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Tag: trades

  • Non-Red Seal Trades

    Non-Red Seal Trades

    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

  • Why Red Seal Trades Might Work For You

    Why Red Seal Trades Might Work For You

    You may have heard the advice, “learn a trade – it’s an important skill to have.” That’s good advice: there will always be a need for carpenters, electricians, plumbers, mechanics, and welders. But what exactly is a Red Seal trade? What financial assistance is there for a person interested in becoming a tradesperson? How do you find out which trade is right for you? Read on to find out.

    In short, a Red Seal trade is one where you may work as a tradesperson in any province without having to take extra qualifications. The training and certifications of Red Seal trades are not individualized to each province; rather, they are standardized on a national level. Although each province is responsible for educating and training apprentices, or those who are at an entry level in their industry of choice, the Red Seal Program promotes the coordination of standards across the country. But in order to qualify as a journeyperson with a Red Seal, apprentices need a mix of classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Although they earn money while training on the job, acquiring necessary tools and classroom instruction is expensive.

    The government recognizes the necessity to fund tradespeople. There is a provision called the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, which is a $1000-$2000 per year taxable cash grant for apprentices once they have successfully completed their first or second year or level of their program in one of the Red Seal trades. Another is the Apprenticeship Completion Grant, which is available to an apprentice who completes their training and acquires their journeyperson certification in a Red Seal trade. But tools are expensive, too. The government provides the Tradesperson’s Tools Deduction of up to $500 yearly to assist in the purchase of new tools necessary for the trade in question. That leaves one final question: which trade to choose?

    In Ontario, there are forty seven trades of the Program’s available 55 that you may choose from. These range from Automotive Service Technician to Baker to Hairstylist to Welder. The official website, www.red-seal.ca, contains a detailed job description of each. For instance, its page on carpentry tells us that “Carpenters construct, renovate and repair residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial … structures made of wood, steel, concrete and other materials.” We read about the risks involved, knowledge that a carpenter ought to have, and other skills that are useful. It tells us the career path a carpenter may be interested in taking. Further down the page, there is a chart that tells us that there is a provincial certification in all thirteen provinces and territories. Beyond that is additional information with links to relevant documents. You can also find this information on any of the other Red Seal trade pages. Read them over and decide which one may fit you best. Do you have an affinity for working in the kitchen? Bakers and Chefs can become Red Seal certified. Like tinkering with engines and other machines? A wide variety of trades will let you do just that: Automotive Service Technicians and Heavy Duty Equipment Technicians are among those who may acquire their Red Seal.

    The opportunities are numerous, and you can work anywhere in the country. Why not look into qualifying for a Red Seal trade?

  • Working In the Trades

    Working In the Trades

    When considering working in the trades, there are a few important questions to ask.

    Firstly, you should find out how much the job pays. Thinking this may make it may feel that you are only looking to make money, but the reality is that, at some point in your life, your parents will not be there to pay the bills for you and you will have to step up to the plate and pay for your lifestyle. Whether you are a “stick-to-basics” kind of person or a “lavish lifestyle” kind of person, you will need to pay for your life and so you will need to make enough money to feel comfortable.

    There is a realistic way to evaluate how much money will really be enough for you. I suggest creating a budget for yourself to identify exactly how much money you spend on the various aspects of your life. You could try tabulating a spreadsheet and counting up all the different aspects of your life that cost money, including the major categories like rent, food, clothing, hygiene products (like shampoo, toothpaste, etc.), entertainment (movies, cable TV connection), school tuition and so on. Once you’ve identified how much money you expend each month, you can multiply that by twelve to find out how much you need per year.  This should give you a good idea of how much you NEED to make per year, and from there you can evaluate what you WANT to make per year. Factor in long-term goals, like buying a car or a house.

    Secondly, you will want to evaluate what type of work interests you. Do you like physical work like what is demanded in plumbing and carpentry, or do you prefer to work in an area more focused on being indoors (like a job peripherally related to the trades, such as being a sales manager or receptionist)?  Knowing what the requirements are for the career you are looking at doing for the rest of your life is essential, because you will spend so much of your time doing this work; It is important to love it.

