Category: Trades

BC students interested in trades career paths should consider culinary, automotive, and construction jobs. According to the Labour Market Information Council (LMIC) in 2021, 20 per cent of Canadians work in skilled trade markets like construction, manufacturing, services, and automotive.

That same year, the Government of British Columbia identified the top in-demand trades jobs from 2021–2031. The top three in-demand trades were:

• Cooks
• Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics, and mechanical repairers
• Construction trade helpers and labourers

BC estimates that there will be over 25,000 job openings in these fields alone, and they need more workers. Here’s a breakdown of those occupations:

Cooks

Cooks plan and prepare meals, clean kitchens, and order supplies for meals. They work either part-time, full-time, on call, or on contract.

Where they work varies. Cooks work anywhere from restaurants to hotels, to schools or even cruise ships. Cooks generally work under pressure with other cooks. They need to communicate with their team and be mindful of customers’ requests.

Education Needed and Wages
Cooks earn an average of $33,370 yearly, with wages ranging from $15.20–$21.77 an hour. The education required for cooks depends on the employer.

Some employers require high school completion or a culinary arts program completion, but a certification is not currently required to work as a cook in BC.

BC’s new “Skilled Trades Certification” initiative makes trade certification mandatory, but

it currently omits cooks. Those looking into certification need to complete a three-year apprenticeship program.

Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics, and Mechanical Repairers

Automotive Service Technicians 

Automotive service technicians adjust, fix, or replace parts of automotive systems such as brakes, fuel systems, and steering and suspension. They also test those systems to make sure they’re up to date with standards, and for the client’s satisfaction.

Truck and Bus Mechanics

Truck and bus mechanics adjust, fix, or replace parts of commercial transport systems, including fuel, hydraulic, electrical, and electronic systems.

Mechanical Repairers

Mechanical repairers test parts and functions within units, such as transmissions and engines. They need to problem solve and figure out when/how to fix or replace these parts. They must also record these problems in reports.

Education Needed and Wages

People within these fields earn an average of $52,140 yearly, with wages ranging from $16–38 an hour. They often work 35–40 hours a week, usually in repair shops or garages. They need good customer service skills and know how to problem solve.

Anyone looking into these fields needs a high school diploma, and a driver’s license, with some needed specific classes of licenses. Those looking for certification need to complete a four-year apprenticeship program.

Mechanical and automotive services need certification in the near feature, under BC’s new “Skilled Trades Certification.” Jobs such as automotive service technician are in “phase 2” of this new plan, which starts in 2024.

Construction Trade Helpers and Labourers 

Construction trade helpers and labourers help set up and clean construction sites. These people work anywhere that construction sites appear; this includes jobs on the road, within buildings, within tunnels, and around pipelines.

Working hours vary, but sometimes workdays can be 10–12 hours. Since they often lift heavy materials, workers also need strength.

Education Needed and Wages

People within this field earn an average of $41,712 yearly, with wages ranging from $15.20–$30.00 an hour. Many construction companies require employees to have a high school diploma and a driver’s license.

Depending on the specific role, more requirements are needed. For example, pipeline workers need one season of experience in oil and gas pipeline construction.

Certification in BC

For many years, BC lacked mandatory trades certification for workers. However, the Government of British Columbia decided to make it mandatory in 2021. They started with electrical and mechanical trades, which began transitioning in December 2022.

Students can use these resources to find certification information and job training:

• BC Trades Training Seat Finder from Trades Training BC shows training programs at post-secondary institutions.
• Trade Programs from SkilledTradesBC shows over 100 trade programs in BC.
• EducationPlannerBC compares post-secondary and apprenticeship programs.

Suppose that your family needed to hire a plumber or an electrician. Your parents could ask friends for a recommendation or look online for the tradespeople who sound good. However, a better idea would be to have consistent standards for all plumbers or electricians. With the Skilled Trades BC Act, the government of British Columbia is making it easier to ensure that people in the trades have the skills they need for the work.

