Technical Occupations in Libraries, Archives, Museums and Art Galleries (NOC 521)

What They Do Library and archive technicians and assistants help users get information from library/archive resources, assist librarians/archivists in cataloguing new acquisitions, and conduct reference searches. Conservation and restoration technicians assist conservators to preserve/restore artifacts. Curatorial assistants help research, handle, and store artifacts. Museum guides and interpreters conduct tours of museum/gallery exhibitions and of historical or heritage sites. Museum registrars and cataloguers classify and register artifacts and supervise inventory control. Preparators construct displays/dioramas, and prepare artifacts for storage/shipping. Picture framers fabricate custom frames and mount paintings/other art work. People in this group may specialize in a specific type of collection.

Where They Find Work —    Top Occupational Areas Information and cultural industries 43% Educational services 22% Arts entertainment and recreation 15% Public administration 8% People in this group work in libraries, schools, archives, and organizations with library and archive services as well as museums, galleries, and retail organizations. The unionization rate (58%) is above the average (32%) for all occupations. The highest concentrations (per 10,000 people) of Technical Occupations in Librairies, Archiives, Museums and Art Galleries are found in Alberta and Saskatchewan while the lowest concentrations are in Ontario and Manitoba.

Related Occupation(s) Interior Designers (NOC 5242) Librarians (NOC 5111) Librarians, Archivists, Conservators and Curators (NOC 511)

Something to Think About To enhance your professional knowledge and broaden your opportunities, consider: Continually updating knowledge/skills Improving interpersonal skills Learning business management Learning how to market on a website Learning how to build and maintain customer relations

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 In general, you usually need a post-secondary qualification and specialized training. In some cases, you may substitute appropriate work experience for academic qualifications. You usually need a college program in museum or conservation technology or other technical or on-the-job training program. To be a library and archive technician or assistant, you usually need a college library technician diploma or a university degree in a social science discipline. To be a registrar, interpreter or cataloguer, you may need a university degree in a field related to museum/gallery work. Interpreters may require specific scientific or academic credentials. 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). Physical Education (U240) English (U402) History (U420) Geography (U830) *  These educational programs are listed in the order in which they are most likely to supply graduates to this occupation.

Useful Experience/Skills Researching Audio-visual equipment Planning		Useful High School Subjects English Sciences Computer-related courses History Art
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 FAIR because: Employement grew at an above-average rate. The retirement rate is above average, and the number of retiring workers contributes to job openings. Hourly wages ($15.97) are close to the average ($18.07), and the wage growth is close to the average. The unemployment rate (5%) is close to the 2004 average (7%).

Work Prospects Current   Fair   2009   Fair

Outlook to 2009 Your work prospects will continue to be FAIR because: The employment growth rate will likely be close to the average. The retirement rate will likely be above average and the number of retiring workers should contribute to job openings. The number of job seekers will likely exceed the number of job openings.

Preparing for the Competition You'll be competing with a large number of recent graduates. You're more likely to succeed if you have Internet skills and can use computerized information management systems.

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 $10.16 $11.74 25-54 $17.15 $19.76 55+ $17.42 $19.59 Overall Average for Ages (20+) This Occupation All Occupations $15.97 $18.07		Hourly wages ($15.97) are close to the national average ($18.07). These earnings are below average for occupations in the art, culture, recreation and sport sector and are below average for all technical, professional, and skilled occupations. These wages grew at an 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 (5%) is close to the 2004 average (7%). This rate is close to the average for technical, professional, and skilled 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 5% 10% 1992 6% 11% 1993 6% 11% 1994 10% 10% 1995 6% 10% 1996 5% 10% 1997 5% 9% 1998 5% 8% 1999 6% 8% 2000 6% 7% 2001 7% 7% 2002 7% 8% 2003 6% 8% 2004 5% 7%

% of Part-time work is above average
This Occupation All Occupations Full-time 67% 81% Part-time 33% 19%		There were 19,900 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, an increase of 19% since 1997. The percentage of part-time workers (33%) 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 (2%) is close to the 2004 average (15%)		This Occupation All Occupations Self-Employed 2% 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 9% 10% 25-54 72% 72% 55+ 13% 12%		The retirement rate to 2009 will likely be above average because of a tendency to retire at an earlier-than-average age (60).
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.

Above average
The percentage of women (90%) is above the 2004 average of 48% and has stayed about the same since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Percent Women 90% 48%

This page last modified on: 2007-03-31