University professors and lecturers in Outaouais

The employment outlook will be Moderate for university professors and lecturers (NOC 41200) in the Outaouais region for the 2025-2027 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

• Employment growth will lead to a few new positions.
• A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.
• There are a small number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation.

Employment in this occupation depends on government investments in education, public and private funding for university research and the number of university students.

The increase in registrations is mainly due to the volume of students from the school system in Québec, as the contribution of international students is decreasing because of lower intake caps. In addition, the freeze on government investments is forcing universities to contend with limited financial resources.

Meanwhile, the growing demand for skilled labour and the automation of some university jobs through artificial intelligence could deter some young people from pursuing university studies and push them towards shorter vocational or technical training, which is better adapted to employer needs. In addition, the higher cost of living is forcing some people to enter the labour market before they receive their diploma, which could curb university registrations. However, this trend could be mitigated by economic uncertainty and rising youth unemployment, which encourage students to extend their studies.

Despite these challenges, satellite campuses are experiencing rapid expansion, facilitating access to university studies outside major centers. However, the growth of distance teaching is changing the skills required to teach and can reduce the demand for this occupation due to the increased size of groups, which is a phenomenon that could be amplified by budget cuts.

Here are some key facts about university professors and lecturers in the Outaouais region:

• Approximately 580 people worked in this occupation in May 2021.
• University professors and lecturers mainly work in the following sectors:
  • Educational services (NAICS 61): more than 95%