Here at Canadian Vocational Training Centre, we mostly focus on things like office admin training, hospitality, education assistance, warehouse training, and general entry level skills training; however, we are also all for helping people get into the trades! Broadly speaking, ‘the trades’ refers a to a massive industry of people who largely work with their hands: carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, construction, flooring, A/C installation, appliance repair and installation, automobile tech work, and more. In the early part of the twentieth century, the trades were the backbone of many economies, helping to lift countries out of the Great Depression and being an important part of the boom decades of the fifties and into the sixties. But in the last few decades, there has been a turning away from trades in favor of going to university. This resulted in a dip in people who were employed in those fields, leading to shortages of experts.
Today, with more automation, more technology, and more construction required, there is a demand for skilled tradespeople in Canada and beyond. It’s estimated that about 700,000 skilled trades workers are going to retire between 2019 and 2028 and that means there is a huge gap that needs filling. If university isn’t your thing, what are the benefits of working in trades?
Demand
Trades are in high demand and are varied enough to suit just about anyone. When we think of trades, we tend to think of things like plumbing and carpentry, but the skilled trades goes far beyond that. It’s also something that is difficult to automate – people still need to be the face of the work being done, monitor the equipment, make plans, and ensure safety.
Trades is also an area that is shifting and changing to meet new demands. Infrastructure needs to be replaced and built, new things are being created and implemented, and everyone needs clean energy, a home, roads to get around, computers to function properly, working vehicles, and more. This keeps the trades open as an industry forever.
Clear Learning Path
What’s nice for many people about the trades is that there is a clear learning path with plenty of support. Trade schools generally include apprenticeships which gives you on-the-job training and experience (while getting paid), and it’s easier to get a job straight out of school. Once you have your job, you generally get the benefit of job security.
The actual training in the trade is generally fairly short, up to about two years, and it’s usually cheaper than university. There are also grants to help pay for your schooling, which means minimal student loans (or hopefully none at all) and a good chance of starting a job quickly after the training is completed.
Working in Trades: Benefits
Trades is a sprawling field and while there is some lingering stereotype that it is male dominated and only for people who didn’t get good grades, this is far from true. Successful trades people are creative, able to solve problems, work well with others, work hard, and have specific skills relevant to their area of expertise. The only thing that really glues all the trades together is that they are hands-on, and that means you have everything from heavy mechanics to hair stylist all found under the banner of “skilled trades”. Even writers can fall in this banner as can painters, potters, weavers, and chefs! Basically, if you like working with your hands as a launch point, you will likely find a trade that suits you.
But there are plenty of other benefits, including:
- Steady work and pay. There will always be a demand for trades of all different sorts and the pay starts well enough and increases with experience, further training, and further certifications.
- Diverse work. There are plenty of career opportunities under the banner of trades
- The ability to see the benefit of your work every day as you work. This can be very motivating for many people!
Top In-Demand Trades Jobs in Canada
Want to narrow down your search a little? Here are the top 10 trades jobs in Canada, with salary ranges.
1. Electrician ($48,731-$66,990)
2. Cooks, Bakers, Chefs ($31,008-$72,930)
3. Glazier ($52,065-$73,710)
4. Welder/Machine Operators ($42,900-$68,250)
5. Drillers: Mining/Oil ($58,500-$99,450)
6. Plumber ($65,138-$97,500)
7. Administrative Assistant ($41,454-$60,000)
8. Real Estate Agents/Salespersons ($100,000-$170,000)
9. Graphic Designer ($49,088-$79,942)
10. Carpenter ($52,650-$75,138)
Of course, if none of these suit, there are plenty of others ones out there! But this gives you a good idea of the scope of trades, as well as pay scales.
It’s fair to say that despite a lot of work, there’s still a lot of misconception about what the trades are and what kind of people go into them. The trades are a varied and deep industry with plenty of opportunity for people. And with so many job openings coming, it’s best to get on the ground floor if this is something you are interested in.
Speaking of trades, did you know we run an office administration program? (Administrative assistant in other words!) Contact us today for more information!
