Data Engineer

The employment outlook will be Moderate for data scientists (NOC 21211) in Alberta for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
• Not many positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

• Demand for this occupation is driven by rapid technological advancement, the expansion of digital services, and the increasing complexity of software and systems.
• Key trends for this occupation are in artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, blockchain, cybersecurity, and cloud technologies.
• Most employment opportunities will be in Calgary or Edmonton.

Here are some key facts about data scientists in Alberta:

• Approximately 4,150 people work in this occupation.
• Data scientists mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Computer systems design services (NAICS 5415): 34%
  • Oil and gas extraction (NAICS 211): 10%
  • Monetary Authorities - central bank and securities, commodity contracts and other intermediation and related activities (NAICS 521, 522, 523): 7%
  • Architectural, engineering and design services (NAICS 5413): 6%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 93% compared to 80% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 7% compared to 20% for all occupations
• 77% of data scientists work all year, while 23% work only part of the year, compared to 61% and 39% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 45 weeks compared to 42 weeks for all occupations.
• 11% of data scientists are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 67% compared to 53% for all occupations
  • Women: 33% compared to 47% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: n/a
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 7% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 6% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • bachelor's degree: 34% compared to 21% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 52% compared to 9% for all occupations