Educational Services

 

From one company school in 1849...

The first school in BC was started by the Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Victoria in 1849, when James Douglas invited the Reverend Robert Staines to open a school where the children of company officers could be educated. Shortly afterwards, a school was established for the children of Roman Catholic parents. The first government-funded school was opened in 1852 and later, more schools were built as settlers with their families came to the colony. Most of these schools were run by religious orders. Parents paid fees to send their children to school, but not all of them could afford the charges or the cost of textbooks and supplies.

In the mid-1860s, newspapers in Victoria and New Westminster helped spearhead a campaign for free, non-denominational schools. Amor de Cosmos, who later became premier of the province, led the campaign in Victoria, using his position as editor of the British Colonist to make his views known.

The Common Schools Act was eventually passed by the legislature in 1865. It provided for free schooling and authorized the governor to appoint schoolmasters, a Superintendent and a General Board of Education. The governor was also given the power to appoint local school boards to serve in an advisory capacity. By 1867, there were two common schools in Victoria, and a number of other publicly funded schools were located in other parts of the colony.

After the colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia were united in 1866, the Act was repealed. However, the principle of publicly-funded (though not necessarily free) education was entrenched in new legislation, which set provincial support at $500 per year per teacher.

In the early days, many schools had one room and a single teacher who taught students of all ages basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. The minimum requirement for opening a school was that there had to be at least eight students who would attend. The province's first public high school, Victoria High, was opened in 1876. It is the oldest high school west of Winnipeg, and north of San Francisco.

...to a public school system and world-class universities

The need for a provincial university was recognized by legislators and an act to establish the University of British Columbia (UBC) was passed in 1890. Plans for the new university ran into a roadblock when its senate couldn't agree on whether the institution should be located in Victoria or on the Mainland. The plans would not be resurrected until nearly 20 years later.

Following the university stalemate, Vancouver College was opened in 1899 and Victoria College began teaching students in 1903. Both were affiliated with McGill University, offering first and second year programs to students who then travelled to Montreal to complete their degrees. A second University Act was eventually passed in 1908, and Point Grey in Vancouver was chosen as the location where the new university would be built two years later.

One hundred and forty-four years after the first school act was passed in BC, publicly funded, free, and non-religious primary and secondary education is available to all children in the province. The four largest publicly funded universities are UBC, the University of Victoria (1963), Simon Fraser University (1965) and the University of Northern BC, which officially opened in 1994.

More recent additions include Royal Roads University (1995, formerly one of three military colleges in Canada); and a number of newly-designated universities. These include Capilano University, Emily Carr University of Art & Design (which has been teaching fine arts students since 1925); Kwantlen Polytechnic University; Thompson Rivers University; Vancouver Island University; and the University of the Fraser Valley. There are also some private institutions, including Trinity Western University and University Canada West, which offers accelerated degree programs at campuses in Vancouver and Victoria.

A number of colleges-many of which came into being in the 1960s and 1970s-offer university transfer and other types of programs in most regions of the province. The BC Institute of Technology (BCIT) has been providing technical training to students since 1964.

The baby boom, bust and echo has come and gone...

During the baby boom years, which occurred from about 1945 to the mid-1960s, families with four or more children were quite common. The population was relatively young, and it was growing quickly. In the 1970s, the growth spurt in the population stalled as people began having fewer children. That period is called the baby bust. The "baby echo" occurred when baby boomers started having children of their own. Most of them did not have big families, but with a lot of boomers having children, the population of young people increased significantly.

The baby boom, bust and echo has had a big effect on the education industry. When the population was young and growing, and there were a lot of children, the need for teachers increased. New schools were built, teachers were in short supply, and universities began training more people.

During the baby bust, the demand for teachers fell at the same time that the workforce of available teachers was expanding. That's one of the reasons why it was hard for new teachers to find work. The baby echo has only partly reversed this effect.

At one time, teachers didn't have to pay into unemployment insurance because it was assumed that they would never be out of work. Teaching was a fairly safe career choice. Times have changed. Having a teacher's certificate no longer means that you can find a job almost anywhere you want to go.

...but migration continues to boost the demand for education services

The current trend is still toward smaller families, but the decline in "natural increase" (the difference between births and deaths) has been offset by another source of population growth, which has contributed to an ongoing need for schools and teachers, especially in some parts of the province.

British Columbia not only attracts migrants who come to the province from other parts of Canada, it is also a popular destination for immigrants. There was a large influx of immigrants from Hong Kong in the years leading up to 1997, as uncertainties about changes that might be implemented following the handover of the former British colony to China caused some residents to leave. Some of these emigrants have since returned home, but the province remains an attractive destination for immigrants from all over the world, especially those coming from Asia.

