Job prospects Heavy Equipment Mechanic in Northwest Territories

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "heavy equipment mechanic" in Northwest Territories or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Northwest Territories

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

Limited

The employment outlook will be limited for Heavy-duty equipment mechanics (NOC 72401) in Northwest Territories for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

  • Employment decline will lead to the loss of some positions.
  • A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
  • There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
  • This occupation will benefit from major public and private construction projects scheduled in the Northwest Territories over the next few years. For example, the federal government is providing the Northwest Territories $94.5 million over five years through the Canada Community-Building Fund to support core infrastructure and housing development projects in the territory.
  • Canada's interest and inflation rates started to decline in 2024, which may stimulate economic activities in the construction sector.
  • Training for this occupation is available locally at Aurora College.

Here are some key facts about Heavy-duty equipment mechanics in Northwest Territories:

  • Approximately 100 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
  • Heavy-duty equipment mechanics mainly work in the following sectors:
    • Public Administration and Defence (NAICS 91): 24%
    • Construction (NAICS 23): 21%
    • Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (NAICS 21): 19%
    • Wholesale and Retail Trade (NAICS 41, 44-45): 14%
    • Transportation and warehousing (NAICS 48-49): 7%
  • 61% of heavy-duty equipment mechanics work all year, while 39% work only part of the year, compared to 71% and 28% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 43 weeks compared to 44 weeks for all occupations.
  • The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
    • Men: more than 95% compared to 52% for all occupations
    • Women: less than 5% compared to 48% for all occupations
  • The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
    • no high school diploma: 8% compared to 17% for all occupations
    • high school diploma or equivalent: 17% compared to 26% for all occupations
    • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 57% compared to 12% for all occupations
    • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 17% compared to 18% for all occupations
    • bachelor's degree: n/a
    • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: n/a

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "heavy equipment mechanic" Heavy-duty equipment mechanics (NOC 72401) or across Canada.

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Mining Sector Hiring Forecast

The Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) forecasts that the mining sector will need to hire a total of 70 null in Northwest Territories from 2011 to 2021.

The following table shows MiHR’s forecast for the total number of jobs that will need to be filled from 2011 to the given year.

Table on the cummulative hiring forecast for null in Northwest Territories starting from 2011.
Cumulative Hiring Forecast (base year 2011) 2013 2016 2021

Region: Northwest Territories

Occupation:

35 50 70
Labour Market Information Survey
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