Job prospects Hand Packer - Food Store in Prince Edward Island

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "hand packer - food store" in Prince Edward Island or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Prince Edward Island

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be moderate for Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers (NOC 65102) in Prince Edward Island for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
• High employee turnover in this occupation could lead to additional employment opportunities.

Employment demand in this occupation is mostly driven by consumer spending in retail operations and is expected to be positive over the forecast period. The Island economy is projected to moderate over the forecast period which may affect job opportunities to some degree. 

The majority of workers in this occupation are employed in grocery stores, with a smaller share in general merchandise stores. While the increase in online shopping may reduce demand for workers in brick-and-mortar retail establishments, some forms of online shopping, such as online grocery shopping programs, require workers to prepare customer orders for pickup, which may boost demand. More stores are employing the use of self-checkout machines but so far the machines have had a limited effect on employment.

This is an entry-level occupation with minimal training requirements, a young workforce and a high degree of part-time work. As a result, a steady number of job openings are expected to arise each year from staff turnover as workers pursue other careers. Employment in this occupation is somewhat seasonal, with slightly better prospects in the September-December months as retailers prepare for the holiday season. Those willing to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, will have improved employment prospects.

Here are some key facts about Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers in Prince Edward Island:

• Approximately 1,150 people work in this occupation.
• Store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Food and beverage stores (NAICS 445): 53%
  • Other retail stores (NAICS 44-45, except 445): 39%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 47% compared to 84% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 53% compared to 16% for all occupations
• 51% of store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers work all year, while 49% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 39 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 68% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: 32% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: 28% compared to 11% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 50% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 5% compared to 11% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 11% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 6% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

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