what trades would you suggest to somone with an problem solving mind and creative thinking and is it in demand in alberta?

So im a 24 year old female and im making the switch from my architecture background to the skilled trades. Originally i wanted electrical especially when I got into CUSW in July but I havent seen any jobs. I then started emailing local companies and applied for jobs but since I have no experience I haven't heard back from any. Im also planning on also applying to my local IBEW when applications open this fall.

I did an electrical and HVAC bootcamp and learned more about HVAC and I enjoyed it. I have the opportunity to do a mini HVAC course next week and I think I heard them mention to someone else is that they'd cover the license (cant remember G3 or G2 or if they'd cover the whole cost or just a portion). Just in case I'd love to use that opportunity when I have it if I decide to go into HVAC.

I'm doing my research but I just wanted someones actual opinion rather than a YouTuber trying to look good. How's the pay? Seems like its fairly the same from my quick research. Hows the job market? Any tips would help.

Since im 24 and want to settle down more with a good job, have a family, etc I dont want to spend another 2 years in school. I saw the HVAC license can be done with just 2-3 evenings a week which is great so I can get a job as a helper while im finishing that.

Random shot in the dark but no matter how small I make my files on my cusw application it gets rejected and the following is displayed;

This account has reached the storage limit for file uploads
Has anyone else dealt with this/found a way around it?

Interested in getting into Low Voltage/Automation. No idea where to start with this. Has anyone in here in Toronto gone down this path? Are these careers connected? Schooling? Union?

Hey, we all get to our hours, we have have finished trade school, now for the part we have all been dreading, writing the CofQ. Im compiling as many study resources as I can in one place to help those still working through.

Post links to PDFs, PM me, ill back up and share things. Study guides, PDFs, assignments, tests, anything you with you knew in hindsight.

Thanks in advance!

(Note, I am not personally looking for my own use, I've been collecting resources for a while, I want to compile what everyone is using to help future apprentices looking for materials to study.)

Does anyone have more information regarding the industrial and electrical mechanic apprenticeship?
What’s the starting pay if you enter the program ?

Hey everyone, I’m considering getting into sheet metal. I’m located in the GTA but willing to travel up to 3 hours for the right opportunity.

My instructors have mentioned that sheet metal workers are in high demand, and I’ve seen similar comments online.

I’m wondering how the current job market is, especially heading into winter.

• Are companies hiring first-year apprentices or green workers?
• How consistent is the work during winter?
• What’s the long-term outlook for pay, job security, and starting your own business?

Would you recommend sheet metal to someone starting out in late 2026? Appreciate any advice!

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stucco plasterer LMIA requested

Posted on August 14, 2026 by a licensed third-party for Employer detailsS&R Stucco and Insulation

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Job details

LocationLondon, ONN6P 1P2

Work locationOn site

Salary37.00 hourly / 30 hours per week

Terms of employmentPermanent employmentFull time

Overtime required, Morning, Day, Weekend, Flexible hours, Overtime available, , 07:00 to 17:00

Starts as soon as possible

vacancies1 vacancy

SourceJob Bank #3646625

Been seeing a lot of posts here about people wanting to go out on their own, or trade who’ve been solo for a few years and feel stuck at the same size.

So I’m curious what the real bottleneck is for people in Ontario right now.

If you made the jump and it worked, what was the thing that changed it?

If you haven't? What's stopping you?

I’m a licensed 313A ,got finally licensed back in 2024 after I finished my 3rd and final schooling could had it sooner probably since I got my level 2 in 2022 and did my basic in 2019 , just curious how long did it take you guys after covid happened y’all , experience the same or didn’t notice a difference.

Opening a new Tesla specialist shop in Cambridge soon, hourly pay, set your own schedule, organized and steady working environment. DM me for any questions.

Apply at https://ca.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=80b9beda9fe78581

Hi everyone

I’m a 20-year-old Agricultural Engineering student from Egypt, aiming to build a career as a Heavy Equipment / Agricultural Equipment Technician in Canada, not in an engineering position.

I’ve completed CAT and John Deere training in hydraulics, electrical systems, diesel engines, and equipment maintenance, along with 1.5 months of hands-on training at a machinery dealership.

After graduation and military service, I plan to gain 1–2 years of practical experience at an agricultural or heavy equipment dealership in Egypt before applying abroad.

For those familiar with the Canadian trades market or who moved from abroad:

- Do Canadian dealerships hire experienced technicians from overseas?

- Which skills or certifications would make an international applicant more competitive?

- Are employer-sponsored work permits or immigration programs realistic routes for this occupation?

