An apprenticeship is the main route to becoming a certified tradesperson in Canada. You earn a paycheque while you learn on the job under a qualified journeyperson, and you complete blocks of classroom (technical) training along the way. When you've logged the required hours and passed your exams, you earn your Certificate of Qualification — and, in Red Seal trades, often the Red Seal endorsement too.
1. Learn how apprenticeship works where you live
Every province and territory runs its own apprenticeship system. Examples include Skilled Trades Ontario, SkilledTradesBC, the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission, Apprenticeship Manitoba and the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency. In Quebec, construction trades are regulated through the Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ), which has its own entry process. The Red Seal Program website (red-seal.ca) lists contacts for every jurisdiction.
While you're on your authority's website, find out:
- Whether your chosen trade is compulsory (you must be a registered apprentice or certified to work in it) or voluntary.
- How many hours and training levels the apprenticeship requires.
- Any minimum education requirements (often high school or equivalent, sometimes with specific math or science courses).
- Registration fees and how technical training is scheduled.
2. Get ready to be hired
Employers take on apprentices they believe will be safe, reliable and coachable. You can stand out before your first day by:
- Earning common safety tickets such as WHMIS, First Aid/CPR, Working at Heights or fall protection (requirements vary by province and sector).
- Getting a valid driver's licence and reliable transportation — many jobsites aren't on transit routes.
- Buying basic hand tools and approved safety boots.
- Considering a pre-apprenticeship or college foundation program, which can teach fundamentals and sometimes count toward your first level of training.
3. Find an employer sponsor
In most of Canada you need an employer willing to sponsor (hire and train) you before you can register. This is often the hardest step. Approaches that work:
- Apply widely and in person. Visit shops and jobsites (safely, and at sensible times), bring a short resume and ask for the person who does the hiring.
- Look at unions. Many building-trades unions run their own apprenticeship intake and training centres.
- Use job boards and alerts. Apprenticeship postings move quickly — our job board and newsletter help you catch them early.
- Start as a labourer or helper. Plenty of apprentices get sponsored after proving themselves in an entry-level role.
- Ask about programs for youth and under-represented groups. Many jurisdictions have dedicated supports for high-school students, women, Indigenous people and newcomers.
4. Register as an apprentice
Once an employer agrees to sponsor you, you and the employer register with the apprenticeship authority. You'll usually receive an apprenticeship agreement or contract and a way to record your hours (a logbook or an online account). Keep your own copy of everything — pay stubs and hour records matter later.
5. Work, learn and attend technical training
Most of your apprenticeship — commonly around 80% or more of the total — is on-the-job learning. The rest is technical training, typically delivered in blocks of several weeks at a college or training centre for each level. Depending on your situation, you may be able to receive Employment Insurance (EI) benefits during full-time block training; apply through Service Canada as soon as your training dates are confirmed.
6. Write your certification exam
When you've completed your hours and training levels, you'll be eligible to write the certification exam. In Red Seal trades this is usually the interprovincial Red Seal exam. Read our Red Seal exam explainer for what to expect.
Apprenticeship checklist
- Confirm your trade's requirements with your provincial/territorial authority
- Collect safety tickets and basic tools
- Build a one-page trades resume and gather references
- Secure an employer sponsor and register
- Track every hour and keep copies
- Apply for grants and supports you're eligible for (see our funding guide)
This article is general information for people exploring trades careers in Canada. Rules, programs and amounts change and differ between provinces and territories — confirm details with your apprenticeship authority and official government sources.