Employment Outlook

The employment outlook will be moderate for Web developers and programmers – 21234 in Prince Edward Island for the 2022-2024 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

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

The prospect for employment in this occupation is expected to be favorable as the pandemic forced many businesses and organizations to alter the way they do business, becoming increasingly more digitalized and automated. 

Employment demand will continue to benefit from the increased usage of the Internet and mobile technology as a channel for marketing business products and services as well as online retail transactions. However, greater productivity from the growing availability of pre-designed templates, and bigger firms outsourcing web-related work to lower-cost providers, will lessen the demand for these professionals.

Retail e-commerce sales, for example, increased throughout the pandemic with more retailers turning to online sales. Further, this trend towards online shopping, as well as other virtual services, will support job opportunities in this occupation over the forecast period.

On-going skills development is a requirement within this occupation as the rate of change and introduction of new technologies is more rapid compared to other occupations. Experience with website security, cloud computing and certain types of social media may also be beneficial. In addition to sound technical knowledge, professionals with strong communication, soft skills and business knowledge may also fare better in the labour market.

Work in this occupation is not limited by geographic boundaries, therefore business opportunities could be local, national or across the globe.

Here are some key facts about Web developers and programmers in Prince Edward Island:

• Approximately 200 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
• Web developers and programmers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Computer systems design services (NAICS 5415): 56%
  • Federal government public administration (NAICS 911): 18%
  • Other professional, scientific and technical services (NAICS 5414, 5416-5419): 8%
  • Universities (NAICS 6113): 8%
  • Provincial and territorial public administration (NAICS 912): 7%
• The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
  • Full-time workers: 94% compared to 84% for all occupations
  • Part-time workers: 6% compared to 16% for all occupations
• 78% of web developers and programmers work all year, while 22% 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 44 weeks compared to 41 weeks for all occupations.
• 22% of web developers and programmers are self-employed compared to an average of 13% for all occupations.
• The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
  • Men: 78% compared to 51% for all occupations
  • Women: 22% compared to 49% for all occupations
• The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
  • no high school diploma: n/a
  • high school diploma or equivalent: 5% compared to 28% for all occupations
  • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: n/a
  • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor’s: 32% compared to 25% for all occupations
  • bachelor’s degree: 43% compared to 17% for all occupations
  • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: 11% compared to 8% for all occupations

Source: Job Bank

Prevailing Wages