    Thirdly, it is important to consider what resources are available to you to help you get yourself the job you want. Sometimes a job may seem great in your mind, but the potential for landing a job in that field can be difficult. A current example of this conundrum is teaching, where there are very few teaching positions available that are full time and permanent. Looking into volunteer, internship and permanent positions available in your is great way to do some research and prepare yourself for working in your chosen field.

    Thinking about the above three factors should help you to identify what career in the trades is best suited for you. Good luck!

  • Choosing A Trade

    Choosing A Trade

    With more than 200 trades across Canada to choose from, finding the right one can seem challenging. Here are some tips to help you identify what would be a perfect career choice for you.

    Consider a wide range of trades

    Do you like working in the garden, or fixing your car? Do you enjoy home maintenance projects or styling hair? Get familiar with the many trade choices first, and think about what work you like to accomplish.

    Narrow your choices down to 5 or fewer trades

    Keep it manageable by narrowing down your choices. Get as familiar as you can with the work, to see if you’d like it.

    Observe a trade or participate in a youth apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship program

    Some school boards offer Observe a Trade days, which will give you the opportunity to see what’s involved in your favourite trades. For something more comprehensive, you can also participate in a pre-apprenticeship program, which gives you practical, on-the-job training with hours that are often transferable to your full apprenticeship.

    Talk to people who work in the trade

    See if you can get in touch with a journeyperson who works in the trade you’ve targeted, to see what advice they can give you. This is a great way to learn some tips from those who have already been there.

  • Grants and Financial Support for the Trades

    Grants and Financial Support for the Trades

    There are several grants and other supports available from the federal government, although additional ones provided by the province/territory vary from one jurisdiction to the next. Federal supports are available to apprentices, journeypersons and employers.

    The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant is a taxable grant of $1,000 per year or level, up to a maximum amount of $2,000 per apprentice. It is available to registered apprentices once they have successfully completed their first and second year/level (or equivalent) of an apprenticeship program in one of the Red Seal trades.

    The Apprenticeship Completion Grant is a taxable grant of $2,000 for registered apprentices who complete their apprenticeship training and obtain their journeyperson certification in a designated Red Seal trade.

    Apprentices are also eligible to apply for the Tradesperson’s Tool Deduction. The Tradesperson’s Tools Deduction provides employed tradespersons with an annual deduction of up to $500 to help cover the cost of new tools necessary to their trade.

    The Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit is available for employers who hire apprentices. The Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit available to employers, equal to 10% of the eligible salaries and wages payable to eligible apprentices in respect of employment after May 1, 2006. The maximum credit is $2,000 per year for each eligible apprentice.

  • What Does it Mean to Be an Intern?

    What Does it Mean to Be an Intern?

    For many students and recent graduates, an internship is simply a route to a full time career. Many companies hire interns with the intention of permanently hiring them within the company.  Although a full-time position is the ultimate goal, internships should be taken advantage of for more reasons than a possible path to a full-time job.

    The purpose of being an intern is to learn. It’s okay if you’re not an expert on the position or the company. Usually interns, especially first timers, are not expected to be experts. Take advantage of the opportunity and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The more questions you ask, the more information you gain. Asking questions also shows your leaders that you are interested in the position and are excited about learning more. It’s also important to accept that you will make mistakes. Again, you are not expected to be an expert, and making mistakes is another form of learning. Take responsibility for the mistakes you make and learn from them.

    Interns may or may not know what they want to do as a career. The best way to find out if you are right for a position or company is to test the waters. You’ll never know if you’re good at something until you try it out for a while. An internship is like a trial run in a specific position. If you know that position is right for you, make it known that you are interested in becoming a full-time employee. If you discover that maybe this is not the right path, then gain as much experience as possible and move on to something else. Talk to your leader or supervisor about shadowing. As an intern, you should have the flexibility to schedule time to shadow someone who is experienced. Shadowing can help you see what a normal day would be like working in a certain position. You should try to shadow different positions within the company as well as different levels. Shadowing someone who is higher up is a great way to see the possible growth opportunities.

