Want To Start Your Career Debt-Free?
Kickstart your future – debt-free
The rumours are true – you don’t have to take on a huge debt or spend years in a classroom to achieve a successful, high-earning, fulfilling career!
- Great salaries
- Job security
- Opportunities to grow
- Earn while you learn
- Quality lifestyle
- Variety and flexibility
- A workforce that welcomes you!
Earn while you learn on your way to a rewarding career
Check out these testimonials from young workers about why they love their careers in the unionized skilled trades.
Are the skilled trades right for you?
Amazing mentors
As a pre-apprentice or an apprentice in the unionized skilled trades, you’ll have access to mentors with a wealth of real-world experience and knowledge to share.
Earning potential
High-paying wages aren’t just for doctors, lawyers and CEOs. Many trades in Canada offer excellent starting wages with the potential to earn six figures!
Earn while you learn
80% of your training will be on the job rather than in a classroom. And the best part? You’ll be paid for it!
Job security
The skilled trades are in demand and offer tons of room to move up the ladder as you establish your career!
Start your career journey here!
Explore the trades below to find the best fit for you.
Bricklayer
Electrician
Elevator Constructor
Heat and Frost Insulator
HVAC and Refrigeration Tech
Ironworker
Labourer
Millwright
Operating Engineer
Painters and Allied Trades
Pipefitter / Steamfitter
Plasterer and Cement Mason
Plumber
Sheet Metal Worker
Sprinkler Fitter
Teamster
Welder
Bricklayers work with masonry materials such as brick, concrete block, stone, structural tile and pre-cast panels to construct and repair structures like walls, partitions, patios, arches, fireplaces, chimneys and other elements. They often work on commercial, industrial and residential buildings.
Responsibilities
- Prepare and lay bricks, concrete blocks, structural tiles or other masonry units
- Read sketches and blueprints to calculate required materials
Electricians install new electrical systems and test, replace, upgrade and service existing systems in all types of buildings and structures. There is also growing demand for specialized work with controls, fibre optics and communication and computer networks.
Responsibilities
- Read and interpret blueprints, maps, drawings and specifications
- Test and measure voltage, loads, ground faults integrity of circuits
Elevator constructors and mechanics assemble, install, maintain and repair freight and passenger elevators, escalators, moving walkways and other related equipment. In this career, they are most often employed by elevator construction and maintenance companies. They may specialize in installation, maintenance or repair.
Responsibilities
- Install and wire electric and electronic control system devices
- Adjust valves, seals, brake linings and other components
Heat and frost insulators work with more than just heating and cooling, they also help reduce the passage of sound, air, smoke and fire. They are essential to every large institutional, commercial and industrial construction project, and residential construction. They can be self-employed or work with construction companies and insulation contractors.
Responsibilities
- Measure and cut insulating material to required dimensions using hand and power tools
- Fit insulation around obstructions and between studs and joists
Controlling climate is no easy feat and heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration technicians have the skills to do this every day. They keep our spaces warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and keep us comfortable by designing, maintaining and repairing systems we rely on.
Responsibilities
- Connect components to an electric power supply and calibrate related controls
- Read and interpret blueprints
Ironworking is a multi-faceted career. They assemble, erect, weld and repair industrial and commercial structural steel framework and other metals and materials used in buildings, bridges, highways, dams, industrial plants and other structures. They are also involved in concrete reinforcing (rebar and wire mesh), precast concrete, industrial plant maintenance, machinery and equipment rigging and installation, dragline construction and curtain wall installation.
Responsibilities
- Erect and install scaffolding, falsework and other working platforms
- Signal crane operators to position units according to blueprints
Labourers are a backbone to construction, working on tasks that help work run smoothly on job sites. They use diverse skills in a variety of construction activities, including preparing construction sites, moving equipment and materials, installing water and sewer lines, operating hand tools, working with concrete, and cleaning up finished sites.
Responsibilities
- Install and remove scaffolding, ramps and barricades
- Level earth to grade specifications
Millwrights install, service, diagnose and repair stationary machinery and heavy equipment used in many industries. They work on a range of equipment such as pumps, compressors, turbines and mining equipment using a combination of hand and power tools, including welding equipment. They can develop skills in areas such as hydraulics, electronics and other specializations.
Responsibilities
- Repair or replace defective machinery parts
- Assemble and install machinery and equipment using hand and power tools
Operating Engineers work as light and heavy equipment operators, crane operators, mechanics and welders in the construction, road building, paving, mining, marine, pipeline, and oil and gas industries. They are highly skilled and masters of a large variety of equipment.
Responsibilities
- Operate computer-controlled equipment and hydraulic pumping systems
- Conduct pre-operational checks & perform minor repairs on equipment
Painters apply a range of coatings to beautify, identify and protect interior and exterior surfaces and structures from weather, UV, chemicals, abrasion and fire. From housing, hospitals, schools, office towers and retail stores to bridges, tanks, pipelines, structural steel and hydro generation, a Red Seal painter does it all.
Responsibilities
- Apply paint and other materials using brushes, rollers or spray equipment
- Put up scaffolding and set up ladders
Although both work in the piping industry, pipefitters/steamfitters differ from plumbers as they generally work with more industrial piping that involves high pressure systems. From refineries to production plants to pipelines, they build and maintain the lines that keep our energy sources flowing in a safe and economical way.
Responsibilities
- Apply training in rigging, project planning and quality control
- Weld, cement, solder and join pipes and related equipment
Plasterers/cement masons construct, level and finish freshly poured concrete. They install, maintain and restore concrete structures such as foundations, floors, ceilings and walls, sidewalks, roads, patios and high-rise buildings. In this career, work includes residential, commercial, industrial and institutional construction.
Responsibilities
- Direct placement of concrete, check formwork and steel reinforcement materials
- Install anchor bolts, steel plates, door sills and other fixtures
A plumber’s work directly affects the health and safety of the entire nation. Their scope of work is what keeps our homes, towns and cities healthy. Plumbers help eliminate water & sanitation-related illnesses by providing safe, clean drinking water, and equip healthcare centres with medical gas supply. Plumbers provide our lifelines.
Responsibilities
- Install, repair and maintain plumbing fixtures & systems
- Use a variety of tools & work with multiple types of materials
Sheet metal workers lay out, fabricate, assemble, weld, install and service a variety of projects such as HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), industrial, kitchen and hospital equipment, and architectural work. A sheet metal worker requires highly specialized and up-to-date skills to accomplish the various tasks involved in the trade.
Responsibilities
- Read and interpret sketches and work specifications
- Lay out, measure and mark dimensions according to drawings & templates
Sprinkler fitters dedicate their careers to installing fire protection systems in residential, institutional, commercial & industrial settings. Sprinkler fitters inspect, test and maintain these systems on a regular basis. These systems protect people and property 24/7 and sprinklerfitters know there is no room for error.
Responsibilities
- Work on all types of fire protection systems in a large assortment of settings
- Read and interpret work specifications and fire codes
Teamsters are involved in the transportation of materials across a wide variety of industries. Transport truck drivers operate heavy trucks via urban, interurban, provincial and international routes. They are employed by transportation, manufacturing, distribution and moving companies, trucking employment service agencies, or they may be self-employed.
Responsibilities
- Operate and drive straight or articulated trucks and lighter, special purpose trucks
- Plan routes and meet delivery schedules
Working with temperatures between 5,000F and 50,000F, welders have the skills & knowledge to successfully build and repair any type of metal using a variety of processes. There is plenty of room for opportunity and skill building with this trade.
Responsibilities
- Melt and fuse metals
- Use various welding machines & basic tools
