex for October 2021
Ontario has been in Step Three of the government’s Roadmap to Reopen since July 16. On October 22, the Ontario Government announced a timeline to exit the roadmap and have also eased some restrictions. The plan outlines the lifting of pubic health and workplace safety measures by March 2022. Additionally, as of October 25, Ontario lifted capacity limits, including physical distancing requirements, in most settings where proof of vaccination is required—such as restaurants, indoor areas of sports and recreation facilities and gyms, casinos, bingo halls, and indoor meeting and event spaces. For certain establishments who opt in to require proof of vaccination (personal care services, indoor photography, and a variety of indoor recreational venues, for example), capacity limits and physical distancing requirements are lifted. The next step in the plan is scheduled for November 15, where capacity limits will be lifted in other higher-risk settings, where proof of vaccination is required (such as night clubs and strip clubs).
October saw 7,171 total active job postings from 2,147 companies for an increase of 18.45% over the previous month’s 6,054 total active job postings. The Job Board received 21,369 interactions (an increase of 14.9% from 18,598 interactions in September) from 5,844 users (an increase of 22.2% from the previous month).
The top 15 searched-for occupations overall in Windsor-Essex for October 2021 were:
| Ranking | Searched Overall in October 2021 | Number of Search Instances (October 2021) | Net Change from September | % Change from September |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons | 938 | +200 | +27.1% |
| 2 | Administrative Assistants | 858 | +390 | +83.33% |
| 3 | Material Handlers | 645 | +228 | +54.68% |
| 4 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 449 | -28 | -6.24% |
| 5 | Delivery and Courier Service Drivers | 435 | +88 | +25.36% |
| 6 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 416 | +155 | +59.39% |
| 7 | Other Labourers in Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities | 386 | +142 | +58.2% |
| 8 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 326 | +46 | +16.43% |
| 9 | Social Workers | 287 | +195 | +47.18% |
| 10 | Home Support Workers, Housekeepers and Related Occupations | 281 | -120 | -42.7% |
| 11 | Medical Administrative Assistants | 276 | +38 | +15.97% |
| 12 | Social and Community Service Workers | 274 | +13 | +4.98% |
| 13 | Janitors, Caretakers and Building Superintendents | 272 | +120 | +78.95% |
| 14 | General Office Support Workers | 254 | +14 | +5.83% |
| 15 | Electrical and Electronics Engineers | 246 | +140 | +132.08% |
To learn more about the occupations listed in these tables, visit the Career Library to explore all occupations.
Compared to the list of the top 15 most searched-for occupations overall in September 2021, the occupations are largely similar, but some are seeing more interest—such as Retail Salespersons (which is up 27.1% from 738 search instances in September to 938 in October), Administrative Assistants (up 83.33% from 468 search instances in September to 858 in October), and Material Handlers (up 54.68% from 417 search instances in September to 645 in October). With an increase in demand for these occupations as well, particularly in the Retail Trade sector as demonstrated later in the article, it is encouraging to see interest piqued to meet the job openings.
New on the list this month is Electrical and Electronics Engineers, who design, plan, research, evaluate, and test electrical and electronic equipment and systems. They are employed by electrical utilities, communications companies, manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment, consulting firms, and by a wide range of manufacturing, processing, and transportation industries and government. Some of the top hiring companies for this occupation locally includes Stellantis, The Electromac Group, and MEDA Engineering and Technical Services.
The top 15 searched-for occupations by men in Windsor-Essex for October 2021 were:
| Ranking | Searched by Men in October 2021 | Number of Search Instances (October 2021) | Net Change from September | % Change from September |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons | 211 | +63 | +42.57% |
| 2 | Material Handlers | 205 | +53 | +34.87% |
| 3 | Delivery and Courier Service Drivers | 196 | +75 | +61.98% |
| 4 | Other Labourers in Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities | 111 | +18 | +19.35% |
| 5 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 93 | +16 | +20.78% |
| 6 | Janitors, Caretakers and Building Superintendents | 84 | +46 | +82.61% |
| 7 | Administrative Assistants | 72 | +43 | +148.28% |
| 8 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 63 | -8 | -12.7% |
| 9 | Construction Trades Helpers and Labourers | 59 | +15 | +34.09% |
| 10 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 58 | -18 | -31.03% |
| 11 | Electrical and Electronics Engineers | 55 | +13 | +30.95% |
| 12 | Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers | 53 | +14 | +35.9% |
| 13 | Shippers and Receivers | 53 | +10 | +23.26% |
| 14 | Security Guards and Related Security Service Occupations | 53 | +15 | +39.47% |
| 15 | Manufacturing Managers | 48 | +15 | +45.45% |
The top 15 searched-for occupations by women in Windsor-Essex for October 2021 were:
| Ranking | Searched by Women in October 2021 | Number of Search Instances (October 2021) | Net Change from September | % Change from September |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons | 270 | 0 | 0% |
| 2 | Administrative Assistants | 254 | +77 | +43.5% |
| 3 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 122 | -59 | -48.36% |
| 4 | Material Handlers | 116 | +32 | +38.1% |
| 5 | Home Support Workers, Housekeepers and Related Occupations | 108 | -41 | -37.96% |
| 6 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 106 | +23 | +27.71% |
| 7 | Social and Community Service Workers | 105 | -10 | -9.52% |
| 8 | Medical Administrative Assistants | 89 | -8 | -8.99% |
| 9 | Social Workers | 78 | -51 | -188.89% |
| 10 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 77 | -13 | -16.88% |
| 11 | Administrative Officers | 73 | -29 | -39.73% |
| 12 | Professional Occupations in Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations | 65 | +27 | +71.05% |
| 13 | General Office Support Workers | 64 | 64 | 0% |
| 14 | Accounting and Related Clerks | 61 | -6 | -9.84% |
| 15 | Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers | 60 | -22 | -36.67% |
Interestingly, women are searching for more occupations in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector in October, including Home Support Workers, Housekeepers and Related Occupations, Medical Administrative Assistants, Social and Community Service Workers, and Social Workers. This sector did see a boost in demand this month, as detailed below.
