Job prospects Post-secondary Research Assistant in Québec

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "post-secondary research assistant" in Québec or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Québec

These outlooks were updated on December 11, 2024.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be good for Post-secondary teaching and research assistants (NOC 41201) in Quebec for the 2024-2026 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Employment in this occupation depends on government investment in education, and public and private funding of university research and post-secondary student enrollment.

According to the projections of the ministère de l'Éducation, in the medium term, increased enrollment will be mainly attributable to the number of Quebec college and university students. The contribution of international students will remain significant, although the pace of this contribution may slow down. Unlike full professors, whose employment remains stable, this professional group may be more affected by fluctuations in student enrollment. 

However, the labour shortage in several sectors could push many young people to take a job before they graduate, thereby reducing the number of students. Even more so with the increase in the cost of living. Major investments have been announced to promote graduation, student retention and worker requalification.                 

Satellite campuses are expanding rapidly, which is facilitating access to higher education for students in regions outside of large cities.

The introduction of full-time or alternating distance education, which began during the pandemic, required hiring additional resources to support faculty and students. While in-person instruction has returned to the norm, these non-traditional methods will continue to be included in students' academic careers.

Here are some key facts about Post-secondary teaching and research assistants in Quebec:

• Approximately 21,800 people work in this occupation.
• Post-secondary teaching and research assistants mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Universities (NAICS 6113): 78%
  • Community colleges and C.E.G.E.P.s (NAICS 6112): 14%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 60% compared to 82% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 40% compared to 18% for all occupations
• 53% of post-secondary teaching and research assistants work all year, while 47% work only part of the year, compared to 62% and 38% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 40 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of post-secondary teaching and research assistants are self-employed compared to an average of 12% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 44% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: 56% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 12% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: less than 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: less than 5% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 14% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 28% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 52% compared to 11% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Québec by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Job prospects elsewhere in Canada

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "post-secondary research assistant" Post-secondary teaching and research assistants (NOC 41201) or across Canada.

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