Occupational Therapist
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Occupational therapists develop individual and group programs with people affected by illness, injury, developmental disorders, emotional or psychological problems and ageing to maintain, restore or increase their ability to care for themselves and to engage in work, school or leisure. They also develop and implement health promotion programs with individuals, community groups and employers. They are employed in health care facilities, in schools, and by private and social services agencies, or they may be self-employed. (National Occupational Classification)
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, including typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- A Day in the Life of an Occupational Therapist - The Princeton Review (U.S)
- Sokanu: Occupational Therapist - occupational videos and info
- UM Career Mentor Program profile - Occupational Therapist
- Interview: Occupational Therapist in hospital - StudyinCanada.com
- Interview: Occupational Therapist in home care - StudyinCanada.com
- OT Career Profile - Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals
- Occupational Therapy stories and facts - CAOT: How OTs support patients in a variety of practice areas
- UM Discover your Future in Healthcare video series: Occupational Therapist
Education
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Faculty and Department Homepages
Visit U of M's faculty and department homepage to learn about program application deadlines and processes, as well as additional in-house resources and opportunities. Ergonomics may be pursued with either a Bachelor of Kinesiology or a Master of Occupational Therapy depending on the work environment desired.
- College of Rehabilitation Sciences (Master of Occupational Therapy) - Rady Faculty of Health Sciences,
- Professional Health Access Program - supports Indigenous students who have been accepted into a professional health program
- Health Careers Access Program (HCAP) - prepares Indigenous Manitobans for entry to the health professions
Exploring Other Education Options
- Educational Programs in Canada - Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
- Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy University Programs
- Find a School (U.S.) - American Occupational Therapy Association
- World Federation of Occupational Therapy approved entry-level programs - international listing
Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials - information for foreign-trained OTs
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for the U.S.
- Collective Agreements - Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals
- Canadian Institute for Health Information: About Occupational Therapists - within annual reports view 'Table of Contents' (tab 3 within Excel doc)
- Opportunext.ca - Occupational Therapists (Manitoba)
- OpportuNext - salary range and job growth prospects - Manitoba
Professional Associations
Professional associations may organize events and provide directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities may also be available: engage, learn and network!
- Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT)
- Manitoba Society of Occupational Therapists (MSOT)
- College of Occupational Therapists of Manitoba
- American Occupational Therapy Association (U.S.)
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Regional Health Authorities - Province of Manitoba
- Health Regions in Canada - listings and maps from Statistics Canada
- Manitoba 211 - social service directory
- Canadian Association of Community Health Centres - members
- Manitoba School Divisions & Districts - Government of Manitoba
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
These external resources may provide you with additional information about the occupation and opportunities to build experience.
- Rady Faculty of Health Science Community Mentorship Program - U of M student-led program
- Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation
- MSOT Private Practice Directory - view to learn the wide range of practice in Manitoba
- Tetra Society of North America (see Winnipeg Chapter) - Non-profit organization that provides volunteer engineers across Canada and the US to design and construct custom assistive devices for people with disabilities
- American Occupational Therapy Foundation (requires UM library login)
- World Federation of Occupational Therapists
- Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy Regulatory Organizations
- OT Without Borders - Personal blog with a collection of resources on working abroad