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Overview

What is an Apprenticeship?

Myths & Realities

Skilled Trades in Ontario

How It Works

Role of MTCU

Role of Sponsor/Employer

Role of In-Class Trainer

Overview of Costs

Trade Descriptions

Next Steps

FAQ

Apprenticeship FAQs

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Certification

What is a journeyperson?
You become a journeyperson when your apprenticeship requirements have been met and you've received your Certificate of Apprenticeship. Once you have this certificate, you can write an examination for a Certificate of Qualification.

What does it mean to be certified?
Being certified means more than having a piece of paper. Certification in a trade is recognized not only across Ontario but also across Canada and throughout the world. It tells people--both employers and your own customers--that you have the necessary skills and experience.

What kind of jobs do apprenticeships get once they're certified journeypersons?
Once you're certified, you're considered an expert in your trade. You're qualified to perform any of the tasks associated with that trade; you might even be training new apprentices. Some journeypersons continue their education and training through college or university courses, workshops or other professional development opportunities. Some take other apprenticeships in a related field. It all increases your job security, your mobility from job to job, your advancement prospects, your salary level, and your value to any employer. And sometimes that employer becomes you: many journeypersons decide to open their own businesses.

Do I have to get certified?
For those trades that are "Compulsory" or "Restricted", yes.

What does Red Seal mean?
Certain trades are designated Red Seal trades. If you obtain a mark of 70% on the interprovincial Standards Examination, your certification is valid in any province or territory in Canada that recognizes the Red Seal designation for that occupation.

Costs

Does it cost anything to take an apprenticeship?
There is a registration fee, the cost of the in-school portion, the cost of books, and possibly the cost of tools. All these depend on the particular trade.

Can I get financial help for these costs?
Sometimes, from either your employer/sponsor or the government. For instance, the government has a Loans for Tools program.

How much will I get paid?
It depends on the trade. Usually, apprentices that are union members are paid slightly higher wages. Apprentices are paid on a progressive wage scale. In some trades, it starts at 40% of a certified journeyperson's wages, while in others the starting rate is 50% or 60%. You don't get paid while you're in school, but you can usually collect Employment Insurance benefits.

Why do I only get a percentage of a full wage?
Think of it as getting paid to learn. Yes, you're working, but you don't yet have the skills or experience of a fully qualified tradesperson. As you gain those skills and experience, your salary increases.

Do I get regular salary increases?
Yes. With each level of training, your salary goes up until you are a qualified journeyperson and you receive the full wage for that position.

What if my employer doesn't give me the raises that I'm due?
If you have a quarrel with your employer--over money or anything else--the consultant from the Ministry might be able to step in and mediate. This shouldn't happen, though,: your employer agreed to certain regulations when he took you on as an apprentice.

How it works

What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeship is an agreement between a person who wants to learn a skill and an employer who needs a skilled worker. For a specified length of time, the worker is taught a set of skills and gets paid while he or she is learning.

Apprenticeship programs are controlled by Ontario's Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU). There are laws and regulations that set minimum requirements for protecting the welfare of the apprentice, including length of training, type and amount of related instruction, supervision, appropriate ratio of apprentices to journeyperson, selection and recruitment, wage scales, safety, etc. Apprenticeship leads to a Certificate of Qualification and journeyperson status, which is recognized in hundreds of industries and types of businesses.

What are the requirements to start an apprenticeship?
You must have an employer or sponsor (which is sometimes a union or local apprenticing committee).You must be 16 years of age or older—there is no upward age limit. When you register as an apprentice, you make certain commitments to your “partners”—the MTCU and your employer—in terms of your responsibilities on the job and your ability to complete the training. There are usually minimum educational requirements; it could be Grade 10 or Grade 12. Math, science and communications are important.

Who goes in to an apprenticeship?
Anyone wishing to learn a trade. People of all ages (minimum 16) and backgrounds enter apprenticeships.

How long is the training period?
Most apprenticeship programs last from 2 to 4 years, though some are only one year and some are five. Typically, about 90% of the time is spent on-the-job; about 10% is classroom education at an approved training centre. Apprentices are assessed when they register with the Ministry, and prior learning or experience can sometimes shorten the length of the program.

