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Fastest Growing Industries: Supply Chain

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This guide will help you find the information you need to start working in British Columbia. You can use the menu buttons to move between sections of the guide.

The Supply Chain sector includes all the activities that take place to get a product to its intended market from the time of raw materials extraction to the minute the final product is delivered.

Companies involved in this process (vendors, service suppliers, producers, warehouses, distribution centres, transportation providers and retailers), are linked to each other through a ‘supply chain’. Supply Chain Management (SCM) focuses on planning and forecasting, purchasing, product assembly, moving, storing, and keeping track of a product as it flows toward you and other consumers.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) includes these functions:

  • Purchasing/Procurement
  • Strategic Sourcing
  • Contract Management
  • Materials/Inventory Management
  • Logistics and Transportation and Distribution
  • Supplier Relationship Management
  • Exporting Finance

Supply chain labour force across Canada

There are supply chain functions and sub-functions in almost all sectors of the Canadian economy.

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number of workers in supply chain sector in Canada; forecasted job vacancies every year; supply chain costs as percentage of sales

Source: How It’s Done – Why Canada’s Supply Chain Matters

Transportation and Warehousing Sector

In BC, the Transportation and Warehousing Sector had job growth of 4,800 jobs from 2018-2019. This sector had a total employment in of 140,600 jobs in 2019. Forecasted employment is 144,200 in 2024 and 151,100 in 2029.

Most of the employment in the Transportation and Warehousing industry is in the Mainland / Southwest region. The majority of the industry are unionized.  Across Canada the average hourly wage paid in the Transportation & Warehousing sector was $26.74 an hour for 2019.

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Canada's transportation system value in supply chain

Source: How It’s Done – Why Canada’s Supply Chain Matters

2019 Average Salaries of the Supply Chain Professional

British Columbia’s average supply chain professional salary rose from $89,063 in 2018 to $101,735 in 2019 — an increase of 14 per cent.
Supply chain professionals in the engineering/professional category had an average salary of $91,913. Supervisors reported that they earned $97,052 while analysts earned $82,460. The “operations/ tactical” category earned $81,613, while “clerical/administration” saw an average salary of $73,478. The average salary for “other” positions was $98,313.

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annual salaries for supply chain professionals by province for 2019

Source: 2019 Annual Survey of the Canadian Supply Chain Professional

Women in the supply chain

Across Canada in 2014 there were approximately 820,364 workers in the supply chain labour force (excluding truck drivers).  A Gartner Group study of North American firms found that the representation of women in the total supply chain workforce was 39% in 2020. The survey found one of the main barriers to women being hired for senior supply chain roles at industrial firms was women being less likely to hold a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) degree.

 

For more information

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formerly known as ‘Women in Supply Chain Canada’

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assists in finding jobs that match your experience and background

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connects skilled immigrants with funded training opportunities across B.C., matching the skills of immigrants with the needs of B.C.’s labour market

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brings together skilled immigrants and established professionals in occupation-specific mentoring relationships; provides up to 12 hours of mentoring over a two-month period. Mentors also introduce mentees to two or more professionals within their professional networks for the purpose of information interviews