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Careersinconstruction.ca is an initiative of the Construction Sector Council.
Funding for this project is being provided by the Government of Canada’s Sector Council Program.
Craft-level trades
In these trades, you can develop a career that takes you into any of the four construction sectors :
- New Home Building and Renovation
- Heavy Industrial Construction
- Institutional and Commercial Construction
- Civil Engineering
There are many paths to a career in construction. Consider the example of two boilermakers in the heavy industrial sector:
- One might have started working as a Trades helper/labourer [1] right after high school, then taken some courses and written the certification exam to become a certified Boilermaker [2].
- The other might have entered a Welder [3] apprenticeship program and, after being certified as a journeyperson, decided to change to the related boilermaking trade. After gaining considerable work experience, she applies to become a trainer and teaches boilermaking courses while continuing her career as a Boilermaker.
Boilermaking often involves a lot of welding. If you’re already a certified Welder, you can reduce the time it takes to become a Boilermaker. You don’t have to go through apprenticeship for a second construction trade, just learn what you need to pass the certification exam.