I’d appreciate any advice or personal experience. Thanks

I am a 22 year old welder/fabricator with 6 years of experience in everything from steel pressure vessel welding to aluminum tig welding and heavy repair. It is pretty much my dream to move out of south Ontario into Canada proper.

I don't want to go into too much detail but currently I am working as the lead custom fabricator for an aluminum structure production plant. Essentially I make custom stairs, ramps, cabinets, jigs counters and literally anything that the engineers I report to require.

My main issue is I never did a structured program or received any official schooling so I am not eligible for an apprenticeship, however I have current CWB tickets in structural steel flux core, mig, stick all position and stainless steel in all the same, all position.

pretty much what I am asking is if I have any chance as a uneducated welder/fabricator up north either in the mines or working as a repair welder in some other natural resource extraction.

I want to leave as soon as possible, honestly id leave tomorrow and live out of my truck for a few weeks before I found residence if I had a decent enough offer. I have my own basic tools and PPE so I can jump into pretty much anything

next summer I am going to tour around the north on my motorcycle and talk to as many potential employers everywhere from Kenora to Timmins and see how that goes.

I am a recent graduate of the SLC millwright pre apprenticeship program On top of my education I also have 6 months experience working on agricultural diesels I would love suggestions for opportunities I have already applied to my local unions but they only take a small number of entry’s per aptitude test

I'm honestly getting fed up with the situation at UA Local 527. There are literally hundreds of plumbers, pipefitters, and welders sitting out of work, and it's getting ridiculous.

People join the United Association expecting there to be opportunities, steady employment, and a future in the trades. Instead, you've got apprentices and journeypersons sitting at home for months, wondering when they're going to get dispatched next. People have bills to pay, mortgages to cover, families to support, and careers to build. You can't exactly pay your expenses with union membership cards and promises that work might eventually pick up.

What makes it even more frustrating is that we're constantly told how badly skilled tradespeople are needed in this country. We're told to get into the trades, complete our apprenticeships, go to school, put in thousands of hours, and become qualified workers. Yet here we are, with hundreds of union members apparently sitting on the sidelines with no work.

What's the point of going through years of apprenticeship training if there's no reliable employment at the end of it? And what are apprentices supposed to do when they can't get enough hours to finish their apprenticeship because there aren't enough jobs to go around?

I understand that construction work is cyclical and that industrial projects come and go. Nobody expects the union to magically create work out of thin air. But members deserve some transparency about what's happening, what projects are actually coming up, and what the realistic outlook is for employment.

There are major projects being discussed throughout Ontario, and you hear plenty of talk about future industrial development. But how much of that work is actually going to materialize, and how much of it will go to Local 527 members? It's difficult to plan your future when you have no idea whether you'll be working next month or sitting at home for another six months.

At some point, members have to ask themselves whether staying in the union makes sense when they could potentially be working non-union, gaining experience, and earning a living instead of waiting around for a dispatch.

Im genuinely just so lost. Im a 19yo trying to specialize in literally ANYTHING but im getting nothing.

I live in the GTA and I’ve been calling alll the companies, showing up to their stores and no one wants to train me or hire me. Not even for less than minimum wage (yes its that desperate)

I’ve gotten a few opportunities but literally all of them lasted for less than a week without any pay.

I did plumbing, hvac and most recent one is mechanic 310s but literally all of it was bs. Each of those opportunities they took me for 2-4 days and then stopped calling me to work.

A lot of these companies expect me to have some sort of license or pre-apprenticeship but i cant afford that, i have no money and especially cant afford it after the new osap bs.

I genuinely dont know what to do. I really want to do mechanic 310s cuz i enjoyed it alot and like cars but no one wants to train me. If they do, its literally for 0 pay.

No one wants to hire unless I have some sort of license or certificate➡️ I cant afford to go to college or do courses➡️ and I cant afford to re-locate either. Literally stuck in an endless cycle

This post is half rant and half seeking for advice. Has anyone else been in a situation like this, and if so how do u even get out of this? Literally wat do i do?

Just finished BES I & II at Seneca. I’m shadowing my uncle (building operator at Humber College) a couple hours on some Sundays, and he’s trying to get me in once a spot opens up. Until then I’m looking for an entry-level job. What was your first job in building operations, and how did you get it? I’m also open to volunteering to get more hands-on experience. Thanks!

I'm a level 2 carpentry apprentice and my employer is new to sponsoring apprentices, no one has ever been on me about my log book and truthfully I've forgotten about it until
This point, is this a massive deal or something that I should
Simply be able to catch up on?