Even though most work was put on pause by the pandemic, not all of them can afford to be stopped. For the sake of everyone else, these services had to continue and were thus dubbed as “essential jobs.” Right away you might think of nurses, but they’re not the only ones.
Categories of Essential Jobs
Being out of work during a time of crisis is frightening. You never know when the government could send us into hard lockdown again. So if you want a bit more job security, check out these job fields. They are deemed essential and therefore won’t stop even during hard lockdown.
- Food service ($16/hr – $28/hr)
- chefs & bakers
- food servers
- butchers
- managers
This type of food service is very particular. It doesn’t mean that restaurants will stay open, but specific places like Cobs Bread are considered grocery and therefore essential. This is also a great opportunity for students as they can switch between working part time and working full time.
- Transportation and logistics ($18/hr – $32/hr)
- food or mail deliverers
- bus drivers
- Uber drivers
Even in spite of a hard lockdown, public transit and food delivery services will remain functional. Buses and trains must continue to operate because some people need them to get groceries. The pandemic also doesn’t stop mail from circulating so mail deliveries will continue.
- Retail and wholesale ($15/hr – $30/hr)
- cashiers
- salespeople
- store stockers
- sales representatives
Much like food service, these retail services are rather particular. This has to do more with grocery retail rather than your local American Eagle. Stores like Costco or Superstore will remain open and may even have new job openings to meet new customer demands.
- Construction ($18/hr – $35/hr)
- carpenters
- specialized cleaners
- housekeepers
The build must go on! It’s best not to stop construction because of Canada’s growing population due to immigrants. However, construction has a slight advantage in which workers are outside and can easily maintain social distancing. Not only builders, but maintenance service must continue especially since everyone is home, they may need extra services.
- Vulnerable population services ($17/hr – $25/hr)
- social worker
- nurse aides
- disability aides
Many already know about this essential service. Nurses are needed to care for vulnerable people especially in this current situation.
Note: the hourly wages listed above fall in the average. Higher positions will pay more and employers may even give benefits.
Workers are Needed
Despite the cities going quiet during hard lockdown, an entire world operates behind the scenes and still has roles that need to be filled. According to the Job Bank of Canada, there are thousands of job openings. Some jobs don’t require advanced education like a cashier at Costco or Cobs, but others need certification, like some construction jobs or nurse aides.
These opportunities are open for everyone. As long as your resume speaks for you and you rock that interview, then it’s unlikely they will turn you away. Check out the job bank for more details. Everything listed above doesn’t even begin to cover the amount of jobs that Canada has available.
The backbone of society are these essential workers. If everything were to shut down completely, everything as we know it would fall apart. Some services simply can’t afford to stop and if they did, a lot more people would be in danger.
Resources
Check out these websites for job openings
Check out these articles for tips and info on the job search:
- How to Get Your Dream Job: Interview Tips
- Dos and Don’ts of Canadian Resumes
- When Students can Work Full Time
Happy job hunting!
Source: Essential Services in Canada Career Options During COVID
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