Category: Trades

  • How and Why Do Apprenticeships Work?

    How and Why Do Apprenticeships Work?

    An apprenticeship is a period of study under a journeyman or master tradesperson in which the apprentice assists the master in their job. In return the master or journeyman will teach and pay the apprentice, readying them for a job in the in-demand field of trades.

    An apprenticeship can last anywhere from a few months to five years, depending on the type of trade you’ve chosen to learn and the availability of work in that field. All tradespeople, with the exception of welders, currently have to pass a Red Seal test before they are approved as a journeyman tradesperson and can begin working independently. Laws are changing, however, and it will soon be necessary to have a Red Seal to practice within any trade in Canada, including welding.

    There is a great deal of variety between trades, apprenticeships and tradespeople. There are plumbers, electricians, pipe fitters, auto mechanics and a large number of other careers. The trades, and tradespeople, are becoming more and more in demand, thus taking a job in the trades can be very financially lucrative. The average entry-level tradesperson makes about $16-$18 an hour in their first year as an apprentice. Master tradespeople easily make salaries that go into the six-digit range.

    Currently, there is a lack of skilled tradespeople in the Canadian economy, making someone who is Red Seal-certified as skilled in their trade of choice greatly in demand. This applies to nearly every trade; going into an apprenticeship can be a very wise choice if you’re interested in making a lot of money.

    The trades are very varied and it takes a separate set of skills to master each one, which is why so much hands-on and on the job experience is key to the success of an aspiring tradesperson. They all involve a degree of math and a lot of work with your hands. They can be dangerous, but also lucrative, and if you’re looking for a stable career tradespeople are almost always in demand.

  • Career Profile:  Farmer

    Career Profile: Farmer

    Every day, people cook and eat food that has come from farms. Bread comes from grain that grows on farms, and fruits and vegetables also often come from there. Milk, cheese and eggs come from animals that live on farms, and also much of the meat that people eat. Farmers grow the food and take care of the animals so that people in the cities and around the country can eat. Working as a farmer can be a difficult and dangerous job, but it is an essential part of every society.

    Farming is a very old occupation which is found in almost every part of the world. People living in North America have grown crops like corn and beans for hundreds of years. However, when settlers came from Europe they brought many other crops with them. Farmers found that British Columbia, with its warm winters and wet climate, is good for growing many types of fruit like peaches and apricots. They discovered that they could grow grains like wheat and barley in places like Manitoba and Saskatchewan, with long, cold winters and short, hot summers.

    Flexibility is an important part of being a farmer. In the past and even now in many countries, farms were small and farmers would be involved in many different types of work. Besides growing grain, vegetables and fruit, they might raise chickens for eggs and for meat, keep bees for honey and possibly even raise fish or other animals. However, in countries like Canada, many farmers concentrate on growing one type of food, such as grain or fruit. They learn how to prepare the soil, fertilize the plants and care for everything the plants need to grow and thrive. Farmers who work mainly with animals learn how to deal with medications, diseases and injuries and to help the animals with finding food and other needs.

    Farming can be a tough job. Grain, fruit and vegetable farming tend to be very busy in spring, when farmers plant their fields, and in fall when they harvest the crops. Animals require a lot of care throughout the year, and many farmers wake up early every morning to milk the cows or to take the animals from the barn to the fields. When diseases hit the crops or animals, farmers can lose a lot of their earnings. Their income depends on the weather, the soil, the health of their animals and many other factors. Farming can also be a very dangerous occupation with all of the accidents that can happen.

    Despite the difficulties of farm life, many people enjoy it. Sometimes, people who grow up on farms decide to take over when their parents retire, but others start out on their own. A degree in agriculture is helpful but is not necessary, since farmers learn a lot from other people and from experience. Farming can be a very good life for people who love to work with their hands and to be outdoors. You might want to consider this ancient occupation.

  • Renewable Energy – A Trade for the Future

    Renewable Energy – A Trade for the Future

    Are you seeking a future-centric career? Looking to make a difference in the world? Want to join an industry destined to flourish significantly within your lifetime?

    With a growing awareness of the negative impacts humans have had on the environment, the increasing concern of environmental problems such as global warming, and the fight to preserve and find alternative ways to sustain the environment and human life, the renewable energy sector provides many opportunities for a rewarding career.

