Skilled Trades Blog

The trades in Canada face the threat of a major skilled trades shortage. Between 2014 and 2020 an expected 219,000 skilled trades workers will retire, leaving the workforce in a shortage. The labour shortage gap needs to be closed, and there is a group of people in Canada who traditionally haven't been turned to to solve this problem: women.

If you’re looking into or have ever considered going into a career working with heat, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, you’ll start your career with an apprenticeship. Experience is a great thing, but the idea of starting up hands-on work in something you might not know that much about can seem a little intimidating.

Making the decision to return to school and gain a skilled trades education is an exciting decision, but it can also be an intimidating decision. This industry can be hard to understand from the outside, especially something that you may not have much experience in, like gas fitting.

Yes, we're in the depths of winter, but warm weather is already on our minds. After all, with gas technician training programs that have you licensed in just 17 weeks, you could be ready to work as the summer hits. And while some might think that gas fitting is seasonal work, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Gas fitters are needed all year round for many different appliances which change based on the season.

The holidays are fast approaching, and if you've been working in the same job for years, dreaming of upgrading to a rewarding career, you're probably dreading getting asked, "And what are you up to now?" The answer is always the same, and you just aren't excited about that answer.

This year, why not change the conversation? It doesn't have to be the same answer! Make the decision to upgrade your career and register for part-time night courses so that in just a few months, you'll be ready to jump head first into the HVAC industry as a certified gas technician.

In an age where technology is taking over the world, we're seeing jobs getting lost to automation everywhere. That's right, I'm talking about robots.

So, while you are considering a new career, you want to find a job that will last. I'm not surprised that people are starting to ask, "Can tradespeople be replaced by machines?" And when you see stats that predict that machines will be capable doing almost any job a human can by 2045, it's not unreasonable to wonder.

It is becoming more and more common to hear of college and university students who have spent tens of thousands of dollars to complete their post-secondary education, only to struggle to find a job in their field after graduation. Society keeps telling high school students that a college diploma or university degree is essential in finding a rewarding career, but that is not always the case. You can pursue a career without a degree and be satisfied in the work you do (and make great money doing it)!

When you decide to go back to school to get a skilled trades education, you may feel pretty intimidated. Especially if you are entering an industry you have never worked in before, like gas fitting. By getting an idea of what a day in the life in your new career looks like, you will feel more comfortable with your decision because you will know exactly what you are getting into after you graduate.

Skilled trades jobs are growing in popularity. People are choosing to get back into the workforce after a layoff or are upgrading their skills to pursue a more rewarding career. Recent high school graduates are also starting to see the benefits of going to a private career college for a skilled trades education, rather than investing in 4 years of study in traditional college and university settings. And so, it is becoming increasingly important to get the right skilled trades license in Ontario and stand out when it comes time to apply for jobs.

If you're thinking about getting your gas technician license in Ontario, you probably already know that you will be working primarily on furnaces. After all, we have long, cold winters here and the furnace is one of the most important appliances in the home. As a student pursuing a career in the gas fitting industry, you will one day be the one who makes sure people have furnaces that work as reliably and efficiently as possible.

But what does that mean exactly? Here's a look at some of the most common things you will encounter when you complete your G2 license and get a gas technician jobs in Ontario.