Category: Jobs and Apprenticeships

In your classes at school, you probably have a regular teacher and maybe an assistant who helps with some of the lessons or with students who need personal attention. Teacher assistants help to provide students with the help that they need while relieving some of the pressure on teachers. For people who enjoy helping others with their work, the job of teacher assistant could be a good choice.

As the job title suggests, teacher assistants work to help teachers in their classes. The exact job can vary, depending on the teachers and the courses. A teacher assistant in a math course, for example, might help students with multiplication or division problems. In a history or English course, the assistant might give presentations on various topics like Canadian prime ministers or on poetry. Sometimes, teacher assistants photocopy exercise sheets, hand out textbooks or do whatever else the teacher needs.

Educational requirements for teacher assistants can vary, but normally a high school diploma is the minimum level. Many people in this field also have a university degree or a community college diploma in a field such as English as a Second Language teaching. Teacher assistants who want to work in a specific subject, such as mathematics or biology, should have post-secondary training in that subject.

One aspect that educational assistants need to consider is the grade level where they want to work. Assisting in high school requires a deeper knowledge of the subject matter than in elementary school, but working with younger children requires special techniques to be able to speak at their level. Many people in this career specialize in one age group, but some people may be able to switch between the very young students and older ones. Being able to work with a variety of age groups can help people in this field to find jobs more easily than if they are confined to one or two grades.

Working conditions for teacher assistants can vary, depending on the school and the help that the teacher needs. Often, the job requires some outdoor work, but most of the work is indoors. Some classes are large and others are small, and some are easier to deal with than others. In some cases, educational assistants might spend much of their time just keeping the class orderly. In other cases, people in this job might have the chance to teach lessons or to grade assignments.

Jobs for educational assistants can be available in almost any public or private school. However, large schools are more likely to have the money to pay for people in this field. Educational assistants with special skills, such as in mathematics, languages, or music, are likely to find jobs more easily than people with a more general background. Salaries start at about $17.15 per hour and can rise to $30.75 per hour with experience. Taking additional courses can help people gain new skills and higher salaries in many cases.

Working as an educational assistant can be a busy and sometimes stressful job, but it can also be very satisfying. If you enjoy helping others with their studies, it could be a good choice for you.

Bibliography:

Job Bank. “Educational Assistant in Canada.” https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/occupation/25517/ca.

Job Bank. “Educational Assistant in Canada: Prevailing Wages in Canada.” https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/wages-occupation/25517/ca

Ontario Colleges. Education / Teaching / Teaching Assistant. https://www.ontariocolleges.ca/en/programs/education-community-and-social-services/education-teaching-teaching-assistant.

Work BC. “Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Assistants.” https://www.workbc.ca/career-profiles/elementary-and-secondary-school-teacher-assistants.

Some people like to sort out anything that they have in front of them, whether that is jellybeans, coins, or anything else. Agricultural products also need to be sorted out to ensure that people can buy good quality food and eat well. If you are detail-oriented, you might want to consider the job of grader and sorter for agricultural products.

Like most jobs related to farms, career prospects for graders and sorters for agricultural products are best near farming areas. With modern transportation, however, people in this trade can often work in cities where the products are shipped. This career is always in demand to some extent, although job prospects might vary, depending on the state of the economy.

Grading and sorting agricultural products can vary from one part of the country to another. The products could include grain, fruit, or anything else that farms produce. Some of the aspects that people in this field look for are colour, appearance, species, length, width, feel, smell, and quality. For example, someone sorting strawberries would look for bruised fruit or any that are too small to include in a basket. Sometimes graders and sorters weigh the products, but sometimes they use visual assessments. Then they discard the products that are not good enough to sell.

Keeping good records is an important part of working in this field. Each product requires a tag to show what it is and where it should go. Some products need to be shipped across the country, and people in this field need to know the length of time it takes to get a product from one side of the country to another. If it takes a fruit a week to ripen after it is picked, for example, graders and sorters need to take that into account when they ship the agricultural products to another part of the country.

The province where graders and sorters work can affect the kinds of products that they assess since different climates and types of soil affect the agricultural products that grow in the area. The Prairie Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan tend to have more grain than other areas, and provinces such as Ontario and British Columbia have large amounts of fruit.

Generally, graders and sorters need less than a high school diploma, but some employers might require more education. Having good eyesight with or without glasses is important. Standing at a table for hours at a time can be very tiring, and people might want to move on to office work as they age. Wages average about 21.99 per hour, starting at $32,000 annually and can rise to $22 per hour or $47,000 per year. Getting a diploma or certificate in an area related to agriculture can help people advance in this job.

Job opportunities in this trade can vary, but prospects are likely to be good in the coming years. This is especially true for people who are willing to move to places where these jobs are available. Different times of the year tend to be busier than others because of the times when the agricultural products ripen. If this type of job appeals to you, why not consider a career as a grader and sorter for agricultural products?

Bibliography:

Owl Guru. “How To Become an Agricultural Products Grader and Sorter.” https://www.owlguru.com/career/agricultural-graders/requirements/.

Payscale Canada. “Average Grader/Sorter, Agricultural Products Hourly Pay in Canada. https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Grader_%2F_Sorter%2C_Agricultural_Products/Hourly_Rate.

World at Work. “Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.” https://careers.worldatwork.org/career-insights/graders-and-sorters-agricultural-products/.