The Skilled Trades Act is intended to help tradespeople maintain or improve their skills. If the act becomes official, the government will change the Industry Training Authority into SkilledTradesBC. This organization will focus on training for the trades, certification, and helping to support people in apprenticeships and other training programs. Having a standardized program will mean that people can learn what they need to know while giving them a place to look for more information on their trades.

To be part of the program, people should be either an apprentice or certified journeyperson in one of ten trades, including electricians in the construction field, industrial technicians, and powerline technicians in the electrical trades. In the mechanical trades, the list includes refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics, gasfitters, and steamfitters/pipefitters, and sheet metal workers. The third category is the automotive trades including heavy duty equipment technicians, automotive technicians, and auto body and collision technicians.

Helping people who are already in the trades is important, but newcomers are also an essential part of supporting the trades. An additional $5 million in funding will go towards dealing with waiting lists for trades programs, as well as other issues related to access to training and refresher courses. Keeping skills up to date is important for all tradespeople, and this program will help them to do that more easily. Going through the certification process can help to highlight areas that still need improvement.

British Columbia used to have a Skilled Trades Act, but it was repealed in 2003. Reintroducing the certification process will ensure that all workers in a particular trade have the skills they need. Officials believe that the initiative will also raise the level of skill in the trades while making sure that enough people get into these jobs. That way, customers will always be able to find qualified builders or electricians when they need help.

The certification will also help people in the trades to become more skillful and ensure that they know what they will need for their work. Sometimes it can be difficult to know what kinds of issues might become important in the future. A course in car mechanics, for example, could help people understand different types of cars and how they differ from each other. Courses for gasfitters could help people in that trade learn about important safety procedures and other essential parts of their work.

The act received Royal Assent on March 10, 2022 and is now in the final process of becoming official. If everything goes as planned, the program will be ready by the end of the year. Soon, certification might bring greater consistency to the trades.

 

Bibliography:

Collision Repair Mag. “School’s In: B.C. Reintroduces Skilled Trade Certification for 10 Trades.” https://www.collisionrepairmag.com/schools-in-bc-reintroduces-skilled-trade-certification.

HRR Reporter. B.C. Launches Skilled Trades Certification.” https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/training-and-development/bc-launches-skilled-trades-certification/357118.

Government of British Columbia. “About Skilled Trades Certification.” https://engage.gov.bc.ca/skilledtrades/about-mandatory-certification/.

Industry Training Authority. “Skilled Trades Certification.” https://www.itabc.ca/skilledtradescertification.

Vancouver Sun. “B.C. Introduces Skills Trade Certification for Apprentices, Journeymen in 10 Trades.” https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-introduces-skills-trade-certification-for-apprentices-journeymen-in-10-trades.

For teenagers, the world of work can often seem far away. However, the time to decide on a career can come very quickly, and it is often good to begin learning as soon as possible. This is especially true of the trades, which often require people to have certain skills with wiring, welding, or other tasks. Learning everything after high school can be a difficult task, possibly taking years longer than necessary.

However, high school students can begin early to learn what they need to know through programs that the provincial governments have established. If you are interested in pursuing work in the trades, you can already explore your options and begin to learn what you need to know.

Normally, students in high school might be able to take a few courses related to the trade they want to pursue. However, they often need to wait until after they have graduated to be able to do more than the basics. Now, the governments in several provinces are trying to make the transition from high school to the trades much easier with registered apprenticeship programs that allow students to begin to learn the trades while still completing their high school studies.

Alberta is one of the provinces helping to prepare teenagers for the trades with the Registered Apprenticeship Program. On-the-job training and work experience give students credits towards both high school and post-secondary apprenticeship programs. British Columbia’s Youth Train in Trades programs includes trade classes for high school students, while the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program includes courses for both Grade 11 and 12. Enrolling in one of these programs or something similar in other provinces can help students prepare for what they will need to learn after they graduate.

Official programs like these are very helpful, but not everyone can participate in them, whether because the programs are not available in their area or for another reason. However, it is still possible to begin preparing for work in the trades. Developing what are called “soft skills” can be an important first step. These are the kinds of skills that are important in any job, such as getting to work or school on time, being able to finish projects, and learning to work with people. With these skills as a basis for their work, teenagers can begin to learn the specific skills they need to know.