The province's dependence on immigrants as a source of population growth has likely kept the percentage of school-aged children and youth higher than it would otherwise be, since there is some evidence that immigrant families tend to have more children than those who are native-born.

What's included in the educational services?

Primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions account for the bulk of the activities in this industry, but it also includes various types of less formal training provided by the private sector. Establishments in the industry include language and business schools; apprenticeship training facilities; computer, driving or flight training centres; facilities offering ski, music, dance, or acting lessons; barber, beauty and cosmetology schools; and various other types of training. (Day cares and nursery schools are not included in this industry; they are part of the health & social assistance industry).

What's happened since 1990?

About 5% of the province's GDP originates in the educational services industry, a proportion that has remained relatively constant since 1990. The industry's share of total employment has been increasing, rising from just under 6% to 7% during the period from 1990 to 2008. However, job growth during this period has not always been in sync with the rest of the economy, which is why the industry's share of total employment has fluctuated during this period.

The education industry accounts for about 5% of the province's total GDP and a slightly higher share of its workforce

Part-time employment is becoming more common

One reason for the faster-than-average job growth in this industry is that the incidence of part-time employment has been climbing. The number of part-time workers in the industry has more than doubled since 1990. This compares to a 70% increase in full-time employment during the same period.

Part-time employment in the industry has doubled since 1990

Why is this important? In an industry where there are a lot of part-time workers, or where part-time employment is growing faster than the number of full-time jobs, the size of the workforce could rise even if the demand for labour isn't increasing. For example, a teaching position that is shared by two part-time teachers counts as two jobs. If it was filled by a full-time worker, there would only be one job counted. This means that if the incidence of part-time work is rising, as it has in the education industry, some of the industry's job growth will simply be due to changing work arrangements rather than an increase in the amount of labour that is used.

Part-time employment isn't the only reason for the strong job growth in this industry since 1990. The 70% increase in full-time employment is also well above job growth in the economy as a whole (48%).

The biggest employment gains have been in services that are usually provided by the private sector

More people are employed in non-academic education services, such as language schools or driver training...

What are some other factors that have contributed to the strong job growth in this industry? While total employment in the industry rose 82% between 1990 and 2008, the strongest job growth was in education services that are usually provided by the private sector. The number of jobs in these industries has nearly tripled since 1990.

We can only speculate on the reasons why this has occurred, but it's likely that the proliferation of English language schools and similar types of businesses has played a role. British Columbia is a popular destination for students from Asia and other parts of the world who come here for short periods to study English. As well, an influx of immigrants has likely boosted the demand for these services.

Tougher licencing requirements for new drivers were introduced a few years ago and these may also have contributed to employment growth in this industry. Young drivers who take lessons from professional instructors are able to obtain a full licence more quickly than those who learn their road skills from a parent or family member, so there is some incentive to get formal training.

There are likely many other factors that have contributed to the growth in various types of non-academic education services during the period since 1990.

...and the number of jobs at schools, colleges and universities is also increasing

Employment at BC's universities and other post-secondary institutions has doubled since 1990. The opening of the University of Northern BC in 1994 contributed to this job growth, but it is not the only reason for the increase. Population growth has also been a factor driving the increase in the number of people working in the province's schools and post-secondary institutions, as the need for these services has grown with the population.

The number of people working at primary and secondary schools rose rapidly during the early 1990s, a period when the province had the fastest-growing population in the country.

This was also a time when there was less public concern about government spending and deficits, and funding for educational institutions reflected that. Job growth at schools slowed in the mid-1990s, and declined during the early part of this decade, but has been increasing in recent years. The long-term trend shows continued job growth at BC schools. In fact, employment at primary & secondary schools has risen 60% since 1990, easily outpacing the average (48%) for all industries in the province.

What are the most common occupations?

Teachers, university professors, librarians, theologians, archaeologists, secretaries, plumbers, janitors, driving instructors, hairstylists, cooks, ballet dancers and musicians are among the many occupations included in this industry.

Most of the workers in this industry are educators, mainly teachers and professors

Six out of 10 workers have jobs in education-related occupations. Twenty percent are kindergarten or elementary-school teachers. Another 13% teach at secondary schools, while 8% are college instructors, 7% are in post-secondary teaching or research positions, and 6% are professors.

