Occupational Therapists (NOC 3143)

What They Do Occupational therapists perform some or all of the following duties: Analyse clients' capabilities and expectations related to life activities through observation, interviews and formal assessments Develop intervention programs to address clients' needs related to self-care, work and leisure activities Maintain clients' records Establish personalized plans to support occupational performance targets as a member of an interprofessionnal collaborative team Consult and advise on health promotion programs to prevent disabilities and to maximize independent function in all activities of life May supervise support personnel and students and provide training. Occupational therapists may specialize in working with specific populations such as children or adults, or persons with distinct problems such as dementia, traumatic brain injury and chronic pain, or provide special interventions such as return-to-work programs.

Where They Find Work —    Top Occupational Areas Health care and social assistance 97% Occupational therapists work in health care facilities, schools, and private or social service agencies, or may be self-employed. The unionization rate (63%) is above the average (32%) for all occupations. The highest concentrations (per 10,000 people) of Occupational Therapists are found in Alberta and Manitoba while the lowest concentrations are in Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan.

Related Occupation(s) Instructors and Teachers of Persons with Disabilities (NOC 4215) Optometrists, Chiropractors and Other Health Diagnosing and Treating Professionals (NOC 312) Therapy and Assessment Professionals (NOC 314)

Something to Think About To enhance your professional knowledge and broaden your opportunities, consider: Keeping constantly updated in your specialty Improving interpersonal skills Learning business management Finding out about telemedicine

Use the "Where They Find Work" graph to target your worksearch. It may be easier to get into industries with the most people in this field. Want to work in an industry that hires fewer workers in this field? To be more marketable, check out whether you have the most up-to-date knowledge and technology skills for that industry. Check the provincial/territorial or local information (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca) for opportunities in your area.

What You Need You must have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy including supervised fieldwork from an accredited educational program by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, or have graduated from an occupational therapy program approved by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT). This program is accepted in some provinces/territories. Effective 2008, most Canadian university occupational therapy programs will only be offering masters entry level education in occupational therapy. You may need to complete the National Certification Examination administered by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. You must be licensed by a regulatory body in the province/territory where you'll work. Membership in the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists is required in some provinces/territories. To specialize, you may need additional training or further experience. With additional training and experience, you may move up the ranks to become a manager or administrator. Most recent entrants have an undergraduate university degree.

Required/Related    Educational Programs* This will let you explore the program(s) of study that lead to this (these) occupation(s). Psychology (M870) Physical Education (U240) Rehabilitation Medicine (U590) *  These educational programs are listed in the order in which they are most likely to supply graduates to this occupation.

Useful Experience/Skills Multidisciplinary teamwork Business and financial management Committee work Interpersonal skills Program development and evaluation Leadership Research Evidence-based practice Internet use		Useful High School Subjects Physics Biology Math English Chemistry
Depending on your background, this Education, Training, and Experience info will help you to: Choose your high school courses Plan your post-secondary program Choose relevant volunteer work Decide what new skills to learn Read job ads, professional journals, and newspapers for what the industry needs and employers want. Talk to employers and employees to find out the exceptional skills and knowledge that will help you land a job.

Current Conditions Your work prospects are rated GOOD because: Employement grew at an average rate. Hourly wages ($26.27) are above the average ($18.07), and the rate of wage growth is also above average. The unemployment rate (4%) is close to the 2004 average (7%).

Work Prospects Current   Good   2009   Good

Outlook to 2009 Your work prospects will continue to be GOOD because: The employment growth rate will likely be above average because of ongoing trends--a growing and aging population that requires more health care, governments providing increased services for people with disabilities, and new technologies that create advances in rehabilitative therapy. Although the retirement rate will likely be below average, the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely exceed the number of job openings. This will not be significant enough to have an impact on the work prospects.

Preparing for the Competition You're more likely to find work opportunities in business rather than in government facilities such as hospitals. You'll need business skills if you want to take part in the growing trend of occupational therapists acting as consultants to business/educational organizations.

If you are beginning your career investigation, national outlooks will give you a good overview of trends. Ready to explore an occupation in more detail? Check provincial/territorial or local outlooks (http://www.labourmarketinformation.ca).

What you can expect to make (Average Hourly Earnings ($/hour))
Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 $19.12 $11.74 25-54 $27.09 $19.76 55+ $26.36 $19.59 Overall Average for Ages (20+) This Occupation All Occupations $26.27 $18.07		Hourly wages ($26.27) are above the national average ($18.07). These earnings are above average for occupations in the health sector and close to the average for all professional occupations. These wages grew at an above-average rate from 2002 to 2004.
Your salary can be affected by your background, the company's size and benefits, and the region and setting (urban or rural). Check out salaries in your own region by seeking info from: Employees/unions/associations Employers/human resource people Training institutions and placement services Company websites Professional/trade journals

Close to the average
The unemployment rate (4%) is close to the 2004 average (7%). This rate is above the average for professionnal occupations. A low unemployment rate often means less competition for the jobs available. But you still need to have the required training and experience. A high unemployment rate doesn't necessarily mean you'll have great difficulty getting hired. But it can mean a fluctuating demand for workers, and you may experience bouts of unemployment.		Year This Occupation All Occupations 1991 3% 10% 1992 3% 11% 1993 2% 11% 1994 1% 10% 1995 0% 10% 1996 2% 10% 1997 1% 9% 1998 4% 8% 1999 3% 8% 2000 0% 7% 2001 1% 7% 2002 0% 8% 2003 1% 8% 2004 4% 7%

% of Part-time work is above average
This Occupation All Occupations Full-time 80% 81% Part-time 20% 19%		There were 12,000 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, an increase of 58% since 1997. The percentage of part-time workers (20%) is above the 2004 average (19%) and has risen since 1997.
When full-time work is difficult to find, look at alternatives such as contract work, consulting, shared positions, and telework.

Average
The percentage of self-employed workers is 7% compared to the 2004 average of 15%.		This Occupation All Occupations Self-Employed 7% 15%
Does this occupation have an above-average rate of self-employment? Consider being your own boss if you can't find work with an employer.

Age Group This Occupation All Occupations 20-24 8% 10% 25-54 88% 72% 55+ 4% 12%		The younger-than-average age (38) of worker will likely result in a below-average retirement rate to 2009.
Look at the youngest group. A low percentage means fewer openings for brand-new workers. A high percentage means more openings for brand-new workers. Look at the oldest age group. A high percentage means positions could open up from retirements. This could be significant for both mid-career changers and brand-new workers.

		This Occupation All Occupations Percent Women 0% 48%

This page last modified on: 2007-03-31