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Secretaries (Except Legal and Medical)
What they do?
Secretaries perform some or all of the following duties:
A. Record and prepare minutes of meetings
B. Arrange travel schedules and make reservations
C. May compile data, statistics and other information and may conduct research
D. May organize conferences
E. May supervise and train other staff in procedures and in use of current software.
F. Prepare, key in, edit and proofread correspondence, invoices, presentations, brochures, publications, reports and related material from shorthand, machine dictation and handwritten copy using computers
G. Open and distribute incoming regular and electronic mail and other material and co-ordinate the flow of information internally and with other departments and organizations
Where they find work?
1. Educational services - 16.0%
2. Public administration - 11.0%
3. Other services (except public administration) - 9.0%
4. Health care and social assistance - 9.0%
5. Construction - 7.0%
6. Finance and insurance - 6.0%
7. Wholesale trade - 5.0%
What education do I need?
1. Completion of secondary school is usually required.
2. Completion of a one- or two-year college or other program for secretaries or Previous clerical experience is required.
3. Most recent entrants have a trade/vocational certificate, and almost 3 in 10 have a community college diploma.
High School Subject that will help:
1. English
2. Computer-related courses
3. Keyboarding
What can you expect to make:
The average hourly wages for Secretaries (Except Legal and Medical) is $15.53/HR, which is close to the average for occupations in the business, finance and administration sector and are below average for all technical, professional, and skilled occupations. These wages grew at an average rate from 2002 to 2004.
Average Wage
Expected Wage by Age
Unemployment:
3% of Secretaries (Except Legal and Medical) are unemployed. This rate is close to the average for technical, professional, and skilled occupations.
Unemployment
Trends in Unemployment
Current Job Outlook:
The job outlook for Secretaries (Except Legal and Medical) is considered Below Average because:
1. Employment grew at a below-average rate.
2. The retirement rate is above average, and the number of retiring workers contributes to job openings.
3. Hourly wages ($15.53) are close to the average ($18.07), and the rate of the wage growth is close to the average.
4. The unemployment rate (3%) is close to the 2004 average (7%).
Future Job Prospects:
Your job outlook will continue to be Below Average because:
1. The employment growth rate will likely be below average because of an increased productivity from organizational restructuring and the adoption of new technologies.
2. The retirement rate will likely be above average and the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings.
3. The number of job seekers will likely match the number of job openings.
Highest Concetration:
The highest concentrations Secretaries (Except Legal and Medical) are found in Quebec and New Brunswick while the lowest concentrations are in Manitoba and Newfoundland.
Unionization Rate:
The unionization rate (37%) is close to the average (32%) for all occupations.
Useful Experience:
1. Computer literacy
2. Project organization
3. Record-keeping
Part Time Workers
Part time workers:
21% of Secretaries (Except Legal and Medical) are employed only on a part-time basis. There were 168,300 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, a decrease of 42% since 1997.
Age Demographics
Age Demographics:
The earlier-than-average retirement age (60) combined with an expected older-than-average age (44) of worker will likely result in an above-average retirement rate to 2009.