Some jobs can almost seem invisible even when they are important. Have you ever wondered where the small rocks for gravel roads or pathways and gardens come from? Many of those stones are likely the result of a rock splitter’s work in a quarry. If you enjoy working outside and are good with your hands, this could be a good job for you.

Many of the rocks that people use to line their flower beds or to construct buildings come from quarries, but they usually must be broken up before they are useful. Quarries are large rocky areas where people can find granite or other stones to use for building houses, making roads, or many other projects. Normally, the rocks are far too big to transport anywhere or to use as they are. Rock splitters need to cut the rocks down to a smaller size before anyone can use them.

Working as a rock splitter can be very hard physical labour, even with machines and tools to help make the job easier. People in this trade need to work outside in all kinds of weather, although the work may be impossible in winter, depending on the location. Stormy weather also makes the job difficult and dangerous in many cases. Work might sometimes be cancelled because of these conditions, but rock splitters often work in unpleasant weather.

The job can also be loud and physically demanding as workers use noisy machines and move large rocks around. Injuries are common, and the work can be too difficult for people as they get older. Hearing loss might also be a problem for some people, and it is important to wear any safety gear that the managers recommend. In some cases, rock splitters might have to work at the top of cliffs, and it is important not to be afraid of heights.

Normally, rock splitters need a high school education, followed by on-the-job training. Jobs are available in the areas of mining, quarrying, and construction. The availability of jobs depends on the economy and other factors, but most of the work is in the rockier parts of Canada rather than farming regions or forests. Salaries start at about $39,000 per year and can rise to $48,750 per year. Some areas of the country tend to have higher salaries than others, and certain companies might pay more for their rock splitters than others.

You can already start to prepare for this job in high school. Courses in communication, trades, first aid, and geography are useful, and it is important to be physically fit. A certain amount of manual dexterity is also useful for handling tools. Efficiency and an ability to follow instructions can help people succeed in this job. Although rock splitters often work with other people, they should also be able to work alone.

Working as a rock splitter might not sound interesting, but it can be a very important job. Without rock splitters, other people would be unable to do their jobs. If you are strong and enjoy working with your hands, this trade might be a good choice for you.

Bibliography

College Grad. “Quarry Rock Splitters.” https://collegegrad.ca/careers/quarry-rock-splitters.

Pathways to Jobs. “Rock Splitter.” https://pathwaystojobs.ca/career/167/Rock_Splitter

Talent.ca. “Rock Splitter Average Salary in Canada.” https://ca.talent.com/salary?job=rock+splitter#.

If you watch a video online or a program on television, or you listen to a radio show, you might think mainly about the actors or presenters but not as much about the people who keep the equipment running. However, the job of audio and video equipment technician is very important, and it could be the right job for you.

Recording audio or video clips can be quite complicated. With video, the technician must consider questions such as the amount of light, any background noise, and sometimes the weather if the video is being taken outside. For audio technicians, some of the factors are background noise, sound effects, and the different volumes of sound that need to go into the same recording. Getting the recording right often involves adjusting for people with loud or soft voices, watching for who is in the sun and who is in the shade, and much more.

Working as an audio or video equipment technician is much more complicated than just adjusting the volume for different people’s voices. People in this field need to know how the recording will look on a screen and sound on people’s radios or phones. Often, this requires going to the location where the audio or video will be recorded and testing various options for sound and lighting.

Some people may be able to learn this trade on the job, especially in smaller communications companies. However, most people get a certificate that takes from one to three years to complete. They learn techniques for choosing what to record, editing their files, and even doing minor repairs to the equipment. High school courses that are useful for this field include mathematics, English, and anything technical or artistic.

Jobs in this field are available in film and movie companies, but also in universities, schools, and other organizations. Sometimes, the work of audio or video equipment technician might be part of another job, such as teacher. Wages vary from one region to another, but they generally start below $20 per hour and can rise to more than $45 per hour. The average salary for this job is over $67,000 per year.

Audio and video equipment technicians need to know about their equipment and surroundings, but it also helps if they know how to research and tell a story. In some cases, the technicians might help with planning the recording and choosing the people to be involved, although often their role is limited to running the equipment.

People in this field should be reasonably healthy and strong since the job often involves lifting heavy equipment. The hours can be long, especially if a video depends on the weather or if the people involved in the project have other commitments that will take them away. Being organized and efficient is important in this career. Flexibility is very useful, since if a section of the recording is unusable, the technician would need to redo the work or find something to substitute for the original segment.

In Canada, much of the major video and audio work is done in Vancouver and Toronto, but jobs are also available elsewhere. Many small towns have their own radio stations, and small television networks can be a good place to look for a job. If you like the idea of working as an audio or video equipment operator, you can start developing your skills now already.

Bibliography

Indeed.com. “Event Audio Video Technical Lead (Video Specialist) – Winnipeg.” https://ca.indeed.com/Audio-Video-Equipment-Technicians-jobs?vjk=f14742916535eae2&advn=1938927.

Job Bank. “Audiovisual (AV) Technician in Canada.” https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/skills/5546/ca.

Study in Canada. “Audio and Video Recording Technicians (NOC 5225).” https://www.studyincanada.com/Careers/CareerProfile.aspx?CareerCode=5225avr.

WorkBC. “Audio and Video Recording Technicians.” https://www.workbc.ca/career-profiles/audio-and-video-recording-technicians.