Getting to know people in the trades can also be a good way of preparing for a future career. Even if they are not working specifically in the same trade, they might have connections with others who can help mentor young people and give advice on what kinds of skills are useful for a career in a specific field.

Having mentors can also be useful when the time comes to find work. Employers often receive hundreds or even thousands of applications for jobs in their companies and sifting through all of them can be difficult. However, a recommendation from a friend or colleague might draw their attention to a particular applicant. If you find mentors with large numbers of contacts in their fields, you might find that you have a job even before you apply for one.

Even if the end of high school seems far away, you can already begin to learn about the trades. Whether you join an official program or find your own mentors, you can start to learn about the trades and see if they are a good choice for you.

 

Bibliography:

Careers in Trades. “Youth Apprenticeship Programs.” https://careersintrades.ca/whats-an-apprenticeship/youth-apprenticeship-programs/.

The Conversation. “Canada Needs to Encourage More Youths to Pursue Skilled Trade Jobs.” https://theconversation.com/canada-needs-to-encourage-more-youths-to-pursue-skilled-trade-jobs-190205.

INEDA. “7 Reasons Skilled Trades May Be the Best Path for a Teen.” https://ineda.com/blog/2021/12/20/skilled-trades-for-teens/

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program. “Talking to Your Teen.” https://oyap.ca/en/parents/talking_to_your_teen/.

Boats and ships are useful for travelling on the water, whether on a short trip across a river or a long one across an ocean. Boat builders and shipwrights help to make that possible. If you are attentive to detail and enjoy working with your hands, the job of boat builder or shipwright could be right for you.

The jobs of boat builder and shipwright are closely connected. Shipwrights normally do much of the planning and designing of the vessels, while boat builders read the plans and carry out the work. However, the jobs can overlap, especially in small companies with only a few employees.

Education levels can affect the salaries that boat builders and shipwrights receive. People with a high school diploma start at about $26,200 per year. Many people eventually receive $34,000 at this level. People with a certificate or diploma from a trade school generally earn about $53,300 per year, and those with a bachelor’s degree from a university can earn $89,400 per year. Generally, salaries range between $26,200 and $90,700.

Most people in this trade work with both designing and building the ship. They need to be able to imagine a design, draw it with the proper proportions, and do the actual cutting of materials and putting them together. High school courses in mathematics can help with the calculations, and English courses can help with reading and understanding instructions or with researching different designs.

Much of the design work happens in offices, but the building process happens in shipyards and dry docks. Work is likely to be postponed in very bad weather, such as thunderstorms or strong winds, but people in this trade should be prepared to work in unpleasant conditions when necessary. Most jobs are on the east and west coasts of Canada near the oceans, but some jobs are also available near lakes and rivers.

Some of this kind of work is solitary, especially in the design phase, but boat builders and shipwrights should be prepared to work with other people. They might need to supervise others and to divide up the work in the most effective way so that the job can be finished on time.

Sometimes a tight deadline or a few days of bad weather might require overtime work to get the job done. Certain tasks might also need to be finished in one day to allow paint or glue to dry properly. Although people in this job can often work regular hours, they need to be prepared to work long into the evening when necessary.

Precision is important in designing and building boats. People in this trade need to be careful to cut the wood or metal to the right size and fit the pieces together properly so that a ship will not sink in the middle of a lake or ocean. Sometimes, this might require many small adjustments to get the right shape and size of piece. Attention to detail is important, and patience is a good quality to develop for the times when workers encounter problems.

Knowledge is important in this trade. Boat builders and shipwrights need to know the best materials to use for certain types of vessels and know what happens when these materials are in the water for hours or days at a time. For example, certain types of wood might require special coatings to keep them from rotting, and metal might also need different treatment, depending on whether the vessels will be in salt water or fresh water.

A career as a boat builder and shipwright can be rewarding for people who are good at thinking a process through but who can also do the actual work. It might be the right job for you.

 

Bibliography:

Career Planner.com. “Boat Builders and Shipwrights.” https://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Boat-Builders-and-Shipwrights.cfm.

