Administrative Assistants

National Occupational Classification (NOC): 13110

Fast Facts

  • Average Pay: N/A
  • Future Growth: N/A
  • Skill Level: N/A
  • Employment Size: N/A
  • Unemployment: N/A
  • Full-time Share: N/A

Sample Job Titles

  • Administrative assistant
  • Executive secretary (except legal and medical)
  • Human resources administrator
  • Office administrative assistant
  • Private secretary
  • Secretary (except legal and medical)
  • Technical secretary
  • Secretary-clerk


What do administrative assistants do?

Administrative assistants perform a variety of administrative duties in support of managerial and professional employers. They are employed throughout the private and public sectors.

Administrative assistants perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Prepare, key in, edit and proofread correspondence, invoices, presentations, brochures, publications, reports and related material from machine dictation and handwritten copy.
  • Open and distribute incoming regular and electronic mail and other material and coordinate the flow of information internally and with other departments and organizations.
  • Schedule and confirm appointments and meetings of employer.
  • Order office supplies and maintain inventory.
  • Answer telephone and electronic enquiries and relay telephone calls and messages.
  • Set up and maintain manual and computerized information filing systems.
  • Determine and establish office procedures.
  • Greet visitors, ascertain nature of business and direct visitors to employer or appropriate person.
  • Record and prepare minutes of meetings.
  • Arrange travel schedules and make reservations.
  • May compile data, statistics and other information to support research activities.
  • May supervise and train office staff in procedures and in use of current software.
  • May organize conferences.

Source: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada

 

Administrative assistants primarily work in the following subsectors (NAICS) in Newfoundland and Labrador:

  • 611   Educational services
  • 622   Hospitals
  • 621   Ambulatory health care services
  • 813   Religious, grant-making, civic, and professional and similar organizations
  • 912   Provincial and territorial public administration
  • 911   Federal government public administration
  • 541   Professional, scientific and technical services
  • 238   Specialty trade contractors
  • 913   Local, municipal and regional public administration

Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada.

 

Short and Long Term Projections

Short Term Projections for 2023-2025

The employment outlook will be moderate for Administrative Assistants in Newfoundland and Labrador (rating of 3 out of 5) for the 2023-2025 period.

Source: Job Bank, Government of Canada

 

Long Term Projections for 2023-2032

The outlook for Administrative Assistants is forecast to be tightening (rating of 3.1 out of 4) over the next several years, meaning new labour supply will be required to meet anticipated job openings.

Source: Department of Finance, Occupation Projections (Summer 2023)

 

Number of Job Postings in 2023

During 2023, there were 334 public job postings for this occupation, with the following distribution:

Avalon: 65% Western: 10%
Eastern: 4% Labrador: 11%
Central: 8% NL-unspecified: 1%

Source: Lightcast (note: data used in this analysis reflects new unique monthly postings which are totaled for the calendar year).



Who works as administrative assistants in Newfoundland and Labrador?

During the reference week of May 2021, there were approximately 2,655 people working in this occupation in Newfoundland and Labrador. 1% of those employed were Male+ and 99% of those employed were Female+.

Here is the age group breakdown for this group of workers:

15 to 24 25 to 54 55 to 64 65+
3% 69% 22% 6%

Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada.

 

How much do administrative assistants make?

Annual Earnings

The median employment income for all administrative assistants in the reference year 2020 (2,955 workers in total, including those working part-time and full-time, as well as part-year and full-year) was $41,200.

Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada.

 

Hourly Earnings

Salary information for administrative assistants in Newfoundland and Labrador is as follows:

Low ($/hour) Median ($/hour) High ($/hour)
Newfoundland and Labrador $17.00 $23.63 $28.65

 

The following low, median, and high wages are for Canada:

Low ($/hour) Median ($/hour) High ($/hour)
$17.13 $24.73 $35.00

Source: Job Bank, Government of Canada

 

Most Frequently Sought Skills from Job Postings (2023)

  • Office Administration
  • Administrative Support
  • Data Entry
  • Office Supply Management
  • Invoicing
  • Proofreading
  • Accounting
  • Inventory Management
  • Travel Arrangements
  • Bookkeeping

Source: Lightcast



What training is required?

  • Completion of secondary school is usually required.
  • Completion of a one- or two-year college or other program for administrative assistants or secretaries, or, previous clerical experience.

Source: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada

* Find public and private education, training and skills development opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador here.

 

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