--- title: "Kickstarting a Career in the Skilled Trades: Finding your Niche" description: When it comes to skilled trades jobs in Canada, there are so many, you might be a little overwhelmed but the trick is to find your niche. image: https://blog.getatrade.com/hs-fs/hub/388155/file-2486995969.jpg --- [![NHSTA_Round-Logo_2021_NO-BACKGROUND](https://blog.getatrade.com/hs-fs/hubfs/NHSTA_Round-Logo_2021_NO-BACKGROUND.png?width=150&height=150&name=NHSTA_Round-Logo_2021_NO-BACKGROUND.png) ](http://getatrade.com) # Skilled Trades Blog # Kickstarting a Career in the Skilled Trades: Finding your Niche Posted by [Brad Dixon](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/author/brad-dixon) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ESTIMATED READING TIME: 3 MINUTES ![find-skilled-trades-niche](https://blog.getatrade.com/hs-fs/hub/388155/file-2486995969.jpg?width=600&name=file-2486995969.jpg "find-skilled-trades-niche") If you've already think a [skilled trades job might be for you](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/consider-a-job-in-the-skilled-trades), 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. A gas technician license gives your a wide breadth of knowledge and skills that extend beyond just working in the HVAC industry. There are many possibilities for specialties within that specific trade, but you can also apply your knowledge to other areas, such as plumbing, sheet metal or electrical — you'll just need to continue your education and get more certifications.   ## Find the best way to complete your certifications We have talked about [getting the right education](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/benefits-of-working-in-the-skilled-trades-education) already, and we know that course length is often a key factor in the decision making process so that you can get to work sooner. What we didn't mention was that if you are considering pursuing a niche that might involve more schooling or an apprenticeship, getting your gas technician license is the perfect stepping stone to get you there. If you can get your license in just 17 weeks, that means you can move onto the next step sooner. And with all the skilled trades jobs in Ontario right now, you'll likely find it easy to find someone willing to take you on for apprenticeship hours to perfect your trade. And the best part of an apprenticeship? While you are working towards completing your hours, you're still getting paid!   ## Do your research With so many skilled trades out there, make sure you know what you need to do to get the job of your dreams. We touched on this in the [last blog in this series on education](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/kickstarting-a-career-in-the-skilled-trades-start-at-home), doing your research is key. A quick Google search for something like "How to become a Gas Fitter" will give you everything you need to know. Then make some calls, visit some schools and find the best fit for you.   Niches in the trades are seemingly endless — all you have to do is find the one for you and you'll be on the road to a long, rewarding career! [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/388155/9591f130-e1cb-4fe8-95fa-a9d4e7f75c68.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/388155/9591f130-e1cb-4fe8-95fa-a9d4e7f75c68)   Topics: [Career Opportunities](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/career-opportunities), [Class Length](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/class-length), [Transferrable Skills](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/transferrable-skills), [Skilled Trades](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Gas Technician (59)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/gas-technician) - [Career Opportunities (48)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/career-opportunities) - [Skilled Trades (29)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades) - [Gas Technician Careers (27)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/gas-technician-careers) - [Ontario Gas Technician Training (23)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ontario-gas-technician-training) - [Trade School (19)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/trade-school) - [Course Length and Time (18)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/course-length-and-time) - [HVAC Careers (16)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/hvac-careers) - [Hands On Learning (16)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/hands-on-learning) - [Ontario Gas Technician (14)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ontario-gas-technician) - [Transferrable Skills (14)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/transferrable-skills) - [Class Length (12)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/class-length) - [Women in the trades (12)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/women-in-the-trades) - [Graduate Profile (11)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/graduate-profile) - [Funding (10)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/funding) - [Skilled Trades Myths (9)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades-myths) - [Air Conditioning (8)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/air-conditioning) - [Night School (8)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/night-school) - [Ontario College of Trades (8)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ontario-college-of-trades) - [Adult Education (7)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/adult-education) - [Air Conditioning technician (6)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/air-conditioning-technician) - [Training Schedule (6)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/training-schedule) - [Ontario HVAC Training (4)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ontario-hvac-training) - [Halton Campus (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/halton-campus) - [Skilled Trades Career Fair (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades-career-fair) - [Skilled Trades Shortage (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/skilled-trades-shortage) - [Small Class Size (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/small-class-size) - [TSSA (3)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/tssa) - [Oakville Campus (2)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/oakville-campus) - [Ozone Depletion Prevention (2)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/ozone-depletion-prevention) - [National Skilled Trades and Technology Week (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/national-skilled-trades-and-technology-week) - [National Tradesmen Day (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/national-tradesmen-day) - [ODP (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/odp) - [Onto (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/onto) - [Summer Courses (1)](https://blog.getatrade.com/blog/topic/summer-courses) see all ### Follow Me - Course Information - [Course Calendar](http://getatrade.com/course-calendar/) - [Course Information](http://getatrade.com/course-information/) - [Ozone Depletion Prevention](http://getatrade.com/ozone-depletion-prevention/) - [Gas Technician](http://getatrade.com/gas-technician/) - About Our School - [About Us](http://getatrade.com/about/) - [Blog](http://getatrade.com/blog/) - [Resources](http://getatrade.com/resources/) ©2015 Skilled Trades Academy· Built with love by [Hughes & Co.](http://www.hughesandco.ca) Niagara and Halton Skilled Trades Academies are Technical Standards and Safety Authority training providers and are registered as a Career College under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005.