Payscale.com. “Average Shipwright Hourly Pay in Canada.” https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Shipwright/Hourly_Rate.

Pathways to Jobs. “Shipwright (Boat Builder).” https://pathwaystojobs.ca/career/502/Shipwright__Boat_Builder.

Salary Explorer. “Boat Builder and Shipwright Average Salary in Canada 2022.” http://www.salaryexplorer.com/salary-survey.php?loc=38&loctype=1&job=162&jobtype=3#.

If you watch a construction project from the beginning, you might see people setting explosives. They might blow up rocks, tree stumps, or even the foundation of old buildings to make space for the new construction. The same thing might happen near rockfalls. The job of explosive worker or ordnance handling expert can be complicated and dangerous, but it is also a good choice for people who are attentive to detail and enjoy working with their hands.

Explosive workers and ordnance handling experts work with construction companies, airlines, airplane manufacturers, the military, rock and gravel quarries where people get material for gravel roads and other projects, and the oil and gas industry. In most cases, people in this trade need a high school diploma or an equivalent education, but an apprenticeship can be helpful. High school courses in English and mathematics, as well as anything mechanical, are useful.

Much of the job of explosive workers and ordnance handling experts is outdoors and can be delayed in case of rain, wind, or other weather issues. Knowing when it is safe to use explosives is important. When the conditions are right, people in this trade examine the area to decide on the best places to set the charges to get the job done. Once everything is in place, they detonate the explosives. In some cases, they might need to try more than once if the first explosion fails to get the job done.

Choosing the right explosive material and using it the right way is important. Materials like dynamite and ammonium nitrate are two of the most common explosives, but others might be more appropriate for certain jobs. Once the explosives are in place, the worker packs the explosives tightly to make sure that they are as secure as possible. This can be very delicate work, and people need to be very sure that they know the right procedures to avoid accidentally setting off the explosion too early.

Once the blasting is finished, some people in this trade have other work to do. They might deal with storage and handling of the material. Accounting and daily bookkeeping can be part of the work. It is also a good idea to make sure that any unused explosives are stored properly and that no one can break in and steal them.

Because explosives can be very dangerous, it is important that ordnance handling experts follow all laws and safety procedures. In some cases, certain explosives may be illegal except in very special circumstances. Others might have regulations about the training that explosives workers must receive before they use it. Knowing these rules and laws is important, and people in this trade must constantly read and study to make sure that they know what they should be doing.

The explosives themselves can be very dangerous without proper handling, but other aspects of the work can be difficult. Sometimes, explosives workers must work long hours in the hot sun, setting and detonating the charges. Although the work itself is not otherwise physically demanding, it might get to be too difficult as people age and possibly develop vision problems or shaky hands.

Salaries for people in this trade start at about $27 per hour or $54,000 per year and can rise to about $46 per hour or $91,000 per year. If you are good with your hands and can work very precisely, this job could be right for you.

 

Bibliography:

Career One Stop. Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters.” https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Careers/Occupations/occupation-profile.aspx?keyword=Explosives%20Workers,%20Ordnance%20Handling%20Experts,%20and%20Blasters&onetcode=47-5032.00&location=UNITED%20STATES.

Careers in Construction. “Driller/Blaster.” https://www.careersinconstruction.ca/en/career/drillerblaster.

O-Net Online. “Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters.” https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/47-5032.00?redir=47-5031.00.

Salary Expert. “Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician.” https://www.salaryexpert.com/salary/job/explosive-ordnance-disposal-technician/canada.

Salary Expert. “Explosive Worker.” https://www.salaryexpert.com/salary/job/explosive-worker/canada.

At a grocery store, you can see all kinds of foods, including meat, fruit, and vegetables. Before the food gets there, graders and sorters work to divide the food into categories to send it to the right place. If you are a good observer and like to work with your hands, the job of grader and sorter for agricultural products might be right for you.

In grocery stores, eggs come in different sizes and colours. Other products also come in different varieties, shapes, and sizes. Certain types of grain or other products also have various qualities. Some types are fit for people to eat, but others are suitable only for animals. Sorting through these types of agricultural products is important for keeping people safe and giving them products that they want.