The top 20 in-demand occupations by local employers for October 2021 were:
| Ranking | In-Demand Occupation for October 2021 | Posting Count (October 2021) | Net Change from September | % Change from September |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Retail Salespersons | 473 | +111 | +30.66% |
| 2 | Material Handlers | 210 | +34 | +19.32% |
| 3 | Transport Truck Drivers | 172 | -4 | -2.33% |
| 4 | Home Support Workers, Housekeepers and Related Occupations | 146 | -6 | -4.11% |
| 5 | Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Support Occupations | 139 | +7 | +5.3% |
| 6 | General Farm Workers | 126 | +27 | +27.27% |
| 7 | Retail and Wholesale Trade Managers | 124 | +15 | +13.76% |
| 8 | Other Customer and Information Services Representatives | 122 | +4 | +3.39% |
| 9 | Delivery and Courier Service Drivers | 120 | +15 | +14.29% |
| 10 | Cooks | 113 | -4 | -3.54% |
| 11 | Administrative Assistants | 109 | -29 | +36.25% |
| 12 | Other Labourers in Processing, Manufacturing and Utilities | 105 | +22 | +26.51% |
| 13 | Store Shelf Stockers, Clerks and Order Fillers | 103 | +16 | +18.39% |
| 14 | Electrical and Electronics Engineers | 97 | +45 | +86.54 |
| 15 | Janitors, Caretakers and Building Superintendents | 91 | +16 | +21.33% |
| 16 | Light Duty Cleaners | 88 | +11 | +14.29% |
| 17 | Security Guards and Related Security Service Occupations | 86 | +11 | +14.67% |
| 18 | Machinists and Machining and Tooling Inspectors | 74 | -9 | -12.16% |
| 19 | Shippers and Receivers | 72 | +14 | +24.14% |
| 20 | Accounting Technicians and Bookkeepers | 72 | +19 | +35.85% |
Retail Salespersons continue to be in high demand in the region, with 473 job postings (up 30.66% from 362 job postings in September 2021). Pre-pandemic, we would see an increase in employment in the Retail Trade sector closer to the holidays, so this is consistent with that trend. The demand, however, is unprecedented.
As we see in the top hiring sectors by two-digit NAICS, the Retail Trade sector accounted for 1,018 job postings, or 14.2% of all job postings, for the month of October.
This is the highest number of job postings for this sector in Windsor-Essex in two years. This also speaks to the employment issues the pandemic has brought to light, with many leaving retail and other customer-facing jobs for occupations offering more flexibility.
The Health Care and Social Assistance sector saw a jump in hiring this month as well, up 35.39% from 469 job postings in September to 365 job postings in October.
Looking at the list of top hiring companies and agencies in Windsor-Essex, Windsor Regional Hospital – Met Campus is third on the list with 57 job postings for the month of October. As of October 6, more than 60 staff members were let go for non-compliance with COVID-19 vaccination mandates.
Looking further into the top hiring sectors by six-digit NAICS, we can see a further breakdown of the increase in demand in the Health Care and Social Assistance Sector. Hiring for Nursing Care Facilities is up 50% from 86 job postings in September to 129 job postings in October. Job postings were the same in September and October (72 postings) for General (Except Paediatric) Hospitals, however.
Growth in other sectors includes the Information and Cultural Industries. Caesars’ Windsor will be welcoming back guests to their Colosseum starting on December 11. Casinos are included in the Information and Cultural Industries sector, which saw an increase of 26.92% in hiring this month, from 78 job postings in September to 99 in October.
While demand in Manufacturing is up 15.51% from 709 job postings in September to 819 in October, we may see some career changes in the coming months. It was announced on October 15 that Stellantis is cutting the Windsor Assembly Plant to one shift as of April 17, 2022, eliminating 1,800 jobs. It is estimated that 2,600 people will be employed at Windsor Assembly Plant after the cuts. This uncertainty, on top of the already troubled manufacturing environment due to the global microchip shortage, may deter those looking to work in the manufacturing sector. This not only impacts Windsor Assembly Plant, but also other local feeder plants as well.
THE FINDINGS OF THIS REPORT WERE SOURCED FROM:
MONTHLY JOB DEMAND REPORT
ABOUT THIS REPORT:
As of April 2019, the monthly Job Demand Report for Windsor-Essex is created by Workforce WindsorEssex using data collected from 14 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.