    Overall, being an intern should be an enjoyable experience. Relax and do the best that you can. Don’t stress over whether or not you’re going to get hired after the internship has ended. If you do your best work, and gain as much experience as possible, the time spent as an intern will be well worth it. If you take full advantage of the opportunity of an internship, you will know exactly what you want to do within the company or as a career in general, and you will know your goals for the future. The value of an internship depends on what you do with your time and the experience that you gain.

  • What Is Technical Writing?

    What Is Technical Writing?

    Imagine getting a new phone or computer device for your birthday. Would you already know how to use it or would you need to look at the instructions? When you were younger, did you ever have toys that needed to be put together before you could play with them? If so, you or your parents probably read a technical document—the instructions. Compiling instructions for toys or electronics is only one of the many jobs available to people known as technical writers. People working in this field can write instruction manuals, research papers, advertisements, catalogues, and anything else that requires their special skills.

    Basically, technical writing is about explaining something to another person, but the work can take different forms. One kind of technical writing is about explaining products to the people who buy and use them. It could be the instructions that come with toys, electronics, or kitchen appliances like mixers or dishwashers. It could even be the instructions on packages of instant soup or microwave dinners.

    A second kind of technical writing is about explaining and recording procedures for people working in many different areas, such as engineering and manufacturing. It could include research papers, repair manuals, or procedures for completing certain tasks, such as engineering instructions on what measurements to use for certain types of building projects. This type of technical writing could also include detailed job descriptions for people working in all kinds of areas such as librarianship or accounting. The name for this writing style is technical documentation.

    A third type of technical writing is in the area of marketing or selling things. Technical writers work with advertisements, catalogues, brochures, and other documents that companies use to tell customers about their products and to convince them to buy something. A lot of the advertising you see might come from the work of technical writers.

    Becoming a technical writer involves more than just knowing how to put sentences and paragraphs together. Technical writers need to be able to gather information quickly and to be able to explain it clearly. They have to know the audience (the people who will read the finished documents) and know what kinds of information readers will need. An instruction manual for using a computer game, for example, is very different from a guide to drilling oil wells. Technical writers have to be flexible workers and quick learners, comfortable with working in print or online.

    Almost everyone works as a technical writer at some point. The best way to become a professional technical writer, however, is to get a diploma or certificate in technical communications at a community college. The demand for good writers is increasing, although it can be hard to find a full-time job. Most technical writers work on projects and then move on to other jobs when they are finished. The pay, however, is usually quite good, which helps to make up for times when there is no work. If you love to write, why not become a technical writer?

  • Apprenticeships Develop Enthusiasm Among Young People

    Apprenticeships Develop Enthusiasm Among Young People

    The literal meaning of the term Apprenticeships is the work which is done under some master craftsman while completing theory studies at an accredited trade college. To explain it better, we can say that there are many courses which are offered by colleges that are different from degree programs. These courses are termed as trade courses as they are related to trades such as plumbers, electricians, hairdressers, carpenters, cooks and more.

    While completing these courses, you start working in a professional environment and gain work experience in a job referred to as trade job. In the concept of trade jobs the employer would hire you for a particular job and in return they teach you the practical aspects of the trade. This can be viewed like a barter system in which both the parties gain benefit. Training for trade jobs is conducted on site and for a particular time period (it can start from few months and last up to few years). Students gain a lot while doing these jobs. When we work under a qualified person who has extensive experience in that trade, it becomes easy for us to gain more knowledge than we could have acquired if we read only from textbooks.

    These apprenticeships provide the basic training for future tradespeople. These courses are offered by many colleges that have well qualified staff – the staff members have a lot of knowledge about the trade they are teaching. They provide all the information which is required for each type of trade. Once the course is over, students would be provided with a certificate to indicate that their apprenticeship and training has been completed and they are now qualified to work in their designated field.

    Apprenticeships help you in building a secure future.

  • STEM Jobs of the Future

    STEM Jobs of the Future

    Most of you probably know who Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison were, but you might not have heard of the famous mathematicians, John Nash or the ancient Greek scholar, Archimedes. Do you know what these people have in common? They were all part of a field of work often known as STEM, which includes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Work in these fields has always been important, and they are a good choice for anyone with a creative but disciplined mind and the ability to see how far their work can go.

