Proportion of Employed Persons by Occupation

• Some occupations are capital intensive and increasingly automated like manufacturing, thereby employing fewer people relative to their share of the economy. Other occupations, especially in the professions and services sector, are more people intensive and employ larger numbers of people.
• The sale and service occupational grouping consistently employs the largest proportion of people in Edmonton

Employment-related measures indicate the strength of an economy and, accordingly, the population’s ability to sustain itself. Higher unemployment rates lead to more people needing income support to maintain a minimal standard of living and challenge governments and businesses to find opportunities to stimulate job growth. Lower unemployment rates also have their challenges—for instance, employed individuals may struggle to balance their work and family roles, and may face difficulties to secure adequate child care or obtain affordable housing. 

The unemployment rates experienced by Indigenous peoples and youth are significantly higher at all times, but especially during economic downturns. While unemployment rates for women have typically been lower than those for men, especially in recent years, women’s earnings from employment continue to be significantly lower than those of men.