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Is Victoria a Government Employed City?

The city of Victoria located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island is the capital of British Columbia, Canada, and was named after Britain’s Queen Victoria.  One of Victoria’s most famous landmarks are the Parliament Buildings that were built in 1897 and are still used today by the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, so it will not come as a surprise that there are Government Jobs offered in the region.  But is Victoria only a Government Employed city, or are there other options out there?  We wanted to look into the different occupations offered in Victoria, and if the Government was really one of the biggest employers in the city.

The city is also recognized for outstanding secondary schooling bringing in students from across Canada and from around the world to attend Victoria`s colleges and universities, and it`s beauty and history brings in 3.5 million overnight visitors and 500,000 daily visitors per year adding billions of dollars to the economy, making the education and tourism industries valid contenders for Government employment opportunities.

While the University of Victoria and Camosun College provide hundreds of jobs for both faculty and non-faculty members, and the restaurants, cinemas, hotels and other tourist attractions such as the famous Empress Hotel and the Butchart Gardens employ numerous Victorians, the Government employment opportunities offer many benefits, job security and career paths that the education and tourism industries do not.

Government jobs such as Nurses,  Business Analysts, Deputy Ministers and Air Traffic Controllers all receive benefits such as:

*Health & Dental
*Disability Insurance
*Death Insurance
*Maternal/Paternal
*Sick Leave
*Pay Equity
*Value Of Ethics

Government employees also work under union, receiving the benefit of pensions and allowing strikes for any oppositions or pay raises.

Other benefits of Government jobs are:

*Vacation/Leave-

  • 15 days of vacation after one year of employment
  • 20 days after 8 years
  • 25 days after 18 years
  • 30 days after 29 years
  • 15 days of paid sick leave per year
  • leave with pay for family-related responsibilities

In addition there are 11 paid statutory holidays each year

*Access To Continual Learning-

Employees are encouraged to professional oriented training that helps them stay current in their field.  There are also personal development courses employees can take, and often these courses are paid by the Government.

*Fair Salary-

You can read about the rates of pay for employment here: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/coll_agre/rates-taux-eng.asp

*Safe and Healthy Physical Environment-

The environment you work in when working for the Government is guaranteed to meet or exceed the norms followed by other sectors, and guarantees that specific technological aids will be provided for persons with disabilities when required.

The vast amount of benefits and job security offered by Government positions in Victoria makes Government employment desirable, however that also brings competition.  Those who land Government jobs usually stay in them until retirement, making it sometimes difficult for new employees to get a job.  At the same time, once you get a Government job there is very little chance that you will ever lose it.

Victoria is a draw to all Canadians for it`s beautiful environment, tame climate and vibrant community, and when someone is able to get a job in a Government position, it is like icing on the cake!

If you ask someone you meet in Victoria, more often than not they will tell you they work for the Government in some way or another.  Victoria  is definitely a Government employed city and those who do work in the Government always seem happy to be there and have no plans of going anywhere soon!  While there are other job opportunities offered in Victoria, the Government positions are coveted and make up the majority of the jobs available in the city.

Why you should work in Victoria, BC

Victoria is well known for its beautiful scenery, mild climate, interesting historic sites and active community.  Millions of people come to visit Victoria every year to enjoy all it has to offer, but what is it like for those who live in Victoria year-round?

Living as a full time resident of Victoria has it’s benefits because the city has so much to offer.  If you love the outdoors you can sail in the ocean, hike in the mountains, go skiing in the winter, go ziplining through the forest trees and go on hundreds of long beach and forest walks.  If you are more of a city dweller you can visit countless  restaurants, pubs and shops in the downtown core or in surrounding areas like Cook Street Village, Oak Bay and Fernwood.  If you are a historic buff you can walk through one of the oldest Chinatown’s, go on a tour in the Craigdarroch Castle, see the Emily Carr or Helmcken House, explore the Parliament Buildings, take in the Christ Church Cathedral and the St. Andrews Cathedral or check out the latest exhibit in the Royal BC Museum.

Enjoying the beauty and excitement of Victoria is wonderful, but of course if you are living in Victoria you and your family will have to work as well.  The great thing about Victoria offering so many types of entertainment is that they all need employees!

If you love the outdoors, for example, you could get a job as:

*A Whale Watch Tour Guide
*A Staff Member at Wild Play Element Parks (offers outdoor adventure experiences)
*A Tour Guide or Staff Member at Butchart Gardens
*A Sailing Instructor
*Park Ranger for Beacon Hill Park or Goldstream Park
*Sea Kayaking Instructor

For the city dwellers, you could work as:

*A Restaurant or Pub Manager/Server/Bartender/Hostess/Chef
*A Retail Employee
*A Coffee Shop Barista
The history buff’s also have many choices and could work as:

*A Museum Tour Guide/Staff Member
*An Art Gallery Guide/Employee
*A Church Tour Guide
*A Castle Guide/Staff Member
*An Empress Hotel Employee

If you are looking for more of an office job, Victoria has a lot to offer in that department as well.  In fact, there are hundreds of Government job opportunities that offer great benefits and pension plans such as:
*Mail Delivery
*Education
*Communications
*Enforcement
*Court and Judicial Services
*Finance
*Health Services
*Human Resources
*Social Services
*Management

When working in Government you get access to a wide range of career options that offer valuable benefits and unique experiences.  Government jobs also offer fair pay and unionization which can be beneficial in long-term careers.

Whether you are looking to live in Victoria for a short-term or long-term there are jobs here for you!  Victoria has a bountiful tourist industry and government jobs that need employees to serve, protect and entertain not only the thousands of visitors Victoria gets each year but also the local residents.  You can find the local listings for job opportunities with these websites:
*http://www.bcjobs.ca/q-victoria-jobs-and-careers.cfm

*http://victoria.en.craigslist.ca/

You should work in Victoria because not only will you find wonderful job opportunities, you will get to live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world as well!