In-Demand Roles: Top Growing Occupations in Bermuda According to the 2023 Survey

Mapping Opportunity: Which Job Fields Grew Most in Bermuda in 2023?

Understanding where job growth is occurring is crucial for anyone navigating the employment landscape, whether actively seeking a new position, considering a career change, or planning future training. The Bermuda Job Market Employment Briefs, based on the comprehensive 2023 Employment Survey conducted by the Department of Statistics, provides valuable data on precisely these trends. While the overall picture showed a positive 3.0% increase in total filled jobs (+952 positions), digging deeper reveals which specific occupational groups and roles were the primary drivers of this growth between 2022 and 2023.

This article focuses specifically on those major occupational groups and selected job titles within them that recorded notable increases in employment, offering insights into areas of current demand within the Bermuda job market. The data comes directly from the official survey, which serves as a census of filled jobs reported by businesses across the island.

The Biggest Gains: Service, Sales, Management, and Professional Roles

According to the analysis presented in the Employment Briefs, three major occupational categories stood out for their significant job growth from 2022 to 2023:

1. Service Workers and Shop and Market Sales Workers: This large and diverse group saw the most substantial numerical increase, adding 397 filled jobs. This represented a significant 6.4% growth compared to 2022, bringing the total number of jobs in this category to 6,556. These roles are often customer-facing and essential to the hospitality, retail, and personal service sectors.
2. Senior Officials and Managers: Indicating growth at the leadership and decision-making levels, this category added 307 jobs, an increase of 4.8%. The total number of filled jobs for Senior Officials and Managers reached 6,707 in 2023. These positions span across various industries, overseeing operations, strategy, and personnel.
3. Professionals: Requiring specialized knowledge and often higher education qualifications, the Professionals group also saw a healthy increase, adding 143 jobs. This brought the total filled jobs in this category to 6,736. Growth here suggests demand for specialized expertise in fields like finance, healthcare, and technical areas.

In contrast to these growing fields, the occupational group experiencing the largest decrease was Elementary Occupations, which saw a decline of 65 jobs between 2022 and 2023.

Digging Deeper: Specific In-Demand Job Titles

The Employment Briefs further highlight specific job titles within these growing occupational groups that saw particularly strong increases:

Within Service Workers and Shop and Market Sales Workers (+397 total):

• Chef de Parties / Cooks: This role saw a very large increase, adding 120 jobs (+114 mentioned within the Accommodation and Food Service Activities sector, and +120 mentioned within the Service Workers group context). This aligns strongly with the significant growth observed in the Accommodation and Food Service Activities industry (+402 jobs overall).
• Cleaners / Housepersons: Demand for cleaning and housekeeping staff also rose, contributing 43 jobs to the growth in this category (+28 mentioned within Accommodation/Food Service context, +43 within Service Worker group).
• Retail Trade Salesclerks: The retail sector showed positive signs, with 35 additional jobs for salesclerks.
• Bartenders: Complementing the growth in hospitality, bartender positions increased by 34 jobs (+27 mentioned within Accommodation/Food Service context, +34 within Service Worker group).

Within Senior Officials and Managers (+307 total):

• Directors and Chief Executives: Leadership roles saw significant growth, adding 104 jobs (+62 mentioned within the International Business context, +104 within the Senior Officials group). This points towards expansion and potentially new business formation, particularly relevant given the growth in the International Business Activities sector (+233 jobs overall).
• Finance Managers: Financial oversight roles were also in demand, increasing by 21 jobs (+34 mentioned within the International Business context, +21 within Senior Officials group).
• Compliance Officers: With increasing regulatory focus globally, the demand for Compliance Officers grew, adding 10 jobs to this category.

Within Professionals (+143 total):

• Accountant II: This specific accounting role saw the largest increase within the Professional group detailed in the report, adding 59 jobs (+42 mentioned in the Professional/Scientific sector context, +59 within the Professional group context).
• Registered Nurses: Healthcare demand remained evident, with 48 additional jobs for Registered Nurses.
• Actuary: Specialized roles within the insurance and finance sectors grew, with Actuary positions increasing by 43 jobs.
• Accountant III: Higher-level accounting roles also increased, adding 40 jobs (+25 mentioned in the Professional/Scientific sector context, +40 within Professional group context).
• (Also noted growth in Professional, Scientific & Technical Activities Sector): Roles like Accountant I (+35 jobs) and Lawyers (+10 jobs) were mentioned as increasing within this industry, further supporting the growth trend for professional roles, especially in finance and legal fields.

These specific job titles reflect areas where employers reported needing more staff during the survey period. They represent a mix of roles requiring various skill levels, from hands-on service positions to highly specialized professional and managerial expertise.

Connecting Occupations to Industry Growth

It's often insightful to see how occupational growth aligns with industry trends. As highlighted:

• The surge in Chef de Parties/Cooks, Cleaners/Housepersons, and Bartenders directly mirrors the 12.2% jump in the Accommodation and Food Service Activities sector.
• The increase in Directors/Chief Executives, Underwriters (+41), Insurance/Reinsurance Processors (+36), and Finance Managers aligns with the 5.0% growth in the International Business Activities sector.
• The demand for Accountants (I, II, III) and Lawyers reflects activity within the Professional, Scientific and Technical Activities sector, which added 144 jobs overall.

This connection underscores how broader economic shifts within specific industries translate into demand for particular types of jobs.

What This Means for Job Seekers

Focusing a job search or career development efforts on areas experiencing growth can increase the chances of success. The 2023 data suggests strong demand in:

• Hospitality and Food Service: Particularly for culinary and service roles.
• Management and Leadership: Across various sectors, especially those linked to International Business.
• Finance and Accounting: With consistent demand for Accountants at different levels, Actuaries, and related processing roles.
• Healthcare: Indicated by the growth in Registered Nurse positions.
• Compliance: A growing field requiring specific expertise.

While these areas showed growth in 2023, it's also worth noting the median incomes associated with these groups. Senior Officials and Managers reported the highest median annual income ($116,964), followed by Professionals. Service Workers and Shop and Market Sales Workers, despite seeing the largest numerical job growth, had the lowest median annual income ($41,425) among all major occupational groups.

Find Out More

This overview highlights the key occupational growth trends from the 2023 Bermuda Employment Survey. For a complete breakdown, including detailed numbers across all occupational groups and specific job titles not mentioned here, consult the official publications.

The 2024 Employment Briefs and the comprehensive 2023 Employment Survey Tabulation Set are available on the Bermuda Government website: Bermuda Government Employment Statistics.

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Disclaimer: This article summarizes findings on occupational growth from the official Bermuda Job Market Employment Briefs (September 2024), based on the 2023 Employment Survey. Information regarding specific job title growth is based on mentions within the summary text of the Briefs. Always consult the official publications on the Bermuda Government website for the most complete, accurate, and up-to-date employment data.