Description
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants support students, and assist teachers and counsellors with teaching and non-instructional tasks. They assist in areas of personal care, teaching and behaviour management under the supervision of teachers or other child care professionals. They are employed in public and private elementary, secondary and special needs schools and treatment centres.
Job Titles
- Educational assistant
- Educational resources assistant
- Homework assistant
- Remedial education aide
- Special education assistant
Main Duties
- Assist students with integration into the classroom and school setting
- Help students individually or in small groups with assignments and reinforce learning and retention concepts under the supervision of the classroom teacher
- Assist students with special needs using techniques such as sign language, braille and remedial programs
- Monitor and report student progress to classroom teacher
- Accompany and supervise students during activities in school gymnasiums, laboratories, libraries, resource centres and on field trips
- May assist teacher in the operation of projectors, tape recorders and other audio-visual or electronic equipment
- May assist in school library or office and perform other duties assigned by the school principal
- May monitor students during recess, at noon hour or during the day.
Workplaces
- Private and public elementary schools
- Private and public secondary schools
- Special schools
- Treatment centres
Work Environment
- Indoors, environmentally controlled
Physical Demands
- Standing
- Sitting
Requirements
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Teacher assistants usually require completion of a 10-month college program in teaching assistance, educational assistance or other social science program.
- Teacher assistants who help students with special needs usually require specialized training and experience.
Skills
- Learning and Teaching Strategies
- Social Perceptiveness
- Instructing
- Oral Communication: Oral Expression
- Persuading
Abilities
- Auditory Attention
- Far Vision
- Fluency of Ideas
- Near Vision
- Selective Attention
Personal Attributes
- Concern for Others
- Collaboration
- Leadership
- Social Orientation
- Active Learning
Similar Occupations
- Post-secondary teaching and research assistants (41201)
- Elementary school and kindergarten teachers (41221)
- Early childhood educators and assistants (42202)
- Instructors of persons with disabilities (42203)
- Student monitors, crossing guards and related occupations (45100)
Source: OaSIS
Employment Outlook
The employment outlook will be Moderate for elementary and secondary school teacher assistants (NOC 43100) in Prince Edward Island for the 2025-2027 period.
The following factors contributed to this outlook:
- Employment growth will lead to a moderate number of new positions.
- A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
- There are a moderate number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants in Prince Edward Island continue to be in demand, particularly for those trained to work with special needs students or newcomers requiring additional support. The province’s 2025–26 capital budget includes funding for new schools and renovations, reflecting record enrolment growth and the need for expanded classroom support. Teacher assistants are increasingly relied upon to help address students’ social, emotional, and mental health challenges, and to provide inclusive learning environments. Most opportunities are part-time, substitute, or term contracts, though demand is steady across the province.
Employers typically prefer candidates with college diplomas or postsecondary training in fields such as Educational Assistance, Child and Youth Care, or Early Childhood Education, and specialized skills like sign language, Braille, or adaptive technology can significantly improve prospects. For new graduates or career changers, this occupation offers stable employment, valuable experience in education, and clear pathways into specialized or permanent roles, though flexibility and willingness to work across different schools are often required.
Here are some key facts about Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants in Prince Edward Island:
- Approximately 700 people work in this occupation.
- Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants mainly work in the following sectors:
- Elementary and secondary schools (NAICS 6111): more than 95%
- The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
- Full-time workers: 83% compared to 84% for all occupations
- Part-time workers: 17% compared to 16% for all occupations
- 12% of elementary and secondary school teacher assistants work all year, while 88% work only part of the year, compared to 59% and 41% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 38 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
- The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
- Men: 8% compared to 51% for all occupations
- Women: 92% compared to 49% for all occupations
- The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
- no high school diploma: less than 5% compared to 11% for all occupations
- high school diploma or equivalent: 16% compared to 28% for all occupations
- apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 8% compared to 11% for all occupations
- college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 56% compared to 25% for all occupations
- bachelor’s degree: 16% compared to 17% for all occupations
- university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 8% for all occupations
Source: Job Bank
Prevailing Wages
| AREA | LOW | MEDIAN | HIGH |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $21.62 | $27.61 | $31.28 |
| Canada | $18.29 | $25.01 | $32.42 |
Training
| TRAINING PROGRAM | INSTITUTION | CREDENTIAL |
|---|---|---|
| Human Services | Holland College | Diploma |
Certifications
We don’t have any data on professional certification requirements. Based on our records, this occupation is not regulated in PEI.
If you are aware of a local regulatory body for this occupation in PEI, please contact us.
There are currently no job listings for this occupation on WorkPEI.