It is increasingly difficult for Canadians to make a good living. According to a Statistics Canada report released in September 2019, more and more workers hold low-paying jobs. The report states that between 1998 and 2018, the percentage of employees earning minimum wage grew from 5.2% to 10.4%, with most of that growth occurring between 2017 and 2018.
The skilled trades present at least part of the solution by offering careers that combine high demand and high pay. Unfortunately, there is still a belief that people in the skilled trades are not well paid. That could not be further from the truth. Some skilled tradespeople can easily earn more than $100,000 annually, especially if they take on jobs with overtime pay. In general, there is an unexpected amount of money to be made working, “on the tools,” as tradespeople say.
One of those jobs is being an elevator mechanic. Elevator mechanics shot up the Canadian Business ranking of Canada’s Best Jobs in 2017, rising to No. 10 from No. 74 in 2016. According to Canadian Business, this field has been on a growth tear, with 83% more people working as elevator mechanics than there were six years ago. Canadian Business magazine ranked Canada’s top 100 jobs for 2019 and elevator mechanic came in at number 22.
Elevator Mechanic Stats and Benefits
Median salary in Ontario: $81,413
Once an elevating devices mechanic finishes their apprenticeship, they immediately make close to $40 per hour [$78,000 per year]. But some people can make more than $100,000 per year.
This trade is recession-proof. Elevator machinery always needs to be maintained. The Technical Standards and Safety Authority mandate elevating devices, therefore, every escalator, elevator, dumbwaiter, and freight elevator must meet a certain point of reliability, or else it is not in operation. With the rate of building/condo construction, there will always be a need for elevator maintenance and service technicians as nobody else can work on this equipment. Even during the COVID-19 shutdown, elevator workers were deemed essential services.
It is clear that working as an elevator mechanic is a promising career path in an industry that is continuing to grow. This upward trajectory signals a healthy future for anyone looking to enter the elevator business.
FIELDBOSS is a proud member of CECA, NAEC, and ECNY and a supporter of the elevator industry. Please contact us for a free demo or to learn more about our elevator contractor management software.