How do I apply for an apprenticeship?
You first have to find an employer who is willing to train you. Then you contact the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and a consultant will register you.

What’s the difference between apprenticeship and other types of training?
Apprenticeship includes paid, on-the-job training as well as classroom instruction. The result is that apprentices learn both the theoretical and practical aspects of the trade. Apprentices are taught all of the skills associated with the trade, not just one aspect. They are also taught safety standards and regulations.

Can I start an apprenticeship while I’m still in high school?
Yes, through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program.

Do I need to be experienced in the trade before I start apprenticing?
No. It might help you to land an employer or sponsor, or at least help you assess whether it’s a right fit, but it’s not necessary. Many apprentices start “cold.”

I’ve already been working in this field. Can that count toward my apprenticeship?
Maybe. Your MTCU representative/counsellor will assess the situation and give you credit if possible.

If I’ve already taken a related technician program at college, will that shorten the length of my apprenticeship?
Probably. Your MTCU representative/counsellor will assess the situation and give you credit if possible.

If I’ve been working at something completely unrelated to the trade I want to go into, what are my chances of being accepted into an apprenticeship?
It depends on the trade. Your chances of success might also depend on your own ambition, related skills, general “employability,” perseverance, and being in the right place at the right time.

I’m in my second year of an apprenticeship, and have decided to go to college to get a diploma in the same field. Will I be able to use my apprenticeship time as a credit toward my diploma?
Chances are, yes. The program coordinator or other administrator at your college will be able to advise you.

Do I have to belong to a union?
If the union is your sponsor, then yes. But in general, you do not have to be a union member.

Do I need my high school diploma to get into an apprenticeship?
Most employers want to see that diploma, though there may be exceptions. If you are an adult and you don’t have your diploma, you may be able to get your GED.

How I can prepare myself to become a successful apprentice?
Do your research and explore all your options. Talk to people already doing the job. Ask them what you could do to help prepare yourself. Are there courses you could take? Volunteer work you could do? Experience and skills gained either through employment or a hobby also help show prospective employers your capabilities and interest in the apprenticeship. Have you got your resume up to date, your interview skills polished? See Next Steps. If you’re still in high school, important courses include English, mathematics, and science. Shop or tech courses are helpful, as are co-op placements.

In-school

Do I have to go to school to be an apprentice?
A school or training centre, yes. The time in school varies. It could be night school throughout the year, or “block release”, which is full-time and can last up to several months. Some trades may offer courses over the internet. However, in certain circumstances, apprentices can “fast-track” and skip or reduce the number of in-school hours.

Where does the in-school training take place?
There are a number of training centres throughout the province. For some trades, there are several options, while for others, there may be only the one centre.

What if I don’t live near the training centre?
You will need to temporarily re-locate to be close enough. Sometimes the college or training centre coordinator can help you find accommodation.

Isn’t that going to be expensive?
It’s an expense, definitely, but there may be financial help available. See Costs (Overview).

Can I work while I’m doing the in-school training?
If your schedule allows, yes.

How long do I have to go to school for?
The typical in-school portion of the training is 3, 8-week sessions. You might be able to get an exemption for some of that if you can prove that you know the material already.

What happens to my job while I’m at school?
Your employer agreed to certain conditions when he took you on as an apprentice. Chances are, your job will be waiting for you after you’re finished your schooling.

On-the-job

How do I get the on-the-job training?
You have to find an employer, union, or local apprenticeship committee to take you on as an apprentice. Then you’ll work alongside qualified people who supervise you and give you specific tasks that are part of your training.

What will I be doing during the on-the-job training?
Watching, listening, practising, trying, perfecting, helping and working. It’s a learning environment, but it’s also a regular job. Your position as an apprentice will be known by everyone you’ll be working with. Be prepared to show them that you’re in it for the long haul by doing whatever the job demands. Show respect to those who are guiding you and remember they were once in your shoes. When asked what advice they’d given aspiring apprentices, most journeypersons rank this as #1: “Pay attention.”

