The skilled trade jobs in Canada is a bright spot of potential amidst the winds of change blowing through the Canadian employment scene.
The range of skilled trades available in Canada is extensive, varied, and full of opportunity, ranging from the demanding field of carpentry to the complex wiring and plumbing pipelines.
This is an extensive guide that examines the prospects in Canada’s skilled crafts industry. Covering a wide range of trades, including electrical, plumbing, and carpentry, it emphasizes the need for qualified personnel in these industries.
This guide will assist you in finding your way to a fulfilling career in Canada’s booming trades sector, regardless of whether you’re just starting or thinking about changing careers.
Reasons for Seeking Employment in a Trade in Canada
1. There is a genuine need for your service.
Given that Canada places a high value on higher education and was named the best-educated nation in the world in 2020, there are plenty of highly skilled professionals in Canada. However, because many of the rapidly expanding companies need trained craft people to fill positions, particularly in manufacturing, competent skilled trade workers are scarce. Therefore, there is a high demand for workers with practical trade skills to cover this shortage.
2. Fulfillment of a job
In Canada, there is support and encouragement for a good work-life balance. You will undoubtedly find job satisfaction when you operate in a society that provides you with perks like sufficient leave days, enough paternity leave, and unemployment insurance.
Additionally, a lot of trade vacation encourage social engagement, so in addition to earning a valuable social network while working, you are also contributing to society. Furthermore, you discover contentment in your work and overall well-being when you are fairly compensated for your efforts and have easy professional advancement.
3. Access to education is possible
Apprentices can make money while they learn in most trades. Training lasts for a full year, during which an apprentice works 80–85% on the job and spends the remaining time in class.
Each trade has a different minimum training duration, although most require two to five years to finish. Depending on how much training they have completed, apprentices receive payment for their labor throughout, with a portion of a journeyperson’s wage being their share.
Additionally, even if training has some upfront fees, the government offers loans, grants, and deductions to help you recoup part of your costs.
4. Certain trades are resistant to recessions.
Of course, no industry can avoid layoffs. However, certain industries are more resilient than others, especially if they “have a more varied client base,” according to Campbell.
Therefore, a person with experience in service plumbing can work for large building facilities, maintenance firms, or residential plumbing.
Because the maintenance budget is limited, he argues. “You need to get that fixed if your toilet leaks at home or the office.”
5. Both job happiness and job security are strong.
In a 2019 study, The Residential Construction Council of Ontario commissioned a study that found that, on a scale of 1 to 10, 65% of tradespeople in the Greater Toronto Area said they were unhappy with their jobs.
And the steadiness of these occupations might be partly to blame for that. Lower unemployment rates in the trades of maintenance and equipment operation reflect more job stability in these types of positions.
Skilled Trade Jobs in Canada
Here are some of the most in-demand positions in the skilled trades right now if you’re thinking about a career in one:
1. An electrician
- Average Salary: $33.45 per hour
Electricians’ main responsibilities include working with wiring, fittings, and gadgets. Installing, maintaining, and repairing anything that supplies buildings and facilities with electricity is their specialty.
Electrical contractors need to be well-versed in the business and capable of adhering to all health and safety protocols because they frequently operate with live equipment and cables.
2. Cook
- Average Salary: $18.20 per hour
In any facility that has a kitchen, like cafeterias and restaurants, a cook prepares a range of dishes. Under the guidance of an executive chef or sous chef, they follow recipes or develop their own.
To guarantee that customers receive delicious meals, cooks must also maintain a clean work area and follow food safety laws.
3. Welders
- Average Salary: $26.82 per hour.
Using a welding torch to apply heat to the metal and fuse the pieces, a welder connects metal parts. Welders manufacture or repair items like bridges, buildings, and automobiles in a range of industries, including manufacturing and construction.
Although most welders work outside, they occasionally operate in factories or warehouses.
4. Plumber
- Average salary: $32.76 per hour
Installing and fixing pipes is the job of plumbers. The pipes they deal with could carry waste away from toilets or supply gas or water. In addition, plumbers provide maintenance and installation on water-dependent appliances, including dishwashers, washing machines, sinks, and bathtubs.
