Business service firms, education and the provincial government also employ significant proportions of B.C.'s employment counsellors. The regional shares of employment counsellors are very similar to the regional shares of the entire work force. The average age of these counsellors is 40, slightly higher than the average age of 38 for the entire work force. There is a higher than average concentration of employment counsellors in the 45 to 54 year age group, and very few are under the age of 25. Approximately 1,040 employment openings are projected in B.C. between 1998 and 2008.
Employment counsellors can expect to have increased demands for their services.
A factor that will contribute to the requirement for employment counselling is high youth unemployment. Continuing technological change and industrial restructuring will also result in people who are not of retirement age needing assistance. During economic slowdowns, demand typically increases as the number of unemployed persons increases. As a result of the changes in technology, workers are continually seeking to update and upgrade their skills. Higher turnover of the workforce arising from the need to pursue post secondary education will increase the volume of work for employment counsellors.