Graders and sorters work with unprocessed foods to sort into grades according to condition, size, weight, and colour. Any defective products, such as damaged fruit or eggs that have gone bad, go into the garbage or compost, but other products go into their own containers, where they might wait for further processing. Being able to estimate weight by feel is a useful ability, although scales are normally available for graders and sorters to use.

Good vision with or without glasses is important for this work, but people also need to be observant. Sometimes, a small detail like a slight bruise on some fruit can make a difference to the grade of a product. Manual dexterity to be able to handle small and sometimes breakable objects is also essential. Physical stamina is helpful, since people in this career might need to stand for hours at a time, often at conveyor belts where they need to work steadily for long periods.

Educational requirements can vary, but generally a high school diploma or the equivalent is necessary for this job. Mathematics and English skills are useful, and community college courses in agriculture could be helpful. In some cases, graders and sorters might need to supervise other workers, and business-related courses could be useful for those tasks. However, many people learn on the job.

These days, food can come from almost anywhere in the world. Much of the work for graders and sorters of agricultural products is near farms or processing plants, but jobs can also be available at ports or border crossings. If a shipment comes in, graders and sorters might need to work long hours to get the products on their way, but generally the hours are fairly regular.

Wages for graders and sorters begin at just under $16 per hour or $20,000 per year and can rise to more than $22.60 per hour or $36,000 per year. As people age, they might want to move into supervisory roles, but they can continue in this job as long as they are physically able.

Being a problem solver is a good quality for people in this job. Sometimes, equipment might fail or a shipment might be late, and the worker will have to find a solution. Knowing at least the basics of how machines work can be helpful. Also, knowing how to manage other workers can open up new opportunities for other jobs related to grading and sorting. Even knowing how to deal with animals can be helpful.

Working as a grader and sorter of agricultural products might not seem like a very exciting job, but it is important. Without these people working behind the scenes, it would be difficult for farmers to sell their food or the people to buy it. If this job appeals to you, why not consider exploring this option?

 

Bibliography:

CareerPlanner.com. “Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.” https://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Graders-and-Sorters-Agricultural-Products.cfm.

Careers.org. “Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.” http://www.job-hunt.careers.org/occupations/45-2041.00/graders-and-sorters-agricultural-products.

My Next Move. “Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products.” https://www.mynextmove.org/profile/summary/45-2041.00.

Payscale Canada. Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products: Hourly Rate.” https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Grader_%2F_Sorter%2C_Agricultural_Products/Hourly_Rate.

An article in the Toronto Star by economics columnist Heather Scoffield states that there remains to be a significant difference in how men and women are paid in the country. Women receive between  11 and 31 per cent less than men. To put it in figures, according to Statistics Canada studies, in 2018, female employees aged 25 to 54 earned $4.13 less per hour on average than male employees.

While the government is making efforts to lessen the wage gap, there is an obvious need to do something more than what has already been implemented. Sure, while there are other factors that contribute to this dilemma, it will be good to bring to light possible solutions to address this ever-persistent issue.

A possible solution to explore is to promote women employment in industries that have long been perceived to be men’s territory, such as skilled trades. This is merely one of the perpetual stereotypes on skilled trades that are making women reluctant to join the field or resist it outright.

This is one stigma that Canadian Association of Women in Construction Tammy Evans hopes to eradicate especially since there is an estimated 40,000 shortage of skilled workers by 2030. Evans strongly believes in educating the public and prompting people to think about opening the door to women in the skilled trades and consider careers as masons, plumbers, glaziers, carpenters, ironworkers, steamfitters and sheet metal workers.

Another perception about skilled trades that is difficult to brush off is that it’s an industry for those who aren’t “booksmart” because the tasks rely heavily on one’s physical prowess. However, math and science knowledge and analytical thinking and problem-solving skills are extremely important for any career in the skilled trades, and it’s unfair to assume that skilled trades is solely about physical abilities. A woodworker, for instance, could deal with as much complexity in completing a project just as much as an engineer does. And for professionals who deal with electrical circuits like HVAC technicians, technical knowledge and the ability to be precise and accurate are a must.

