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If you are considering a career in the skilled trades or technologies, and you do not know where to start, click the button that applies to you!
Still in School No Longer in School Ready to Earn While you Learn
If you are still in primary/elementary school, the best place to start is with a Skills Ontario Summer Camp and plan on competing in the annual Skills Ontario Competition - Elementary Division.
If you are still in secondary/high school, the best starting place is with your Guidance Counsellor and/or your school's OYAP Coordinator. OYAP or the Ontario Apprenticeship Program allows students in Grades 11 & 12 to explore apprenticeship options in a skilled trade career. There are over 150 apprenticeship options. See if one is right for you! Make sure to take advantage of the trades and technology course offerings in your school and plan on competing in the annual Skills Ontario Competition - Secondary Division.
If you are in college and contemplating a shift towards trades and technologies, the best place to start is with an Academic Advisor. With her/him, you can explore the trades and technology programs your school has to offer and plan on competing in the annual Skills Ontario Competition - Post-Secondary Division.
No longer in school:
Without the assistance of a guidance counsellor, navigating the beginning of a career in or a career-shift toward skilled trades and technologies, can be daunting. We've tried to simplify the process here to help you on the way.
There are free pre-apprenticeship programs available at many colleges and trades schools across the province; these provide coursework and practical training to make a student ready to be start a paid-apprenticeship.
To find out from about free pre-apprenticeship training for all Ontarians (co-ed), you can start here and/or you can do an internet search for pre-apprenticeship training programs near you and/or call your local college(s) to see if they offer any pre-apprenticeship training programs.
To find out from about training specifically for encouraging more women to get into the trades, you can start here to find resources for Women in the Skilled Trades.
If you would like to take the full-training/Diploma/Degree track of a certain skilled trade or technology program, Ontario's public colleges offer over 5,000 programs, ranging from one-year diplomas to 4-year degrees. See Ontario Colleges' Find a Program section to browse all programs offered or to search by area of study, college or credential offered.
Ready to earn while you continue to learn / you are ready for an apprenticeship:
Registering as an apprentice stars with finding an employer who is willing to sponsor you on as an official apprentice. apprenticesearch.com is a great place to start! For more information on apprenticeship, visit our Pathways to Apprenticeship page. You can also learn more at ontario.ca/page/prepare-apprenticeship and ontario.ca/page/start-apprenticeship.
The Group Sponsorship Grant program is designed to streamline administration and structure training to provide a broad range of on-the-job experiences for apprentices. Additionally, it will support a pipeline of talented tradespeople to participate in Ontario’s economy. Learn more at tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/eopg/programs/gsg.html.
There are many Grants and Sponsorships available to you! Learn more through the video below!
