National Occupational Classification (NOC): 14403
Fast Facts
- Average Pay: $40780
- Future Growth: 2
- Skill Level: N/A
- Employment Size: 325
- Unemployment: N/A
- Full-time Share: N/A
Sample Job Titles
- Inventory analyst
- Inventory clerk
- Inventory control clerk
- Inventory planner
- Procurement clerk
- Purchasing clerk
- Purchasing clerk assistant
- Ship supply clerk
- Supply clerk
- Supply technician - Canadian Armed Forces
What do purchasing and inventory control workers do?
Purchasing and inventory control workers process purchasing transactions and maintain inventories of materials, equipment and stock. They are employed by retail and wholesale establishments, manufacturing companies, government agencies and other establishments.
Purchasing control workers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Review requisition orders for accuracy and verify that materials, equipment and stock are not available from current inventories
- Source and obtain price quotations from catalogues and suppliers and prepare purchase orders
- Calculate cost of orders and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts
- Process purchases within purchasing authority
- Contact suppliers to schedule deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed deliveries and other problems
- Prepare and maintain purchasing files, reports and price lists.
Inventory control workers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Monitor inventory levels as materials, equipment and stock are issued, transferred within an establishment or sold to the public using manual or computerized inventory systems
- Compile inventory reports, recording the quantity, type and value of materials, equipment and stock on hand, using manual or computerized inventory systems
- Prepare requisition orders to replenish materials, equipment and stock
- Maintain stock rotation and dispose of and account for outdated stock
- Enter data for production scheduling, stock replenishment/relocation and inventory adjustments
- Reconcile physical inventories with computer counts.
Source: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021, Employment and Social Development Canada
Purchasing and inventory control workers work in many subsectors (NAICS) in Newfoundland and Labrador, including:
- 452 General merchandise stores
- 561 Administrative and support services
- 417 Machinery, equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers
- 212 Mining and quarrying (except oil and gas)
- 311 Food manufacturing
- 444 Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers
- 722 Food services and drinking places
- 413 Food, beverage and tobacco merchant wholesalers
- 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers
- 493 Warehouse and storage
Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada
Short and Long Term Occupational Projections
Short Term Projections for 2023-2025
The employment outlook will be moderate for purchasing and inventory control workers 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
Purchasing and inventory control workers belong to the broader occupational group 1440, 13200, 13201 (Supply chain logistics, tracking and scheduling co-ordination occupations). This group is forecast to be tightening (rating of 2.9 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 34 public job postings for this occupation, with the following distribution:
| Avalon: 59% | Western: 21% |
| Eastern: 3% | Labrador: 12% |
| Central: 6% | NL-unspecified: 0% |
Source: Lightcast (note: data used in this analysis reflects new unique monthly postings which are totaled for the calendar year)
Who works as purchasing and inventory control workers in Newfoundland and Labrador?
During the reference week of May 2021, there were approximately 325 people working in this occupation in Newfoundland and Labrador. 57% of those employed were Male+ and 43% 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+ |
| 15% | 54% | 22% | 6% |
Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada
How much do purchasing and inventory control workers make?
Annual Earnings
The median employment income for all purchasing and inventory control workers in the reference year 2020 (390 workers in total, including those working part-time and full-time, as well as part-year and full-year) was $36,000.
Source: Census 2021, Statistics Canada
Hourly Earnings
Salary information for purchasing and inventory control workers in Newfoundland and Labrador is as follows:
| Low ($/hour) | Median ($/hour) | High ($/hour) | |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $15.00 | $20.00 | $30.77 |
The following low, median, and high wages are for Canada:
| Low ($/hour) | Median ($/hour) | High ($/hour) |
| $15.00 | $22.00 | $35.00 |
Source: Job Bank, Government of Canada
Most Frequently Sought Skills from Job Postings (2023)
- Purchasing
- Supply Management
- Endoscopy
- Auditing
- Data Entry
- Office Administration
- Contract Management
- Customs Broking
- Sterilization
- Invoicing
Source: Lightcast
What training is required?
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Courses in purchasing management may be required for purchasing clerks.
- Courses in production and inventory management and ability to operate a computerized inventory system may be required for inventory clerks.
- The duties of purchasing and inventory control workers may overlap in some establishments.
- Progression to supervisory positions or more senior occupations such as purchasing agent or retail buyer is possible with additional training or 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.