In addition, because of the advancements in technology, it has become more critical to be computer-savvy to get a leg up in skilled trades, with some job title options requiring a high level of technical skills. For instance, a carpenter needs to be well-versed in computer software such as AutoCAD (a scientific drawing program) and Cabinet Vision (a design and manufacturing software that caters to those who work with wood), along with being experts in handling like hammers and saws.

Another stigma is that skilled trades is monotonous and limiting, but that can’t be further from the truth. In this industry, there is a variety of tasks such as testing electrical circuits, cutting and fitting pipes, and using a wielding simulator.

It may take a while to break down the stigma on skilled trades, but we’re getting there. We all have to realize that skilled trades deserve utmost respect for the hard work and knowledge and it has the potential to build a stable future for those who choose it.

 

SOURCES

Buck, Genna. “The tricks – and the stigma – of the trades.” Maclean’s. https://www.macleans.ca/education/college/jobs-report-the-tricks-of-the-trades/

Electrical Industry. “Breaking the Stigma in the Skilled Trades.” https://www.electricalindustry.ca/changing-scenes/452-breaking-the-stigma-in-the-skilled-trades

Ligaya, Armina. “Canada’s gender wage gap narrows: women earn $4.13 less than men per hour.” Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/6001276/gender-wage-gap-women-canada/

Scoffield, Heather. “Here’s why men still get paid more than women.” Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/politics/political-opinion/2020/01/14/heres-why-men-still-get-paid-more-than-women.html.

Demand for certain jobs rises and falls from year to year and decade to decade, but there has been an overall trend of strong growth across the trades for the past few decades.  In the wake of the pandemic, this will be truer than ever before.  As the country and the economy work to get back on track, many areas that rely heavily on tradespeople will be seeing a sharply increased need for workers with the right skills.

This means there will be many opportunities for new workers to enter the skilled trades over the next few years, particularly in areas related to supply chain and construction.

Modernizing the Supply Chain Will Require Skilled Tradespeople

Supply chain issues have dominated the news over the past two years, with delivery delays causing product shortages in every industry from agriculture, to retail, to manufacturing.  As companies fully reopen and begin to climb back up to their pre-pandemic levels, they will need to modernize and improve their supply chains both to return to regular operations, and to future-proof against disruptions in the future. This means that there will be a significant need for skilled and knowledgeable workers in the trades.  These jobs will span multiple industries, including manufacturing, air cargo and rail transport, and ecommerce deliveries.

In particular, delivery van and truck drivers have become ever more vital with the increase in food and package delivery to come out of pandemic measures that kept people at home.  Even when in-person shopping and eating out make a return to normal, it is unlikely that these new levels of delivery service will subside.  On the larger scale, the supply chain will need a growing number of long-haul truck drivers, last-mile delivery drivers, and warehouse workers for shipping/receiving, forklift operators, and material handling.

Customer service roles related to supply chain will also be a growing area.  This includes essential retail and customer support workers both in physical retail settings, and behind the scenes of ecommerce and virtual customer experiences.

Growth in Commercial and Residential Construction Will Drive Economic Recovery

The construction industry is expected to be a significant driver of economic recovery over the next five to ten years.  This industry relies heavily on tradespeople, and an increase in construction and infrastructure projects will translate into strong growth in a wide range of trades and across every province and territory.

Welders are one of the most in-demand trades in Canada, and one that is vital to the construction industry.  Industrial and commercial construction projects will also require framers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, stonemasons and bricklayers, pipefitters, crane and heavy equipment operators, ironworkers, and many other skilled tradespeople.

According to the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, top in-demand trades jobs in Ontario in 2021 included boilermaker, bricklayer, cook, and welder. In B.C., the list included boilermaker, bricklayer, carpenter, hairstylist, and welder.

New construction projects are just beginning to ramp up as we near the end of the pandemic.  This means that young tradespeople who are just beginning their apprenticeships or college courses will find they have an increasing number of options when it comes time to enter the construction workforce.

