Photographers, Graphics Arts Technicians and Technical and Co-ordinating Occupations in Motion Pictures, Broadcasting and the Performing Arts (NOC 522)

What They Do Photographers photograph people and other subjects. They may specialize in a particular area such as portrait, forensic, digitized, multimedia or scientific photography. They may use computers or other specialized equipment to manipulate or modify images for multimedia/new media products. Film and video camera operators record news and live events, and film videos and television broadcasts. Graphic arts technicians produce and assemble artwork, photographs, and lettering as well as prepare designs for camera-ready printing. Broadcast technicians install, operate, and repair electronic equipment used to record/transmit live or taped radio or television programs and used to provide audio/video streaming for the Internet. Audio and video recording technicians record, mix, and edit sound, music, and videotape for films, television, radio, videos, recordings, and live events.

Where They Find Work —    Top Occupational Areas Information and cultural industries 47% Other professional scientific and technical services 18% Arts entertainment and recreation 12% Printing and related support activities 3% Specialized design services 3% Other services (except public administration) 3% Advertising and related services 3% These people work for: Photographic studios Government Radio/television stations Film, video, sound recording, theatre, publishing, and broadcast equipment companies Internet-based communications provider, multimedia, video production and editing, advertising, and printing companies They may also be self-employed. The unionization rate (40%) is close to the average (32%) for all occupations. The highest concentrations (per 10,000 people) of Photographers, Graphic Arts Technicians and Technical and Co-ordinating Occupations in Motion Pictures, Broadcasting and the Performing Arts are found in Quebec and British Columbia while the lowest concentrations are in New Brunswick and Newfoundland.

Related Occupation(s) Printing Machine Operators and Related Occupations (NOC 947) Graphic Designers and Illustrators (NOC 5241) Creative and Performing Artists (NOC 513) Photographers (NOC 5221)

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 high school diploma. You may also need a college diploma, university degree or specialized/technical training and experience in your area of work. You may substitute on-the-job training for formal educational requirements and may need to demonstrate your creative ability through a portfolio of work/experience. To be a projectionist, you need a licence in the province/territory where you'll work. Most recent entrants have a community college diploma.

Required/Related    Educational Programs* This will let you explore the program(s) of study that lead to this (these) occupation(s). Fine Arts (C050) Graphic and Audio-Visual Arts (C060) Mass Communications (C410) Applied Arts (U010) *  These educational programs are listed in the order in which they are most likely to supply graduates to this occupation.

Useful Experience/Skills Technology Electronic equipment Art/entertainment		Useful High School Subjects Photography Art Computer-related courses English
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. Hourly wages ($18.31) are close to the average ($18.07), and the wage growth is close to the average. The unemployment rate (8%) is above 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 below average, and the number of retiring workers should not contribute significantly 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 strong skills in the areas of video-editing, digital sound mixing, and special optical effects.

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 $11.78 $11.74 25-54 $19.87 $19.76 55+ $21.35 $19.59 Overall Average for Ages (20+) This Occupation All Occupations $18.31 $18.07		Hourly wages ($18.31) are close to the national average ($18.07). These earnings are close to the average for occupations in the art, culture, recreation and sport sector and are close to the 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

Above average
The unemployment rate (8%) is above 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 9% 10% 1992 8% 11% 1993 8% 11% 1994 8% 10% 1995 9% 10% 1996 10% 10% 1997 6% 9% 1998 4% 8% 1999 5% 8% 2000 7% 7% 2001 9% 7% 2002 11% 8% 2003 9% 8% 2004 8% 7%

% of part-time work is about the same as average
This Occupation All Occupations Full-time 83% 81% Part-time 17% 19%		There were 45,100 workers employed in these occupations in 2004, an increase of 39% since 1997. The percentage of part-time workers is 17% compared to the 2004 average (19%) and has dropped since 1997.
When full-time work is difficult to find, look at alternatives such as contract work, consulting, shared positions, and telework.

Above average
The percentage of self-employed workers (37%) is above the 2004 average of 15% and has stayed about the same since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Self-Employed 37% 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 11% 10% 25-54 74% 72% 55+ 8% 12%		The younger-than-average age (37) 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.

Average
The percentage of women is 31% compared to the 2004 average of 48% and has risen significantly since 1997.		This Occupation All Occupations Percent Women 31% 48%

This page last modified on: 2007-03-31