    As more alternative energy options are unveiled, more positions within the renewable energy sector are becoming available. Perhaps you’ll be the person responsible for energy audits, a technician working on solar panels, a designer of wind farms, or working to promote more sustainable building practices. The opportunities are endless and will continue to grow thanks to government initiatives to improve energy practices.

    In 2009, Ontario introduced a Green Energy Act, which was committed to promoting and supporting green energy projects and supporting energy efficiency province-wide, joining in a worldwide initiative to move toward renewable practices.

    The Ministry of Energy has also introduced many incentive programs, including tax rebates, to encourage Canadians to make energy updated to their homes. This could include installing solar panels or wind turbines, geothermal heating or cooling, and more.

    As the renewable energy sector grows, more programs are being offered at post secondary institutions throughout the province and country. Programs are for energy technicians, renewable energy technicians, sustainable building construction, sustainable agriculture, wind turbine technicians and more.

    If you’re looking to explore a rewarding career with opportunities for further growth, development and innovation, then a renewable energy career is perfect for you.

    Depending on the type of renewable energy career you’re interested in pursuing, there are apprenticeship, diploma, and degree opportunities available to suit your wants and needs. The opportunities are endless.

  • Youth Apprenticeship Programs Across Canada

    Youth Apprenticeship Programs Across Canada

    Youth apprenticeship programs are available in most provinces and territories. Check out the programs available in your area.

    Alberta
    The Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) allows high school students to participate in an apprenticeship program while they are still attending school. RAP apprentices earn income as well as hours of on-the-job training and work experience as credit towards their apprenticeship program, and their high school diploma. Scholarships are also available for RAP students.

    British Columbia
    The Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA) is a career program that provides students with the opportunity to begin an apprenticeship while still in high school, and to earn high school credits for doing so. It provides a smoother road from school to work, and a head start to an apprenticeship.

    ACE IT is an industry training program for high school students, with trade classes offered at colleges and sometimes at a high school. ACE IT programs involve a partnership of schools, employers and industry and provides funding for the first level of schooling. Local employers get involved in the development of ACE IT programs, leading to a higher employment rate following completion of the program.

    Manitoba
    The High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) combines regular high school instruction with paid, part-time, on-the-job training. Students can earn up to 8 supplemental academic credits for graduation based on 110 working/practical hours per credit.

    Youth Build is a job training and pre-apprenticeship program whereby young people are working under the supervision of a journeyperson to renovate homes and develop building skills. Young people can attend the Youth Build Program full time, as an alternative to school. In Manitoba, there is a 30 hour per week paid vocational component and a 10 hour per week unpaid academic component.

    New Brunswick
    The Career Connections Program (CCP) offers students experience, hands-on paid work experience, and expands their essential employability skills.

    Newfoundland and Labrador
    Youth apprenticeship courses are available for high school students through Skilled Trades Jump Start Your Life.

    Northwest Territories
    The Schools North Apprenticeship Program (SNAP) is an opportunity for high school students to earn credit and pursue a career in the trades.

    Nova Scotia
    The Workit Youth Apprenticeship Initiative is open to youth between the ages of 16 and 19.

    Options and Opportunities (O2) offers students more hands-on learning experiences with a career focus. It’s designed to prepare students for successful transitions from high school to work, a career path, or a post-secondary program.

    Ontario
    The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) is a School to Work program that opens the door for students to explore and work in apprenticeship occupations starting in Grade 11 or Grade 12 through the Cooperative Education program.

    Prince Edward Island
    Youth Apprenticeship or Accelerated Secondary Youth Apprenticeship Program (ASAP)Youth Apprenticeship is for students wanting to explore their trade career options and gain a head-start on the post-secondary apprenticeship training program while working toward their Grade 12 diploma.

    Québec
    Québec offers vocational and technical education programs under the apprenticeship system, which are run jointly by Emploi-Québec and the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport .

    Saskatchewan
    Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) raises awareness of apprenticeship in Saskatchewan schools by helping young people discover what rewards come with being a Youth Apprentice and working in the skilled trades.

    Yukon
    The Yukon Secondary School Apprenticeship Training program is open to Yukon secondary school students who would like to explore a skilled trade and complete high school at the same time.