 

Sources

Farrell, Robynn. “Top Skilled Trade Jobs In-demand in Canada in 2022.” Canadianvisa.org. https://canadianvisa.org/blog/jobs/top-skilled-trade-jobs-in-demand-in-canada

Government of Canada. “Follow you passion. Find your skilled trade.” https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/campaigns/skilled-trades.html

Meltzer, Rachel. “Top 11 Jobs In Demand In Canada In 2022 & Beyond.” Lighthouse Labs. https://www.lighthouselabs.ca/en/blog/fastest-growing-jobs-canada

Pivotal. “17 most in-demand job positions in Canada from 2019 to 2024 — emerging trends and most-competitive careers.” https://www.pivotalsolutions.com/17-most-in-demand-job-positions-in-canada-from-2019-to-2024-emerging-trends-and-most-competitive-careers/

Trade-Schools.net. “17 High-Demand Jobs in Canada.” https://www.trade-schools.net/ca/articles/careers-in-demand

Getting work in a trade can be difficult without help from other people. For some people, the Ontario College of Trades has helped to give information and promote trades and developing standards. Recently, the agency’s name changed to Skilled Trades Ontario. This renewed organization can help tradespeople get the information and help that they need.

Suppose that you were wondering whether or not to pursue a career in the trades, or you are unsure which trade would suit you best. You would need information from a reliable source. Skilled Trades Ontario has information on aspects such as apprenticeships and certification, as well as general information about the trades and other topics. This information includes explanations of compulsory and non-compulsory trades, as well as discussing other topics that that many tradespeople could find useful.

This kind of information is important for helping people decide what kind of career to pursue or learning about the process of training for a trade. Other resources are also available, many of which potentially have useful and accurate information. However, a government website like Skilled Trades Ontario pulls the most important information together while providing useful links for people getting into the trades.

Suppose that you have finished an apprenticeship and want to know the next step for becoming qualified. The Skilled Trades Ontario website has information on the Provisional Certificate of Qualification and on the process for becoming fully certified. Users can even click a link on the site to book the certification test. With all of the necessary information on the site, tradespeople in training can find out what they need to do so that they can become fully qualified.

As a Crown agency, Skilled Trades Ontario is part of the regulating process for trades in the province. The organization will develop training standards and examinations for each trade, a process that could take up to two years. At the end, tradespeople will have a better idea of what knowledge and skills they are supposed to have when they are fully qualified. Even though individual differences among tradespeople will still exist, they will know the requirements for working in these fields.

The idea of basic standards is very important for tradespeople and the employers or clients who hire them. Anyone who hires an electrician, for example, wants to know that the work will be done to a high standard rather than putting the building at risk of burning down in an electrical fire. Similarly, people who hire plumbers want to know that their homes will not be flooded because of a leaking pipe or improperly installed sink.

Following these standards can be difficult, especially when people in these trades are spread throughout the province, working in a variety of different situations. For example, someone in a small town in northern Ontario might be much more difficult to monitor than a tradesperson working in a large city, close to experts working in the same field. However, an organization like Skilled Trades Ontario gives people, including those outside the field, an idea of what to expect of tradespeople. That way, they can take note of problems and alert the certifying bodies if necessary to ensure that unskilled people get the upgrading they need before they continue with their work.

Skilled Trades Ontario is only one tool for ensuring a high quality of trade work in the province, but it is important. With its work in ensuring high standards and the best training possible, the agency has an essential role in monitoring the trades in Ontario.

 

Bibliography:

Global News. Ontario Launches New Crown Agency to Promote Skilled Trade Services.” https://globalnews.ca/news/8536661/ontario-launches-new-crown-agency-skilled-trades/.

Government of Ontario. “Ontario College of Trades Replaced by Skilled Trades Ontario.” https://www.canadiancontractor.ca/canadian-contractor/ontario-college-of-trades-replaced-by-skilled-trades-ontario/1003290481/.

Ontario.ca. “Skilled Trades.” https://www.ontario.ca/page/skilled-trades.

Skilled Trades Ontario. “Welcome.” https://www.skilledtradesontario.ca/.