5. Carpenter
- Average Salary: $28.56 per hour.
Carpenters construct, erect, and fix constructions, including buildings, shelves, and hardware using wood and wood substitutes.
To guarantee the stability and safety of buildings and their wooden structures, carpenters usually work for construction firms or maintenance agencies.
6. Construction Worker
- Average Salary: $21.88 per hour.
On building sites, you can find general construction workers working on renovation or repair projects. Usually, they clear the area by clearing off trash, unloading instruments and building supplies, putting up makeshift barriers, and controlling traffic.
In Canada, construction laborers typically work outside, hence this is a seasonal position.
7. Bus driver
Average salary: $20.61 per hour
Private and public transportation businesses employ bus drivers. With a specific license, they can operate city buses, school buses, or private buses for businesses like lodging facilities and vehicle rental firms.
To protect the safety of their passengers and other drivers, they have to abide by traffic laws. For bus drivers to become familiar with the area and the stops they must make, companies usually assign them a regular route.
8. Custodians
- Average Salary: $19.51 per hour.
Custodians maintain facilities and buildings tidy and clear of possible risks, such as spills. They carry out routine maintenance and use specific cleaning tools and supplies for certain jobs. Their main responsibilities include dusting, mopping, sweeping, emptying trash cans, and sterilizing various establishments, like offices and schools.
9. Garbage Collector
- Average Salary: $20.04 per hour.
Using a trash collection vehicle, a garbage collector gathers and removes waste, garbage, and refuses along a predetermined path.
Trash collectors target various neighborhoods on a designated day of the week while working on particular routes within a city or town.
Drivers and loaders are part of the crew that works with refuse collectors.
10. Hairdresser
- Average salary: $17.28 per hour
A hairstylist does clients’ hair as requested, including washing, cutting, trimming, and styling. They might recommend hairstyles that work for their clients. They might also keep their eyebrows, mustaches, and beards maintained. Despite their training, hairstylists often specialize in one particular type of hair.
11. Mechanic
- Average Salary: $32.72 per hour
Auto mechanics fix and upkeep motorized vehicles. Mechanics typically work on automobiles. They also operate trucks, buses, and heavy machinery.
They may work for certain vehicle dealerships, automobile rental firms, or transportation companies, but their typical workplace is a garage or auto shop.
12. Arborist.
- Average Salary: $26.64.
Because they are knowledgeable about the composition and characteristics of various tree species, arborists can give their clients the best tree care available.
Arborists take care of these trees by planting, pruning, trimming dead branches, and tending to them in an emergency.
They operate outside in a range of weather situations. In Canada, the position is therefore typically seasonal.
13. Cabinetmaker
- Average Salary: $23.87 per hour.
Carpenters that create wooden cabinets or other fittings also install and maintain them. To cut and shape wood, they employ hand tools.
To assemble the cabinets, they utilize nails, screws, and glue. Typically, cabinetmakers work for furniture manufacturers, construction firms, or independently to supply services as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which skilled trades are in the most demand in Canada?
Various factors, including area, industry developments, and economic situations, influence the need for skilled trades. However, carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, welding, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) professionals are some of the most in-demand trades in Canada.
How can I start practicing a skilled trade?
Starting a career in a skilled craft usually requires a mix of formal education, practical experience, and training. Examine post-secondary education, apprenticeships, and vocational training programs in your preferred trade. Make sure you look into the particular requirements for your intended vocation, since many trades also have certification or licensing requirements.
Conclusion
In conclusion, those looking for fulfilling employment that combines technical know-how with hands-on labor can find a multitude of options in Canada’s skilled trades sector. The demand for people with skilled trades skills is increasing, making now an ideal moment to start a career in this exciting and dynamic field.
Whether you want to work in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, or another trade, there are many ways to succeed, including post-secondary schooling, apprenticeships, and vocational training programs. You may put yourself in a position for long-term professional growth and security in a field that rewards craftsmanship, hard effort, and dedication by investing in your skills and knowledge.
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References
https://ca.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/skilled-trade
