How to become a purchasing and inventory control worker
Official title: Purchasing and inventory control workers
Also called: Inventory clerk, Purchasing clerk, Inventory analyst, Inventory auditor, Inventory planner, Invoice control clerk, Inventory control clerk, Purchasing control clerk, Equipment inventory clerk, Permanent inventory clerk, Purchasing clerk assistant, Food controller - inventory
Purchasing and inventory control workers process purchasing transactions and maintain inventories of materials, equipment and stock. They are employed by retail and wholesale establishments, manufacturing companies, government agencies and other establishments.
Main tasks
- Purchasing control workers
- Review requisition orders for accuracy and verify that materials, equipment and stock are not available from current inventories
- Source and obtain price quotations from catalogues and suppliers and prepare purchase orders
- Calculate cost of orders and charge or forward invoices to appropriate accounts
- Process purchases within purchasing authority
- Contact suppliers to schedule deliveries and to resolve shortages, missed deliveries and other problems
- Prepare and maintain purchasing files, reports and price lists
- Inventory control workers
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Courses in purchasing management may be required for purchasing control workers. Courses in production and inventory management and ability to operate a computerized inventory system may be required for inventory control workers.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $46,800 a year The middle half earn $39,000 to $56,004.
- About 30,000 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 32,600 are projected by 2033. (+8.7%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Shippers and receivers
- Storekeepers and partspersons
- Production logistics workers
- Dispatchers
- Transportation route and crew schedulers
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Questions people ask
How do I become a purchasing and inventory control worker?
Completion of secondary school is usually required. Courses in purchasing management may be required for purchasing control workers. Courses in production and inventory management and ability to operate a computerized inventory system may be required for inventory control workers.
How much does a purchasing and inventory control worker earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $46,800 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $39,000 to $56,004.
Is a purchasing and inventory control worker a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 9% by 2033, from about 30,000 to about 32,600 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a purchasing and inventory control worker?
Usually not. Only 24% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03