Skilled Trades Blog

As a high school student nearing graduation, it's time to start thinking about the next step you should be taking. Most resources for post-secondary choices only list public universities or colleges, and often encourage students to get their diploma or degree. While this is a path many students take and enjoy, it's not for everyone.

If you followed our tips on how to create a successful skilled trades resume, you'll be in great shape to land an interview. It's important to go into that interview for skilled trades employment prepared and ready to impress. Here are some tips we've come up with to help you be ready for success when interview for skilled trades jobs.

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Last week, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF-FCA) published a new report exploring the benefits of a career in the skilled trades. The report shows that although many parents and youth have stated that they believe that skilled trades job opportunities in Canada are limited, the opposite is true: career opportunities in the trades are progressing.

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We are well into fall here in Ontario, and with the end of the summer comes the end of swimming pool season. And while for many, that simply means finding new ways to spend your time (no more floating on hot summer days!), for others it means work grinds to a halt. We're talking about those who spend the spring and summer months working in the swimming pool industry, opening, maintaining, repairing and closing pools.

While this is a very enjoyable career, once the cold weather hits, your options are to find temporary employment, work very limited hours or 6 months of unemployment. What better way to spend those 6 months than getting trained for a new career in the skilled trades?

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We've talked a lot about the myths about skilled trades careers and about how undervalued the trades truly are. For too long, the trades have been considered careers for those who weren't "book smart," but the truth is, skilled trades jobs in Ontario are getting much more technical and require a specialized and valuable training and knowledge to be successful.

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If you've already think a skilled trades job might be for you, it's important to know where to begin. There is no point in pursuing a career that you have thought about without actually understand what the job or the training entails. You wouldn't want to invest the time and money into training only to find out this isn't the career choice you thought it would be. And so, we are launching a short series — a step-by-step guide, if you will — about how to kick start a career in the trades. 

Whether you are a soon-to-be high school graduate trying to figure out what to do with your life or someone who just wants to pursue something new, let this be your guide to starting your new career in the skilled trades.

Step 3: Find your niche

Once you have your license, you'll be amazed at how many career opportunities you suddenly have. In fact, when it comes to skilled trades jobs in Canada, there are so many, you might be a little overwhelmed. And if you have a certification in one area, like your gas technician license for example, you can choose to explore different trades from there.

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Photo courtesy of BNN.ca

The statistics seem bleak — the unemployment rate among young people in Canada is nearly double the national numbers. But there are opportunities out there, you just have to look in the right place. That's why the chef executive officer of Linamar, a Canadian auto parts maker, is urging young people to consider a skilled trades career in Canada.

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Working in the skilled trades requires more than most people give them credit for — it's about more than just being good with your hands. It's about understanding ever-changing technology, remembering important safety measures, knowing the math behind what you are doing and delivering excellent customer service.

As a skilled trades worker, it is imperative that you have excellent customer service practices. After all, the quality of your service speaks volumes about you and is essential in acquiring return business and getting referred to new business.

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Once you successfully complete your G3 and G2 training and certification, your career options are practically limitless. Your Gas Technician license opens doors to skilled trades career opportunities that you may not have even considered before. In our Career Close-Up series, we'll explore the industry jobs you can choose from to help you prepare for the career you want!

Apprenticeship Opportunities

Once you are a certified gas technician, the doors will open to many career opportunities in the skilled trades industry. The Ontario College of Trades lists more than 100 occupations in multiple sectors of the skilled trades and having your gas technician license is one of the best ways to gain employment as an apprentice into any number of these options.

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If you are looking at entering the Canadian workforce as soon as possible, what better avenue than with a skilled trades certification? We've said it before and we'll say it again, Canada is suffering from a major drought in the skilled trades sector and it's only going to continue. Employers across the country are searching for suitable workers, in fact, one out of every five job postings in Canada targets the skilled trades. So what are you waiting for?