A Career in the Trades: The Rewards
Did you know a career in the skilled trades offers a multitude of employment opportunities, robust career development potential and an array of rewards? From professional and personal development to financial success and security, the trades can deliver it all. Here’s how.
The Skilled Trades in Canada
A major concern for people when deciding on a career path is the future outlook for that industry. With the pace of change in the world today, industries can be here today and gone tomorrow.
The stability of a career in the skilled trades comes from the consistent and ever-present need for tradesworkers. The industries change and adjust with the times but the need for qualified and competent tradespeople never goes away.
According to the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum 2019 National Labour Market Information Report, there is a need for 67,000 new journeyman certifications between 2019 and 2023. That means over 167,000 new apprenticeship registrations across the top 10 largest red seal trades!
In fact, the Chief Operating Officer of EllisDon , Kieran Hawe, said in February of 2021, “By 2029, we will be short 100,000 trades people if we don’t do anything.” That is a lot of positions to fill!
You may be wondering, “What exactly are these trades?” Great question! Let’s find out.
Types of Skilled Trades
There are dozens of different types of ticketed skilled trades in Canada. They range everywhere from aesthetics to welding with mechanics and chefs in between. These are the 10 largest skilled trades in Canada by volume of certifications earned.
- Construction Electrician
- Carpenter
- Welder
- Steamfitter/Pipefitter
- Automotive Service Technician (Mechanic)
- Millwright (Industrial Mechanic)
- Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
- Plumber
- Cook
- Hairstylist
With so many options, how do you choose the right employment path for you? Where do you begin your job search? That depends on what you hope your trajectory to be.
Are you going to open your own business? Do you want to work under a Master to gain experience? Whatever path you choose, there are rewards (both financial and otherwise) to be gained from a career in the trades.
The Rewards and The Pay
When you hear the term “reward”, most often your mind goes to money. This is perfectly understandable! One of the main reasons you pursue any career is to provide a lifestyle for yourself and your family. If you are investing your time and energy, there better be some financial gain at the end!
The potential for a high-paying career in the trades in Canada is great. There is a strong demand for competent workers and where there is a demand, there is value. But there are other valuable rewards that come from a career in the trades that are worth mentioning.
- Leadership Skills: To effectively work on any job site, you must take on leadership roles. This doesn’t mean you need to be the foreman. It simply means you have influence with others and you must learn to use that for the benefit to everyone.
- Communication Skills: The pace of any job site demands clear and concise communication skills, often both verbally and written.
- Resolution and Conflict Management: where you find many different personality types, you will find conflict. Working in the trades allows you to develop and hone your conflict resolution skills so you can diffuse tension while coming to workable solutions.
- Comradery: there is nothing quite like the comradery you feel in the skilled trades. Even though a kitchen and a construction site are different, the need for teamwork builds bonds that are long-lasting.
- Sense of Pride and Accomplishment: using your education and determination to create, build and fix things gives you a sense of pride that not many other careers can.
These rewards are not just useful on the job. They are transferable to all other aspects of your life and are with you forever!
However, how much money is available to earn can be a critical factor when choosing a skilled trade to pursue. Here are the averages for the top ten, as well as the top three highest paying trades in Canada.
Highest Paying
Heavy Duty Mechanic: $107,220
Steamfitter/Pipefitter: $105,620
Industrial Electrician: $93,540
Top Ten Trades
Construction Electrician: $83,330
Carpenter: $55,440
Welder: $83,020
Steamfitter/Pipefitter: $105,620
Automotive Service Technician (Mechanic): $60,230
Millwright (Industrial Mechanic): $99,320
Heavy Duty Equipment Technician: $76,050
Plumber: $74,200
Cook: $37,529
Hairstylist: $42,813
Where to Learn More About a Career in the Skilled Trades
With so many options to choose from, where do you go to get the right information? Fortunately, due to the expected shortage of skilled trades workers in the next decade, finding information has never been easier.
Trade schools are eager and willing to advertise their schools and their courses to anyone asking questions. Open houses are common and done multiple times a year at most schools. There are outreach programs in high schools to encourage and educate young adults about the potential of a career in the trades.
There are great schooling options available in almost every province. Red seal certifications are almost universally accepted Canada-wide. There has never been a better time to enjoy the rewards a career in the trades will give you. Innovative companies are making it easier than ever to get connected to employers.
Mytrades.ca is leading the way in that sector. Check out www.mytrades.ca to see how they can help you get connected to the career that awaits you.
