Job prospects Industrial Electrician in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as an "industrial electrician" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

The recent trends from the past 3 years were updated on July 25, 2025. The job outlooks over the next 3 years were updated on December 10, 2025.

Prospects over the next 3 years

The employment outlook will be Moderate for industrial electricians (NOC 72201) in Ontario for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment decline will lead to the loss of some positions.
• Several positions will become available due to retirements.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

• Manufacturers, mainly motor vehicle and parts, steel mills, and food producers  
• Building equipment contractors 
• Metal ore mining companies

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

• Opportunities to support upgrades and maintenance of electrical equipment in the province's large manufacturing base 
• However, during the forecast period, employment prospects may be constrained by weak business conditions in manufacturing, including automotive and steel production due to economic uncertainty

What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?

• There are three voluntary skilled trades associated with this occupation in Ontario, namely, – Light Rail Overhead Contact Systems Linesperson, Industrial Electrician, and Electrician (Signal Maintenance)

What Other Information Will I Find Helpful?

• In northern Ontario, the mining industry is a major source of work for industrial electricians

Here are some key facts about industrial electricians in Ontario:

• Approximately 16,100 people work in this occupation.
• Industrial electricians mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Motor vehicle, body, trailer and parts manufacturing (NAICS 3361-3363): 34%
  • Construction (NAICS 23): 13%
  • Food, beverage and tobacco product manufacturing (NAICS 311, 312): 9%
  • Other transportation and warehousing (NAICS 482-483, 486, 487, 493): 7%
  • Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (NAICS 21): 6%
• 71% of industrial electricians work all year, while 28% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 46 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
• Less than 5% of industrial electricians are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: more than 95% compared to 52% for all occupations
  • Women: less than 5% compared to 48% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 9% for all occupations
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 6% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 41% compared to 8% for all occupations
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 40% compared to 22% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 10% compared to 24% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Ontario by economic region.

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

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