The 13% of the industry's workforce employed in sales & service occupations mainly work as teacher's assistants (7% of total employment), or in janitorial and related services (4%). Eleven percent of the people who work in this industry are in business, finance & administrative occupations. They are primarily secretaries, or administrative clerks and officers. Musicians, singers, recreation program leaders, coaches, dancers and librarians are the main occupational groups in art, culture, recreation & sport. About half of the workers in arts and culture related occupations are musicians and singers. Management positions include principals and other administrators.

The skills required of workers in this industry have evolved over time. For example, the use of high-technology products in the classroom has changed the way that teachers prepare for lessons or present their materials. The growing demand for people who can teach English as a second language has arisen partly as a result of increased immigration into the province from non-English speaking countries, but also in response to a rising number of people who travel to BC from Asia in order to take English language courses.

More inclusive policies mean that more students at schools and post-secondary institutions have special needs, physical or otherwise. This requires more individualized attention from teachers or teaching assistants, and this change is reflected in the increased number of teacher's aides and assistance working in the education industry.

How many people work in education, and how much do they earn?

Schools employ more than half of the people working in this industry

The education services industry employed 161,600 British Columbians in 2008. Fifty-six percent of them worked at primary or secondary schools. Twenty-two percent had jobs at universities, while 10% worked at other post-secondary institutions. Another 12% worked at other types of educational establishments. In 1990, these establishments accounted for just 8% of the total workforce in education.

Workers in this industry are usually well paid. Average earnings were $26.90 per hour in 2008, more than in any other service-sector industry except public administration ($28.16). The average for all industries was $5.44 lower, at $21.46.

Wages in this industry are relatively high

Wages were highest at colleges and similar post-secondary institutions ($30 per hour). They averaged $27 an hour at elementary and secondary schools, $25 an hour at universities, and $21 an hour at other schools and educational support services.

Workers in education typically spent 33 hours a week on the job, less than the 36 hour average for the economy as a whole.

What are the characteristics of the workforce?

Twenty-eight percent of the people working in this industry are employed part-time, meaning that they spend less than 30 hours a week at work. The average for all industries in BC is 20%.

Employment drops during the summer, but is relatively stable during the rest of the year

Most elementary and secondary schools are closed in July and August, and enrolment at post-secondary institutions usually drops in the summer, when many students either return home, work at summer jobs, or just take a break from their studies. Since school teachers are not in the classroom during the summer, they are not considered to be working in those months. This is reflected in the seasonal pattern of employment in this industry, which drops sharply during the summer, but is relatively stable during the rest of the year.

Temporary employment is very common in this industry. In 2008, one in five workers in education were hired on a temporary basis, nearly double the average (11%) for all industries. Agriculture (35%) was the only industry where temporary employment was more common than in education.

The education industry remains predominantly female, with women making up 64% of the workforce in 2008. Their share of the total workforce is 47%.

The industry is highly unionized: 68% of workers have union coverage, more than twice the average for all industries (31%). Utilities (69%) and public administration (71%) are the only industries with a higher degree of union coverage.

People who work in this industry are less likely to find themselves unemployed than are other British Columbians. Between 1990 and 2008, the jobless rate in education averaged 3.6%, less than half the 7.8% rate for the province as a whole. However, the jobless rate in education has declined only modestly since 1990, while BC's rate has been falling, so the relative gap between the two has been shrinking.

The jobless rate in education is below the provincial average, but the size of the gap is shrinking

Self-employment in this industry is becoming more common, accounting for more than 7% of the total number of jobs in 2008, up from less than 5% in 1990. Virtually all of the self-employed people work in the private sector rather than at educational institutions. About 59% of the people working in "other schools and educational services" are self-employed.

Half of the jobs are in mid-sized institutions

Forty-four percent of the workers in this industry have jobs at mid-sized establishments, with 20 to 99 employees. One in five works in a small establishment with fewer than 20 employees. At the other end of the spectrum, 17% of the workforce is employed at a large institution, with at least 500 people on staff. This is more than double the average for all industries in the province.

Where are the jobs located?

Two-thirds of the people working in this industry are located in the Lower Mainland, which is home to BC's two biggest public universities, a number of other universities, colleges and institutes, and 60% of the province's population.

Employment in other regions of the province is at, or slightly below, their share of the population. While the Lower Mainland draws students from all over BC, institutions in smaller areas have traditionally served a largely local population.

Two out of three workers are located in Mainland/Southwest

What's the outlook to 2014?

As long as people have children or want to learn new skills, there will be a demand for education services. Although that demand is not greatly affected by economic conditions, changes in the composition and size of the population over time can have a significant impact on the need for workers in this sector. The industry is expected to grow a little slower than other industries. Its share of GDP and employment is expected to decline slightly during the next few years.

The industry is not expected to keep pace with the rest of the economy over the next few years