  • Career Profile: Landscaping Technician

    Career Profile: Landscaping Technician

    Type of Work
    This unit group includes those who survey and assess landscapes; draw sketches and build models of landscape designs; construct and maintain gardens, parks, golf courses and other landscaped environments; advise clients on issues related to horticulture; breed, cultivate and study plants; and treat injured and diseased trees and plants.

    Outlook
    Over the past few years, the number of landscape and horticultural technicians and specialists increased sharply. This increase is mainly attributable to the growth in demand for landscaping and horticultural products and services. Trends are very positive in landscaping and more mixed in horticulture. Since the landscaping industry accounts for the largest number of workers in this occupational group by far, it is expected that the number of landscape and horticultural technicians and specialists will rise sharply over the next few years.

    Demand for Landscaping (non-construction)
    Landscape technicians and specialists work on projects involving public spaces such as urban and regional parks, public squares, highways, recreation areas, parking lots and nature conservation sites, private and public gardens, recreational and sports areas, pedestrian zones and bicycle paths, golf courses, cemeteries, residential, institutional, commercial and industrial sites, and so forth. The good outlook for tourism infrastructure development and increased public pressure for the creation of green spaces in urban environments should provide jobs for landscape technicians and specialists over the next few years. In fact, niches are developing and moving away from projects related directly to construction. Although the protection of cultural heritage sites and environmental conservation will continue to exert a positive influence on jobs in this occupation, landscape development will be added to this trend in a context of increasing competition in the tourism sector, and as a major element in municipal strategies to retain and attract citizens and companies to the area. Added to this are the needs to redevelop contaminated industrial sites and to preserve and restore cultural and historic sites.

    Requirements
    To work in this occupation, candidates must have relevant landscape or horticulture experience, and enjoy working outdoors. They also need to be in good physical condition and have good manual dexterity. Team spirit, autonomy, initiative, attention to detail and reliability are other qualifications sought by employers.

    Education and Training
    Depending on the position, specific training is not necessarily required to enter this occupation. Although a number of employers require that candidates hold a high school diploma (DES), extensive experience in landscaping or horticulture is sufficient in many cases. That being said, more and more employers primarily recruit graduates of the many training programs leading to this occupation. Whether required or not, landscaping and horticulture diplomas are always assets for those seeking to work in this occupation.

    These are the main programs leading to this occupation:
    – Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) inArboriculture-élagage ([arboriculture and pruning] offered in French), Ornamental Horticulture or Landscaping Operations.
    – Attestation of Vocational Specialty (ASP) inSpécialités en horticulture ([horticulture specialties] offered in French).
    – Diploma of Collegial Studies (DEC) in Horticulture and Environmental Technology and Paysage or Ornamental Horticulture Landscaping and Marketing.

    Other programs also lead to this occupation, including Attestations of Collegial Studies (AECs) in landscaping and ornamental horticulture. Community organizations also offer school-to-work transition programs in these fields.

  • Your Non-Red Seal Trade Options

    Your Non-Red Seal Trade Options

    There is more to the trades than you think – here are other jobs that are part of the trade industry. See if one feels right for you! Click through to see more information on select trades from Service Canada, and check back each month as we feature profiles of some of these exciting careers right here on Jobs People Do.

    Construction Sector
    –Cement (concrete) Finisher
    -Concrete Pump Operator
    –Construction Millwright
    –Electrician (Domestic and Rural)
    -Exterior Insulated Finishing Systems Mechanic
    -Hazardous Materials Worker
    –Heat and Frost Insulator
    – Heavy Equipment Operator
    – Dozer Operator
    – Excavator Operator
    – Tractor Loader, Backhoe Operator
    -Native Residential Construction Worker
    –Painter and Decorator: Industrial
    -Precast Concrete Erector
    –Precast Concrete Finisher
    –Refractory Mason
    –Residential Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic
    –Residential (low rise) Sheet Metal Installer
    -Restoration Mason

