Job prospects Special Education Assistant in Alberta

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "special education assistant" in Alberta or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Alberta

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be moderate for Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (NOC 43100) in Alberta for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
• Several positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Alberta’s government is increasing its investment in the K-12 education system in Budget 2023 by providing $8.8 billion in operating expense in 2023-24 growing to $9.2 billion by 2025-26, an increase of more than $1.8 billion over the next three years. This includes funding to hire up to 3,000 education staff including teachers, educational assistants, bus drivers, and school support staff over the next three years.

Here are some key facts about Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants in Alberta:

• Approximately 14,500 people work in this occupation.
• Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111): more than 95%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 72% compared to 80% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 28% compared to 20% for all occupations
• 17% of elementary and secondary school teacher assistants work all year, while 83% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 36 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of elementary and secondary school teacher assistants are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 6% compared to 53% for all occupations
  • Women: 94% compared to 47% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 10% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 26% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 12% compared to 13% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 37% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 16% compared to 21% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 5% compared to 9% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Alberta by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "special education assistant" Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (NOC 43100) or across Canada.

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