Career trends

Following are some predicted employment trends from Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC):

Mathematics

With an undergraduate degree:

• "Currently, chances of these graduates finding work in occupations in which they usually look for work are rated 'Good' … Over the next five years, this outlook is not expected to change..."
• "These graduates are expected to be relatively successful when searching for jobs as mathematicians, statisticians, actuaries, computer programmers, and information systems and data processing managers. Employment opportunities are expected to be most plentiful in the business services, finance and insurance sectors of the economy, which are expected to grow strongly over the 1999-2004 period."

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With a graduate degree:

• "Graduates usually found work as mathematicians, statisticians, actuaries, computer programmers or university professors. They worked for computer companies, in government departments or agencies, in universities and in banks."
• "Currently, chances of these graduates finding work in occupations in which they usually look for work are rated 'Good' ...Over the next five years, this outlook is not expected to change..."
• "These graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as mathematicians, statisticians, actuaries, systems analysts and information systems and data processing managers. Employment opportunities are expected to be the most plentiful in the business services and finance and insurance sectors of the economy and the least plentiful in the government sector."

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Engineering

With an undergraduate degree:
According to Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), chances of finding employment as a Chemical, Civil, or Electrical Engineer are currently rated "Good," and are expected to remain so over the next five years.

• Chemical Engineering graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as chemical engineers, applied chemical technologists, and industrial and manufacturing engineers. Employment opportunities are expected to be the most plentiful in the business and professional services sectors of the economy and the least plentiful in the federal government.
• Civil Engineering graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as construction managers and civil engineers in the construction and professional services sectors of the economy, which are expected to grow strongly over the 1999-2004 period. Employment opportunities are expected to be limited for civil engineering technologists and technicians.
• Electrical Engineering graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as electrical/electronic engineers in the electrical/electronic products manufacturing, professional services and telecommunications sectors of the economy. Employment opportunities are expected to be limited in the aircraft manufacturing and federal government sectors.

With a Master's degree:
According to Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), chances of finding employment as a Chemical, Civil, or Electrical Engineer are currently rated "Good," and are expected to remain so over the next five years.

• Mechanical Engineering graduates usually found work as engineers in their own or another field, or as university professors. They worked for engineering firms, in education, or in machinery and equipment industries. These graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as mechanical engineers in the professional services sector of the economy. Employment opportunities are expected to be limited in the government, oil and gas, and aircraft manufacturing sectors.
• Civil Engineering graduates usually found work as engineers for engineering firms, in the education sector, or in the highway and heavy construction sector of the economy. These graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as civil engineers in the professional services sector and, to some extent, the construction sector. Employment opportunities are expected to be limited in the government sector.
• Electrical Engineering graduates usually found work as engineers in their own or another field. Some worked as programmers or systems analysts. They worked for electronic equipment companies or for broadcasting or telecommunications firms. These graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as electrical/electronic engineers in the professional services, electrical/electronic products manufacturing, and telecommunications sectors, which are expected to grow strongly over the 1999-2004 period. Employment opportunities are expected to be limited in the government sector of the economy.
• Graduates of other Engineering specializations, including aeronautical, aerospace, mining, biomedical, geological and petroleum engineering usually found work as engineers in their own or another field. These graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs in a variety of engineering fields, especially as computer, industrial and manufacturing engineers. The better outlook in these particular occupations follows from the fact that they are concentrated in the electrical/electronic products manufacturing, and professional and business services sectors, which are expected to grow strongly over the 1999-2004 period. Employment opportunities are expected to be limited in the government, education, oil and gas, and aircraft manufacturing sectors of the economy.

Physics

Graduates of programs including mathematical physics, astronomy, astrophysics, thermodynamics, mechanics and the properties of matter, optics, electricity and magnetism. According to Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), chances of finding employment in this field are expected to be "Good" or "Fair" over the next five years, depending on the level of education reached.

With an undergraduate degree:

• Graduates usually found work as technicians in civil or mechanical engineering or as professionals in the physical sciences field. They worked in the broadcasting and telecommunications industry, in universities or for engineering firms.
• Currently, chances of these graduates finding work in occupations in which they usually look for work are rated "Fair"...Over the next five years, the outlook is expected to improve to "Good."
• These graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as post-secondary teaching and research assistants and as physicists. Employment opportunities are expected to be limited within the federal and provincial governments, which are expected to grow slowly over the 1999-2004 period.

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With a graduate degree:
This program includes astronomy, quantum mechanics, aeronautical biophysics, microphysics, geophysics, and optical, mathematical, medical, molecular, nuclear, particle, plasma and space physics.

• Graduates usually found work as physicists, computer programmers or systems analysts. Others taught in universities or worked as engineers. They worked in universities, electronic equipment firms, engineering firms and computer services companies.
• Over the next five years, the outlook is expected to improve to "Fair"…These graduates are expected to have more success when searching for jobs as physicists in the professional services sector, which is expected to grow strongly over the 1999-2004 period. Employment opportunities are expected to be limited in the government and education sectors of the economy.

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