    Industrial Sector
    -Bearings Mechanic
    –Blacksmith
    -CNC Programmer
    -Composite Structures Technician
    –Die Designer
    –Draftsperson (Mechanical, Plastic Mould Design, Tool and Die Design)
    -Electrical Control (Machine) Builder
    -Electrician – Signal Maintenance (TTC)
    -Elevating Devices Mechanic
    -Entertainment Industry Power Technician
    -Facilities Mechanic
    -Facilities Technician
    –Fitter-Assembler(Motor Assembly)
    –Gas Technician
    -Hydraulic/Pneumatic Mechanic
    -Light Rail Overhead Contact System Lineperson (TTC)
    -Locksmith
    -Machine Tool Builder and Integrator
    -Mould Designer
    -Mould Or Die Finisher
    -Mould Maker
    -Optics Technician (Lens and Prism Maker)
    –Packaging Machine Mechanic
    –Pattern Maker
    -Precision Metal Fabricator
    -Pressure Systems Welder
    -Process Operator (Food Manufacturing; Power; Refinery, Chemical and Liquid Process; Wood Products)
    -Pump Systems Installer/Mechanic
    –Railway Car Technician
    -Relay and Instrumentation Technician
    -Roll Grinder/Turner
    -Saw Filer/Fitter
    -Ski Lift Mechanic
    –Surface Blaster
    –Surface Mount Assembler
    -Thin Film Technician
    –Tool And Cutter Grinder
    -Tool And Gauge Inspector
    –Tool/Tooling Maker
    –Tractor Trailer Commercial Driver
    –Water Well Driller

    Motive Power Sector
    –Alignment and Brakes Technician
    –Auto Body Repairer – Br.2
    -Automotive Electronic Accessory Technician
    –Automotive Glass Technician
    –Marine Engine Mechanic
    -Motive Power Machinist
    -Powered Lift Truck Technician
    –Small Engine Technician
    -Tire, Wheel and Rim Mechanic
    –Transmission Technician
    -Turf Equipment Technician

    Service Sector
    -Aboriginal Child Development Practitioner
    –Agriculture – Dairy Herdsperson
    –Agriculture – Fruit Grower
    –Agriculture – Swine Herdsperson
    –Arborist
    –Baker
    -Bicycle Mechanic
    –Chef
    –Child and Youth Worker
    -Child Development Practitioner
    –Cook – Assistant Br. 1
    –Developmental Services Worker
    –Educational Assistant
    –Electronic Service Technician
    -Gem Setter/Goldsmith
    -Hardware, Lumber and Building Materials Retailer
    –Service Sector Horse Groomer
    -Horse Harness Maker
    –Information Technology (Hardware Technician,  Network Technician)
    –Institutional Cook
    -IT Contact Centre (Customer Care Agent, Sales Agent, Technical Support Agent)
    -Micro-Electronics Manufacturer
    -Native Clothing and Crafts Artisan
    -Network Cabling Specialist
    –Pool and Hot Tub/Spa Installer
    –Pool and Hot Tub/Spa Service Technician
    –Retail Meat Cutter
    -Saddlery
    –Special Events Coordinator
    -Utility Arborist
    -Wooden Boat Rebuilder/Repairer

  • Working as an Automotive Service Technician

    Working as an Automotive Service Technician

    Do you…
    • Enjoy working with your hands?
    • Enjoy fixing cars, trucks, motorcycles or small engines?
    • Want to learn more about electrical, hydraulics (fluid power), pneumatics (air power) and mechanical components in machines?

    If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, then a career as an Automotive Service Technician may be right for you!

    What Is An Automotive Service Technician?
    An Automotive Service Technician is a certified and skilled tradesperson who diagnoses and repairs motor vehicles (e.g. cars, minivans, SUV’s, light duty trucks and medium duty trucks).

    An Automotive Service Technician performs various duties that help maintain a vehicle as well as repair it. Some of these job activities include:
    • Engine maintenance and repair
    • Transmission maintenance and repair
    • Exhaust system repair
    • Body repair and adjustments
    • Brake maintenance and repair
    • Steering, suspension and alignment repairs

    Where Does An Automotive Service Technician Work?
    An Automotive Service Technician may work in:
    • Dealerships
    • Independent automotive shops, repair shops and garages (owned by other people or themselves)

    Some Automotive Service Technicians may prefer to work as:
    • Teachers in high school teaching automotive class
    • Teachers in colleges that offer an accredited Automotive Service Training program

    What Does A Typical Day For An Automotive Service Technician Look Like?
    A typical day for an Automotive Service Technician in a dealership or automotive shop usually begins when a customer brings their vehicle to the shop. The customer tells the service advisor what the problems are with their vehicle. The service advisor documents the problems on a work order. The vehicle and corresponding work order is then given to an Automotive Service Technician who begins to work on this particular job.

