Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS)
Search for Occupational Projection Summaries (2022-2031)
The 2022 COPS exercise was developed using the 2016 version of the National Occupational Classification (NOC). The 2016 NOC has 500 occupations. However, many of these occupations are small in terms of employment. Such occupations were combined into broader groupings according to the specific tasks of each occupation. By grouping small occupations with similar tasks together, 293 occupational groupings were obtained. Although NOC already has a more recent version (2021), the model’s input data were only available in the 2016 version of the NOC at the time of the development of the projections.
For more information on the 293 occupational grouping used in COPS, please visit the COPS Occupational Groupings' Definition.
Search Result : Conference and event planners (1226)
- Occupational Outlook
- SURPLUS: This occupational group is expected to face labour surplus conditions over the period of 2022-2031 at the national level. The section below contains more detailed information regarding the outlook for this occupational group.
- Occupations in this Group
-
- Conference and event planners (1226)
- Skill Type
- Business, finance and administration occupations
- Skill Level
- Occupations usually require college or vocational education or apprenticeship training.
- Employment in 2021
- 20,400
- Median Age of workers in 2021
- 38.4 years old
- Estimated Median Age of Retirement in 2021
- 62 years old
In order to determine the expected outlook of an occupation, the magnitude of the difference between the projected total numbers of new job seekers and job openings over the whole projection period (2022-2031) is analyzed in conjunction with an assessment of labour market conditions in recent years. The intention is to determine if recent labour market conditions (surplus, balance or shortage) are expected to persist or change over the period 2022-2031. For instance, if the analysis of key labour market indicators suggests that the number of job seekers was insufficient to fill the job openings (a shortage of workers) in an occupational group in recent years, the projections are used to assess if this situation will continue over the projection period or if the occupation will move towards balanced conditions. It is important to note that COPS does not identify imbalances that may temporarily appear during specific years, unless they will persist over the longer run.
In recent decades, employment in this occupational group has grown steadily, faster than the average for all occupations and the unemployment rate has been similar to the national average. However, following the imposition of public health measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and social distancing measures, the majority of the conferences, conventions, seminars, exhibitions, festivals and many other events were cancelled. As a result, several workers were without a job. Between 2019 and 2021, employment in this occupational group fell by more than a quarter, while the unemployment rate rose significantly. During this period, the number of vacancies remained stable, and positions were filled without much constrain due to a high number of unemployed workers available to fill them. Hence, analysis of these and other key labour market indicators suggests that the supply exceeded substantially the demand in this occupational group over the 2019-2021 period. For this occupational group, this surplus was largely due to the restrictions imposed on hard-to-distance businesses, which lead to strong job losses.Over the period 2022-2031, the number of job openings (arising from expansion demand and replacement demand) for Conference and event planners are expected to total 12,400, while the number of job seekers (arising from school leavers, immigration and mobility) is expected to total 13,000.
As job openings and job seekers are projected to be similar over the 2022-2031 period, the labour surplus conditions seen in recent years are expected to continue over the projection period.. The majority of job openings are expected to come from economic growth, employment levels are expected to slightly exceed 2019 levels over the projection period, but job growth is expected to be slower than during the previous decades. Since the offset of the pandemic, a growing number of firms and organizations have been increasingly using online platforms for meetings and conferences, which should limit demand for this profession. Additionally, a strong inflation and higher interest rates will put pressures on corporate profits, restraining growth in discretionary spending on business travel and corporate events, which are often perceived as less essential activities. When inflation returns to its target rate of 2%, interest rates should eventually start to decline and contribute to support corporate profits, allowing businesses to increase discretionary spending and to employ workers from this occupation. Around 40% of job openings are expected to come from replacement demand, and more specifically from the need to replace people due to retire (30%) which will account for a lower proportion than the national average (about 50%).
With regard to labour supply, the vast majority of job seekers are expected to come from the school system mostly from bachelor graduates, but also from the college levels. Additionally, given the lower regulatory requirements, a number of immigrants will also seek employment in this occupation.
Projection of Cumulative Job Openings and Job Seekers over the Period of 2022-2031
| Level | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Expansion Demand: | 7,500 | 60% |
| Retirements: | 3,800 | 31% |
| Other Replacement Demand: | 500 | 4% |
| Emigration: | 500 | 4% |
| Projected Job Openings: | 12,400 | 100% |
| Level | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| School Leavers: | 11,400 | 88% |
| Immigration: | 2,600 | 20% |
| Other: | -1,000 | -8% |
| Projected Job Seekers: | 13,000 | 100% |