College and Other Vocational Instructors - (NOC 4021)

If you are interested in working as a College or Vocational Instructor in Canada, you will be pleased to know that the job outlook for your occupation in Canada is extremely positive. You can use this overview of the Canadian employment prospects in your field to start planning your immigration and settlement in Canada.

Why your job prospects in Canada are excellent:

• Education is a large factor in Canada’s service industry, which plays a huge part in the economy.
• The increasing number of high school graduates and adults returning to college to enhance their career prospects or to update their skills will continue to create new opportunities for College and Other Vocational Instructors.
• Efforts at various levels of government to promote the benefits of upgrading one’s skills have also resulted in an increased demand for continuing education programs and vocational training, and as a result have increased employment opportunities in this field.
• In June 2009 the Government of Canada gave CDN 11.5-million in funding to the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program, which will enable Colleges and CEGEPS to expand and develop research activities and partnerships with local companies. This increased funding to colleges will have positive effects on employment opportunities for Instructors.
• According to the Statistics Canada Census, the number of College and Other Vocational Instructors has grown by over 40 percent in Ontario over the past few years.
• According to Service Canada, Instructors will need to keep on top of technological advances through the use of computers and other sophisticated machinery in technical courses to be competitive in this field.

Some areas in Canada where your occupation is in demand: 

York, Ontario

• Employment prospects for College and Other Vocational Instructors in the Greater Toronto Region are good through 2010.
• Education levels are rising and post-secondary education is required for an increasing number of occupations.
• The retirement of many older instructors in the next few years will also create more employment opportunities.

Waterloo, Ontario

• Employment prospects for this occupation are good in the Waterloo region.
• Potential employers include but are not limited to: Academy of Learning Career & Business College, Canadian Automotive & Trucking Institute, Canadian College of Massage & Hydrotherapy, Liason College of Culinary Arts, Festival School of Hairstyling, TRIOS College Business Technology Healthcare Inc., and Medix School (EFC Trade).

Toronto, Ontario

• Employment prospects for College and Other Vocational Instructors in the Greater Toronto Region are good through 2010.
• A growing number of College Instructors are employed by community agencies that provide short term training to prepare individuals for work, literacy skills or further education. Others work for employers who provide internal training to existing staff. Distance education and online learning has also become more prevalent.
• Potential employers include but are not limited to: Canadian Business College, Canadian Information College, Canadian Institute of Health Care & Business, CENTENNIAL COLLEGE, Concordia College of Canada, George Brown College, International Academy of Design & Technology, Prestige Nursing Service Inc., and Metro College of Technology.

Ottawa, Ontario

• The outlook is good for College and Other Vocational Instructors in the Ottawa region.
• There has been a renewed emphasis on training for the skilled trades, with additional funding planned for both Algonquin College and La Cité Collégiale in the Ottawa area.
• Major employers include: Algonquin College, CDI College, Canadian Group for Emergency Training, La Cité Collégiale, Willis College of Business & Technology, National School of Languages Inc.

London-Woodstock Area, Ontario

• This is a growing occupation in the London-Woodstock area.
• While the majority of Instructors work in community colleges and private vocational schools, a growing number are employed by community agencies (that provide short term training to prepare individuals for work or further education).
• Potential employers in the region include: Ontario Police College, Ontario truck Driving School, Westervelt College, Fanshaw College, Everest College of Business, Technology and Health Care.

Southern Manitoba

• Strong ongoing demand for skilled labour in addition to the expansion of Assiniboine Community College in Brandon has created good employment prospects for College and Other Vocational Instructors.
• Potential employers in the region include: Brandon University, Assiniboine Community College, Institut Collégial Saint-Pierre, Roblin District Health Center, South Eastman English & Literacy Services.

Vancouver and Lower Mainland Southwest, British Columbia

• The occupation is termed "significant" due to the relatively high concentration of people working in this occupation within the Vancouver and Lower Mainland Southwest.
• Job vacancies are expected to increase with a significant number of workers retiring in the next few years.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Employment prospects for College and Other Vocational Instructors are considered to be very good in this area and are predicted to be good over the next 5 years.
• The provincial government will be investing millions of dollars into the community college system over the next few years, which is expected to increase future opportunities.
• The Nova Scotia College of Art and Design's (NSCAD) and Nova Scotia Community College in Woodside both opened new larger campuses in 2007, which will keep opportunities strong for new Instructors as courses are developed.
• The Nova Scotia Community College has seen enrolment jump by nearly 50 percent over the last ten years.
• Major employers include: NSCAD, Nova Scotia Community College, Academy of Cosmetology, Canadian Conservatory of Music, Darthmouth North Community Center, East Coast School of Languages, Eastern College, and Maritime Business College.

Duties for Senior Managers

College and Other Vocational instructors include instructors who teach applied arts, academic, technical and vocational subjects to students at community colleges, CEGEPs, agricultural colleges, technical and vocational institutes, language schools and other college level schools. This group also includes trainers who are employed by private training establishments, companies, community agencies and governments to deliver internal training or development courses. College teachers who are heads of departments are included.

Description of Main Duties

College and Other Vocational Instructors perform some or all of the following duties:

• Teach students using a systematic plan of lectures, demonstrations, discussion groups, laboratory work, shop sessions, seminars, case studies, field assignments and independent or group projects
• Develop curriculum and prepare teaching materials and outlines for courses
• Prepare, administer and mark tests and papers to evaluate students' progress
• Advise students on program curricula and career decisions
• Provide individualized tutorial/remedial instructions
• Supervise independent or group projects, field placements, laboratory work or hands-on training
• Supervise teaching assistants
• May provide consultation services to government, business and other organizations
• May serve on committees concerned with matters such as budgets, curriculum revision, and course and diploma requirements.
• These instructors specialize in particular fields or areas of study such as visual arts, dental hygiene, welding, engineering technology, policing, computer software, management and early childhood education.

Example job titles for Senior Managers:

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