It’s that time of year again: Back to school

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It’s hard to believe that the summer is almost over, and many young people will be heading to school, continuing their education or starting a new challenge. It’s also an excellent time to talk about the skilled trades. 

Let’s face it, youth today have an overwhelming selection of career choices, but often, they need the right guidance or exposure to help them decide, especially when it comes to the skilled trades. People’s perception of the skilled trades is slowly changing, but they still need the respect they deserve.

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Young people, parents and educators — please consider a skilled trade as a viable career choice. It will be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make with the right guidance, proper training and support. I’m not saying it won’t be hard work because it will be, and you will start at the bottom, but with experience and confidence, it will be a rewarding and viable career option. Also, many programs today recognize the need and emphasize the essential skills required to help students succeed in their chosen fields like maths, business, communications.

However, we also need more industry and business owners to take the time to mentor and job shadow young people who may need more exposure to find out if the skilled trade choice is right for them. It’s also essential to point out that many skilled trades in the construction industry are physically demanding for anybody — so strength, fitness and health are necessary.

I’m a big champion of the skilled trades because we will always need them. The residential construction and home improvement industry relies on many different trades. Still, the most common skilled trades required are electricians, carpenters, plumbers, heating and air conditioning mechanics/technicians, masons and roofers.

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I often talk about electrical because it can be hazardous when incorrectly completed. Remember that you need to like math and physics. It takes approximately five years of apprenticeship training and in-class hours to pass the certification exam to become a certified registered journeyperson. You can also become a construction electrician in the interprovincial Red Seal program and there are also pre-apprenticeship programs.

Carpenters are in high demand, so I’m grateful my son and son-in-law are carpenters. It takes approximately four years of on-the-job work experience and in-school training hours. This four-year apprenticeship is required before applying for a Red Seal designation. The biggest advantage of a Red Seal is that it is recognized nationally, so you can work in any province or territory.

Being a licensed plumber is a regulated trade in most provinces, like Ontario, which means you need a certificate of qualification to work in the field. However, always check with your provincial authority. Also, once you’ve earned your licence, you can qualify to write the Red Seal Certification. Apprenticeship training consists of approximately five years of on-the-job work experience and 720 hours of in-school training. 

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We use heating and air conditioning mechanics for all our jobs. They manage any repair or replacement of an HVAC system. An HVAC mechanic is one of the most challenging jobs to master. HVAC is a regulated trade in Ontario, and the training involves approximately 8,280 hours (three to five years) of on-the-job training through an apprenticeship. HVAC mechanics are also often specially trained with specific manufacturers becoming experts in those trusted brands and adding an extra layer of peace of mind.

Masons perform detailed work including, breaking or cutting brick and stone to required sizes, mixing and using mortar, and assembling. Brick and stone masons need 4,880 hours of on-the-job work experience and 720 hours of in-school training (approximately three years). It’s hard work, and often the work is performed outside on scaffolding at great heights. So make sure you’re up for that. 

Roofers perform weatherproofing and install and maintain slate, tile, shingles, and resurfaced roofs. The government does not license roofers. However, all new roofs or roofing repairs, except for areas less than 100 square feet, require a building permit. It’s good to always check with your local building authority and local bylaws and check the roofer’s references. The apprenticeship consists of 4,000 hours of combined on-the-job and two eight-week in-class in-class technical training sessions. 

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These are just some of the skilled trades my team works with regularly, but there’s still so many others to mention like basement waterproofing, tilers, millwrights, painters, decorators, and welders. Plus others are gaining in popularity, like appliance technicians and green technology, which includes solar, wind and smart grid technology. I want to encourage everyone to keep an open mind when considering a career path and think about the skilled trades — there just might be something that will ignite a lifetime of passion. Happy back to school.

Residents of the GTA can apply for Holmes on Homes: Building A Legacy atmakeitright.ca.

Article content

Article content

It’s hard to believe that the summer is almost over, and many young people will be heading to school, continuing their education or starting a new challenge. It’s also an excellent time to talk about the skilled trades. 

Let’s face it, youth today have an overwhelming selection of career choices, but often, they need the right guidance or exposure to help them decide, especially when it comes to the skilled trades. People’s perception of the skilled trades is slowly changing, but they still need the respect they deserve.

Article content

Article content

Young people, parents and educators — please consider a skilled trade as a viable career choice. It will be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make with the right guidance, proper training and support. I’m not saying it won’t be hard work because it will be, and you will start at the bottom, but with experience and confidence, it will be a rewarding and viable career option. Also, many programs today recognize the need and emphasize the essential skills required to help students succeed in their chosen fields like maths, business, communications.

However, we also need more industry and business owners to take the time to mentor and job shadow young people who may need more exposure to find out if the skilled trade choice is right for them. It’s also essential to point out that many skilled trades in the construction industry are physically demanding for anybody — so strength, fitness and health are necessary.

I’m a big champion of the skilled trades because we will always need them. The residential construction and home improvement industry relies on many different trades. Still, the most common skilled trades required are electricians, carpenters, plumbers, heating and air conditioning mechanics/technicians, masons and roofers.

Article content

I often talk about electrical because it can be hazardous when incorrectly completed. Remember that you need to like math and physics. It takes approximately five years of apprenticeship training and in-class hours to pass the certification exam to become a certified registered journeyperson. You can also become a construction electrician in the interprovincial Red Seal program and there are also pre-apprenticeship programs.

Carpenters are in high demand, so I’m grateful my son and son-in-law are carpenters. It takes approximately four years of on-the-job work experience and in-school training hours. This four-year apprenticeship is required before applying for a Red Seal designation. The biggest advantage of a Red Seal is that it is recognized nationally, so you can work in any province or territory.

Being a licensed plumber is a regulated trade in most provinces, like Ontario, which means you need a certificate of qualification to work in the field. However, always check with your provincial authority. Also, once you’ve earned your licence, you can qualify to write the Red Seal Certification. Apprenticeship training consists of approximately five years of on-the-job work experience and 720 hours of in-school training. 

Article content

We use heating and air conditioning mechanics for all our jobs. They manage any repair or replacement of an HVAC system. An HVAC mechanic is one of the most challenging jobs to master. HVAC is a regulated trade in Ontario, and the training involves approximately 8,280 hours (three to five years) of on-the-job training through an apprenticeship. HVAC mechanics are also often specially trained with specific manufacturers becoming experts in those trusted brands and adding an extra layer of peace of mind.

Masons perform detailed work including, breaking or cutting brick and stone to required sizes, mixing and using mortar, and assembling. Brick and stone masons need 4,880 hours of on-the-job work experience and 720 hours of in-school training (approximately three years). It’s hard work, and often the work is performed outside on scaffolding at great heights. So make sure you’re up for that. 

Roofers perform weatherproofing and install and maintain slate, tile, shingles, and resurfaced roofs. The government does not license roofers. However, all new roofs or roofing repairs, except for areas less than 100 square feet, require a building permit. It’s good to always check with your local building authority and local bylaws and check the roofer’s references. The apprenticeship consists of 4,000 hours of combined on-the-job and two eight-week in-class in-class technical training sessions. 

Article content

These are just some of the skilled trades my team works with regularly, but there’s still so many others to mention like basement waterproofing, tilers, millwrights, painters, decorators, and welders. Plus others are gaining in popularity, like appliance technicians and green technology, which includes solar, wind and smart grid technology. I want to encourage everyone to keep an open mind when considering a career path and think about the skilled trades — there just might be something that will ignite a lifetime of passion. Happy back to school.

Residents of the GTA can apply for Holmes on Homes: Building A Legacy atmakeitright.ca.

Article content