    People like Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison are famous for a very good reason. They knew a lot of theory, but they also helped to change people’s everyday lives. Long winter evenings would be very different without Edison’s light bulb, for example. The value of work that mathematicians do is less obvious, but their discoveries make all kinds of other work possible. Without mathematics, for example, engineering would be impossible. Without engineers, we would have no bridges or tall buildings. Their calculations make it possible to build many of the towers and other structures we now have.

    Training for work in STEM jobs normally involves a high level of education. A minimum of a bachelor’s degree is normally necessary for work in these fields, and usually a master’s degree or PhD is required. The most specialized training is in engineering, where students learn to apply their education to building bridges and other structures. Other STEM fields of study lead to work in areas such as computer sciences, statistics, and agriculture. For many people, this involves further studies beyond a basic bachelor’s degree. With this training, they can become qualified to work in many different areas of society.

    Workplaces for people in STEM jobs can be in offices, universities, and laboratories. They might work with test tubes inside a building or travel around the country, collecting samples of soil or testing the water for anything that might harm the environment. Many people with training in STEM fields also become teachers or university professors, where they pass on their knowledge to others.

    STEM training can help in many areas of life. In biology and biomedical sciences, for example, research results can affect how doctors treat illnesses. Studies in mathematics can lead to work in gathering and analyzing statistical information, which can help people in government and many other fields to plan for the future. With so much variety in workplaces, salaries also vary. Low-level STEM jobs start at about $36,000 per year, but high-paid jobs can reach over $120,000 per year.

    What kinds of people work in STEM jobs? In the past, men tended to take most of the jobs in this field, and that can still often be the case. However, women are starting to become more involved in the work, and many of them are becoming well known in their fields.  Do these kinds of jobs appeal to you? Working towards a career in STEM fields can be a good choice for the future.

  • Career Profile: Chemical Engineer

    Career Profile: Chemical Engineer

    Suppose that one day you write on a piece of paper, use hand lotion on your dry skin, take some medication for your cold, put on a nylon jacket, and sit on a chair with metal legs. Do you know what all of those activities have in common? In all of them, you used products developed by chemical engineers. These scientists help turn raw materials like wood or flowers into products that people use every day. If you enjoy math, chemistry and other sciences and have the ability to solve problems, the job of chemical engineer might be right for you.

    Chemical engineers are involved in making many of the products that people use every day. Normally, their work is in developing processes for other workers to use in making products for customers to buy. For example, chemical engineers might experiment to find the right combination of plants and chemicals to produce a certain colour for dying cloth. Some chemical engineers work to make products better for the environment and some have even found a way to turn used chewing gum into other substances like plastic. That way, they turn what is normally garbage into something useful.

    Inventing ways to solve problems or to help make life easier for people is what chemical engineers do. Normally, a Bachelor’s degree in engineering with an emphasis on chemical engineering is the minimum requirement for working in this field. About twenty universities in Canada offer this kind of training. High school courses in mathematics, physics, and chemistry are good preparation for studies in chemical engineering, and reading magazines about the profession is also a good idea.

    In many cases, a Master’s or a Ph.D. degree is required for finding work as a chemical engineer, although a Bachelor’s degree is enough in some cases. Bachelor’s degrees normally take three or four years and Master’s degrees take another year or two after that. Getting a Ph.D. usually involves writing a book-length paper called a dissertation, which can also take a few years to finish. If you decide to become a chemical engineer, you will need to spend some time at a university.

    People with degrees in chemical engineering work wherever their knowledge is needed. They might help deal with problems in processing plants or do experiments in university laboratories. Some of them might work for cosmetic companies or help produce medications. Depending on their level of experience and where they work, chemical engineers make between about $50,000 and $70,000 per year in Canada, although salaries can also be higher. Job prospects in Canada are fairly good, but declining work in areas like construction has changed employment for engineers. However, jobs should still be available for new graduates.

    Do you enjoy combining different substances together to see what happens?  Why don’t you see if chemical engineering is right for you?