Can I expect steady work as an apprentice?
When you sign up as an apprentice you and your employer make a commitment to each other, so chances of steady work are probably better than if you were just out in the workforce as a non-apprenticed worker. However, there are no guarantees.

Does it cost an employer anything to take on an apprentice?
Not in terms of initial cash outlay. But an employer has to be willing to pay a worker who’s just learning how to do the job—and will continue to be learning for at least a couple of years. He also does without his apprentice’s labour during the in-school portion of the training. In those terms, apprenticeship represents a sizeable investment on the part of the employer or labor/management program sponsor. But employers realize that taking on apprentices is not so much a cost but just that--an investment in the future of their industries.

How can I convince an employer to take me on as an apprentice?
Surveys show that apprentices are motivated, learn their jobs faster, attain journeyman status sooner and are more likely to become supervisors than workers trained in other ways. You don’t have to go in to an interview guns blazing, but be strong and assertive and tell prospective employers how they can gain from hiring you. “No matter what happens in an interview,” says Raymond Copeman, an instructor at St. Clair College, “be sure you tell an employer before you leave the interview that if they take a chance on you, you will give them 110%. Employers want to hire enthusiastic people with a strong work ethic; people who are willing to do menial jobs for a while until they prove themselves. They want people who will show up on time, and don’t have to have their hands held every step of the way. They don’t have time for that. Tell them how you’re going to be valuable to them.”

Can ANY employer take on an apprentice?
An employer has to be approved by the Ministry. They have to show that they’ll be able to give you the proper training—for instance, certified journeypersons have to be available to instruct you.

Can a union be my employer/sponsor?
In some trades, yes. For more information on unions, see the How it Works and the Next Steps sections of this site.

The Trades

What’s the ACA and the TQAA?
These are the two acts that govern apprenticeship programs in Ontario. The Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act (TQAA) covers Construction sector trades. The Apprenticeship and Certification Act (ACA) was implemented in 2000 and covers the trades in the Motive Power, Industrial and Service sectors. The ACA is based on competence rather than putting in a set number of hours on the job. If the apprentice can demonstrate the mastering of a certain skill set, as defined by the program, he or she can advance. The TQAA is based on hours on the job.

What’s the difference between restricted and unrestricted trades? And compulsory vs. voluntary?
Under the TQAA, “compulsory” means that you must be a certified journeyperson or a registered apprentice in order to work in that trade. In the TQAA, only 9 trades (out of 32) are compulsory. Some examples are Electrician, Hoisting Engineer, Sheet Metal Worker and Steamfitter. Under the ACA, “restricted” means that you must be a certified journeyperson or be a registered apprentice in order to work in that trade. Examples include Hairstylist, Alignment & Brakes Technician, Motorcyle Mechanic and Truck & Coach Technician. The other trades are called “voluntary” in the TQAA and “unrestricted” in the ACA. This means that you don’t need to be certified or be an apprentice in order to work in the trade. Some examples include Horticultural Technician, Baker, Carpenter, Welder and Tool & Die Maker.

What’s the difference between “regulated” and “non-regulated”?
If a trade is regulated, it means that it’s Restricted or Compulsory. See above question for definitions.

Who decides which trades become apprenticeships?
The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities oversees all apprenticeship programs.

How do I choose a trade?

If you’re not sure which trade is right for you, do some exploring.
Look at the qualifications you need for the trades that interest you. Do they match your skills, interests and education? If not, are you willing to bring your qualifications up to scratch?
Talk to employers and people working in those trades that appeal to you to get first-hand information.
Will your apprenticeship fit your current lifestyle and financial situation?

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Apprenticeship FAQs Select a region. Contextual glossary. Add this page to your locker. Open a printer-friendly version of this page.

Certification

Costs

How it works

In-school

On-the-job

The Trades

Certification

Costs

How it works

In-school

On-the-job

The Trades

Apprenticeship FAQs

Select a region.

Contextual glossary.

Add this page to your locker.

Open a printer-friendly version of this page.