Deciding on a career path that will be interesting, financially rewarding, and stand you in good stead in the decades to come, can be a difficult and challenging decision. In addition to doing something that you like to do, and find personally rewarding, another one of the most important factors is choosing a career path that will offer lucrative opportunities and ensure job security in an ever-changing social and economic landscape.
It’s never too soon for high school students to be researching their interests, and to understand the current labour market, and one way to do this is to look at the well-paying jobs on the Jooble website that are in demand right now in Canada and will remain so for the foreseeable future.
Jooble has teamed up with the experts from that international job aggregator to look closely at some of the highest-paying and in-demand jobs that show exponential growth in the coming years. This article takes a closer look at growth potential in the foreseeable future, as well as an overview of the qualifications and soft skills required for each profession.
SOFTWARE ENGINEER
Software engineers work with front-end and back-end software systems. They create software applications and business systems for companies and organizations, planning, designing, and overseeing software development and upgrades.
Future career prospects: Software engineers are in high demand as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into our daily lives.
Soft skills needed to be a software engineer
- Problem-solving and critical thinking
Software engineers design software systems, keep them up to date and address faults. Critical thinking to identify and find solutions for complex problems is essential.
- Continuously learning
As software constantly evolves, developers must stay current with new developments, whether learning a new computer language or experimenting with new technology.
How to become a software engineer
Education: A college/university education or alternative technical training programs.
Internship: There are openings for paid internships for those who need to earn money while perfecting their coding skills or completing their studies.
Average salary: $74,812 per year
PHARMACIST
Pharmacy professionals dispense medication to their customers. They are trained in pharmaceuticals, the components of various drugs, their purpose, and possible side effects. They may also recommend non-prescription medication to customers.
Future career prospects: The rate of employment growth for pharmacists is anticipated to be higher than the overall average. As the population ages, it is expected that more people will require medication to manage their health issues.
Soft skills required to be a pharmacist: Some of the soft practical skills required by pharmacists are:
- Communication skills
Strong communication skills are required, whether you are imparting critical information to a colleague or advising a patient about the potential negative effects of a prescription drug.
- Empathy
Individuals can sometimes experience anxiety due to health issues. They may need understanding from a sympathetic pharmacist who treats them with empathy.
How to become a pharmacist
High school: You typically need to have completed courses like biology and chemistry and have an overall GPA of at least 75% to be admitted to a university program.
University: You will need to complete a two-year undergraduate degree to lay the groundwork for applying to a Doctor of Pharmacy program that takes four years.
National Board: The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada requires pharmacists to pass a national board examination.
License to practice: After certification, you still need to apply for a license with the regulatory body in your province before you may begin lawfully working as a pharmacist.
Complete the required training: With a license and certification, you can practice pharmacy under the guidance of a qualified pharmacist through an internship program. This could take an additional year or two.
Average salary: $94,191 per year
PSYCHOLOGIST
Psychologists identify and treat mental and emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental health issues.
Future career prospects: Societal issues such as population ageing and increasingly stressful lifestyles that lead to mental health problems are predicted to stimulate the ever-growing need for psychologists.
Soft skills needed by a psychologist: To succeed in this field, psychologists need a wide range of soft skills:
- Communication skills
Knowing how to communicate effectively with people with different mental issues is crucial.
- Commitment to Learning
In psychology, research trials are frequently undertaken, new studies are published, and fresh data is continually available. You will need to keep abreast of the latest developments in your field.
How to become a psychologist: The steps to becoming a psychologist are as follows:
Research the field of psychology that most interests you: Learn about the various psychology categories that are offered before you begin studying. Some of these in Canada include:
- Forensic psychology
- Social psychology
- Industrial psychology
- Sports psychology
- Counselling Psychology
- Education psychology
- Clinical psychology and more
Undergraduate studies: Most students obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Master’s Degree: Training at the master’s level qualifies candidates to work in various settings, including mental health facilities, educational institutions, and government healthcare facilities.
Doctoral Degree: Students have the option of pursuing a doctorate in psychology. A Ph.D. candidate must pass comprehension tests and complete the required coursework.
Oral and written exams: In addition to receiving master’s and doctoral degrees, becoming a licensed psychologist requires you to pass written and oral exams with your local licensing body.
Average salary: $129,367 per year
DENTIST
Dentists treat conditions related to teeth. They perform various procedures such as repairing broken teeth, removing wisdom teeth, fitting tooth caps, and taking mouth molds to fit new dentures.
Future career prospects: Dentists are well-paid and will continue to be in high demand in the future in Canada.
Soft skills needed to become a dentist:
- Ability to focus
Dentists need to focus and have a long concentration span to complete lengthy and complex procedures at times.
- Technical skills
Dentists require strong technical skills as well as dexterity as they use various instruments.
How to become a dentist:
Dental school: Dental school takes four years to complete, and a clinical exam must be passed after graduating to be licensed.
Average salary: $157,593 per year
DATA SCIENTIST
Data scientists analyze data and turn it into valuable and relevant information. Businesses use data provided by data scientists to create a competitive advantage or forecast an outcome’s likelihood.
Future career prospects: Businesses across various industries have begun to embrace data science to gather and use more innovative business intelligence. Dynamic and rewarding new opportunities in this field are opening up at a rapid rate.
Soft skills needed to become a data scientist: A good grasp of the following soft skills is essential:
- Business Acumen
Data scientists must learn fundamental business concepts and methods to understand vast information and adapt to changing business trends.
- Critical Thinking
They need to be critical thinkers to formulate questions effectively, objectively examine particular issues, and assess how their conclusions might move an organization closer to a desired course of action.
How to become a data scientist: Here are the steps that most aspiring data scientists take to work in this field:
Undergraduate: Obtain a bachelor’s degree in business, math, IT, and/or computer science.
Postgraduate: A master’s degree in data science and analytics is typically required for above-entry-level employment. Usually, it takes two or three years to complete this degree.
Average salary: $82,670 per year
CYBERSECURITY ANALYST
Cybersecurity analysts safeguard the computer data of individuals, corporations, and governments. They install firewalls and antivirus systems to defend computers from hackers and viruses. Additionally, they evaluate the security integrity of computer networks and suggest security measures to safeguard these networks.
Future career prospects: Cyber-attacks are on the rise. As a consequence, there’s a severe shortage of cybersecurity analysts globally. This career will be in high demand well into the future.
Soft skills needed to become a cybersecurity analyst
- Flexibility
Cyber-attacks become more frequent and sophisticated, and cybersecurity experts must continually adjust their skills and up the stakes to combat these attacks.
- Above-average coding skills
Cybersecurity analysts must possess above-average coding skills to ward off highly complex cyber-attacks from extremely accomplished and ever more challenging computer hackers.
How to become a cybersecurity analyst
Degree or diploma: Complete a two to four-year university degree or educational diploma program.
Cybersecurity certification: Obtain a cybersecurity job certification.
Average salary: $72,150 per year
This information in this article has been provided by Jooble for the information of students, parents, counsellors and other visitors to the PSBC website. PSBC is not responsible for the accuracy of the content. People who are interested in any of these careers can learn more about the post-secondary education components of them by visiting the PSBC member institution profiles on this website and searching their program offerings, or by using the EducationPlannerBC website program search function.