Our Blog
Our recent Blog posts
-
Average starting salaries for entry level skilled trades jobs
A career in a skilled trade requires both a mental and physical investment in a task or a project, and there’s always the unmistakable pride of working at your craft and knowing first hand that you’re doing it well. The skilled trades are among the best paid careers for young Canadians and they are poised to become even more lucrative due to the rising demand for skilled labour. According to Statistics Canada, employees in the trades earn an average hourly wage that is 6% higher than other occupations: $22.36 compared with $21.02. The highest earners were electricians ($25.26), crane operators ($24.61) and ...
-
Picking the right skilled trade for you!
The skilled trades are incredibly diverse. There are over 140 apprenticeable trades in Ontario! Here is a quick overview: The Construction Sector: The construction industry is one of Ontario's leading employers. It is not just the building of homes, but also schools, hospitals, and office buildings. These trades are crucial in our society. These jobs take place either outdoors and indoors. Occupations in this area include: brick and stone mason, carpenter, cement mason, construction millwright, drywaller, electrician, glazier, power lineworker, painter and decorator, plumber, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic, roofer, stone mason, sheet metal worker, welder and steam fitter, stone cutter, and ...
-
Different Pathways to an Apprenticeship
There are a number of potential streams from which an apprenticeship can begin. Many young apprentices are working toward or have completed their high school diploma. 1) All school boards across Ontario offer Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM), a Ministry of Education approved specialized program that allows students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while meeting the requirements to graduate from secondary school. It also assists in their transition after graduation to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace. This program will allow students to: - Identify, explore and refine career goals - Gain sector-recognized certification and career-relevant training - Develop ...
-
Which trade is right for you?
Which trade is right for you? If you are considering a career in the skilled trades, but you have no idea which trade may be right for you – you are not alone. Many people who consider a career in the skilled trades would like to work with their hands, work outside of an office environment, or work to create something. The only problem is that they have difficulty identifying exactly which trade — among over 200 possible trades — would best suit them. So where do you begin? Valerie Overend is a Red Seal journeyperson carpenter and the Executive Director of ...
-
What is the difference between an apprenticeship and co-op?
Apprenticeship training is a form of post-secondary education that combines on-the-job and in-school training. At the completion of an apprenticeship, an individual can take an examination. Once he or she passes the examination and satisfies the criteria set out by his or her Province/Territory, he or she will earn a Certificate of Qualification/Journeyperson Certificate from his or her Province or Territory in Canada. Apprenticeship training is different from Co-op education in that as an apprentice: - You will already be employed and work with an employer who agrees to ‘sponsor’ and train you as an apprentice for a specific skilled trade. Once ...