    An Automotive Service Technician follows a certain procedure when working on a new job. He/she:
    1. Reads the work order written up by the service advisor.
    2. Examines the vehicle to further assess the problems mentioned on the work order.
    3. Provides the service advisor with an estimate on how much it will cost to fix the problems.
    4. Waits for the service advisor to confirm that the customer is OK with the repair costs before fixing the problems.
    5. Fixes the problems once the service advisor gives the go ahead.
    6. Takes the vehicle for a test drive and/or performs operational checks to ensure that the customer’s concerns are resolved.
    7. Informs the service advisor that the customer can pick up their vehicle.

    How Do You Become An Automotive Service Technician?
    1. Attend a college that offers a certified Automotive Service Technician training program.
    2. Complete the Automotive Service Technician program successfully.
    3. Find a suitable employer who will hire and train you as an Automotive Service Technician apprentice. (Complete your apprenticeship booklet/hours/activities at work and get it signed off by your employer).
    4. Write the Automotive Service Technician certification exam put out by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
    5. Pass the exam, obtain your 310S license and become a licensed Automotive Service Technician!

  • STEM Jobs: Petroleum Engineer

    STEM Jobs: Petroleum Engineer

    What is a Petroleum Engineer?
    Oil and gas are two of the most crucial energy resources we rely upon in the modern world. Oil and gas companies extract the deposits of these resources from the earth and facilitate their distribution as an energy source. But how do they know where to dig? This is where a petroleum engineer enters the picture. Petroleum engineers are tasked with finding oil and gas deposits as well as developing ways to extract those deposits from the ground. They design, plan and execute drilling projects to ensure the safest, most effective way of implementing oil and gas wells.

    On-the-Job Duties
    The day-to-day duties of a petroleum engineer include designing and implementing ideal methods of drilling. Often they are responsible for monitoring the drilling area (including the ground, the rocks and the equipment) to ensure optimal conditions for drilling operations that harvest the maximum amount of oil and gas deposits.

    Who do they work for?
    Petroleum engineers are most often hired by companies who produced petroleum, but they can also find employment as consultants, researchers, and policymakers with the government. In some sectors petroleum engineers can also be called oil and gas reservoir engineers, well logging engineers, mud engineers, sub-sea engineers and drilling engineers.

    Salary
    Petroleum engineers can earn a yearly salary of anywhere from $35,000 to over $130,000, depending on seniority.

    Required Education
    The educational background of petroleum engineers can vary, but all are rooted in engineering. Attaining a bachelor’s degree in either petroleum engineering or a related program like biochemical engineering is the best way start off. Next, earn a master’s degree in petroleum engineering followed by a PhD to maximize career opportunities. For some aspects of the job, like approving drilling designs, a professional engineering license will be required.

    Other Skills
    Leadership, time management, critical thinking, logic, creativity, team work, and communication are crucial to the success of a petroleum engineer.

  • Working as a Bus Driver

    Working as a Bus Driver

    For many young people, learning to drive is a symbol of freedom. When they learn that skill, they no longer have to depend on parents or other adults to take them to parties or pick them up from lessons and special events. Many people enjoy driving their own cars or trucks, and these vehicles can make it very easy to get around in the city or out to the country. For some people, however, driving is more than just a way to get from one place to another. For bus drivers, being on the road can be a career.

    Almost anyone can be a driver, even just for a few minutes. Have you ever been behind the wheel of a bumper car at a fair or maybe a tractor on a farm? People drive small and large vehicles, including riding lawnmowers, motorcycles, bicycles and regular cars. However, driving a bus is somewhat different. Whether people want to drive a school bus, a transit bus or a long-distance bus going from one part of the country to the other, they all need to learn the special requirements of bus driving. Learning and following the rules of the road is the most basic requirement for all drivers, whatever type of vehicle they use. They have to know when to use their signal lights, how to make turns properly, and when they can pass a slow-moving vehicle. Many of these basic rules are the same for bus drivers as for others on the road.

    Learning to drive a bus, however, takes some special skills. Drivers have to learn how to handle vehicles that are much larger than most of the cars and trucks on the road and to deal with bad weather conditions such as snow and rain. They have to be able to manage special features of each bus, such as braking systems which are very different from what they know with cars. Physical strength to endure long hours behind the wheel and the ability to concentrate on the dangers of the road are important characteristics of bus drivers. An ability to stay calm in difficult situations and a friendly attitude to passengers are also important qualities.

    How do people become bus drivers? The first step is to learn how to drive an ordinary vehicle like a car. However, most people need special training in whatever type of bus driving they want to do. Long-distance bus companies like Greyhound have training programs that combine theory and practice in a six-week course. School bus companies like First Student Canada have short, intensive courses or longer ones that last several weeks. Drivers learn safe driving, how to handle the vehicles they will be using, basic repair, and how to deal with people.

    Salaries for bus drivers can vary a lot, depending on where they live and what they do. Some drivers get minimum wage, but experienced drivers can get twice as much as that. You might never become rich as a bus driver, but you can have a rewarding career.

  • Career Profile: Painters and Decorators

    Career Profile: Painters and Decorators

    Type of Work
    Painters and decorators apply paint, wallpaper and other finishes to interior and exterior surfaces of buildings and other structures.

    Sources of Employment
    Employment opportunities will come primarily from positions freed up by painters and decorators who retire, leave the trade or receive promotions to painting and decorating contractor or supervisor positions or, if they have the qualifications, to construction manager positions. Some opportunities will result from employment increase.

    Labour Pool
    Job opportunities will be available for the many experienced painters and decorators who are unemployed, for graduates with a Vocational Studies Diploma (DEP) in commercial and residential painting, and especially for people who meet the conditions for obtaining an apprentice certificate without having a diploma (see Training). It is possible to obtain a painter apprentice certificate issued by theCommission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) without completing a Vocational Studies Diploma in commercial and residential painting when there is a regional shortage. The proportion of new apprentices who do not have this diploma is very high. In fact, between 1998 and 2012, about 78% of new painter apprentices did not have this diploma. This situation seems strange considering the CCQ’s policy to encourage workers to take vocational training to access construction trades. It could be explained by the lack of interest in training among youth or a lack of places in vocational training schools. Furthermore, this occupation lends itself very well to on-the-job training combined with supervision by an experienced painter who passes his knowledge on to the apprentice.

    Industries
    According to census data, in 2006 about 75% of painters and decorators worked in the construction industry, most of them in building finishing work (65%), but also in residential building construction (8%). There were also significant numbers in the manufacturing sector (7%).

    Employment Characteristics
    According to census data, women held about 13% of the jobs in this occupation in 2006, a percentage that has been rising significantly since 1991 (7%). The annual average income data given in the “Characteristics” section of the “Statistics” ($29,538) should be used with caution. The data include only the 27% of painters and decorators who worked full time and full year in 2005. The average employment income for those who did not work full time and full-year was only $17,925.

    Because of the tightening up of entry conditions for this trade, the level of education of roofers and shinglers improved greatly between 1991 and 2006, although it is still below that for all occupations. The proportion of painters and decorators with at least a post-secondary diploma rose from 30% to 54%, while the proportion of those who did not have at least a secondary school diploma dropped from 41% to 23%. Seasonal unemployment is relatively high. Thus, the average number of employment insurance claimants is three times higher from January to March than in August.

    Education and Training
    In Quebec, apprentice and journeyman certificates of competency from the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ) are required to work on construction sites. To obtain an apprentice painter certificate, you must:

    – have a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) in commercial and residential painting and a guarantee of 150 hours of work from an employer.
    – in the event of a regional shortage, where CCQ data indicate that under 5% of apprentice certificate holders in a region are available, provide a guarantee of 150 hours of work, have taken a safety course, and meet the entry conditions for the commercial and residential painting course. Apprentices without a diploma are also required to participate in a training activity in order for their certificate to be renewed.

    To become a journeyman, an apprentice must complete an apprenticeship period of 6,000 hours (including DVS training, if applicable) and pass the CCQ qualification exams. The certificate is automatically renewed each year if the holder has appeared on an employer’s monthly report in the 14 months preceding the renewal date. Otherwise, workers must renew their certificates.

    For painter jobs not subject to the Decree for the construction industry, employers usually require a DVS in commercial and residential painting or an apprentice or journeyman certificate.

    Training in tender estimating provided by school board employer services is an asset for self-employed workers and those seeking a promotion.

    Red Seal certificate holders can work anywhere in Canada.