Explore the Trades
Are you new to Canada and looking for a career?
The unionized skilled trades can help!
You’ve got the skills. The Building Trades Unions can help you put them to work.
- Combine your education and experience into lucrative and rewarding work
- Get support with training and job placements
- Gain access to financial grants
- Make great money
- Get hands-on learning
- Earn while you learn
- Have benefits for you and your family
Launch a career to be proud of and build a life in Canada
Check out these testimonials from workers about why they love their careers in the unionized skilled trades.
Earn while you learn – no previous experience required
Amazing mentors
As a pre-apprentice or an apprentice in the unionized skilled trades, you’ll have access to mentors with a wealth of real-world experience and knowledge to share.
Earning potential
High-paying wages aren’t just for doctors, lawyers and CEOs. Many trades in Canada offer excellent starting wages with the potential to earn six figures!
Work-life balance
Many trades offer more flexibility than a typical 9-to-5 desk job, with a ton of medical and financial benefits that your family can take advantage of.
Job security
The skilled trades are in demand and offer tons of room to move up the ladder as you establish your career!
Start your career in the skilled trades today!
Explore the trades below to find the best fit for you.
Bricklayer
Camp Worker
Carpenter
Concrete Finisher
Construction Craft Worker
Drywall Finisher
Electrician
Floorlayer
Glazier
Hazardous Materials Abatement Worker
Insulator
Ironworker
Millwright
Operating Engineer
Painter/Decorator
Pile Driver
Plumber / Steamfitter / Sprinkler fitter
Refrigeration Mechanic
Scaffolder
Sheet Metal Worker
Teamster
Wall & Ceiling Installer
Bricklayers prepare, lay brick and other masonry units to construct and repair structures such as walls, partitions, fireplaces and chimneys. They also lay or install fire brick or castable materials on commercial or industrial projects.
Responsibilities
- Read sketches & blueprints to calculate materials required
- Measure and construct corners first, using a plumb line & mason’s level to ensure level layers
Camp workers plan, prepare and serve meals and clean facilities in remote construction camps. These hospitality workers play a critical role on site!
Responsibilities
- Safely operate kitchen equipment
- Prepare meals and cook using grills, ovens & fryers
Concrete finishers/cement masons place, level and finish perishable concrete in various settings, including residential, commercial, industrial and institutional construction. They install overlayments and perform repairs to restore deteriorated surfaces, as well as install structural and machine base grouts.
Responsibilities
- Place and finish concrete in construction walls & floors and curbs & sidewalks
- Perform dry finishing & remedial work
The construction craft worker trade appeals to people who enjoy being physically active, working outdoors and using various manual and power tools. Construction craft workers work in many different industries, including civil construction, road building, highrise construction, demolition, dam and tunnel construction, pipelines and various others.
Responsibilities
- Handle, transport and distribute various construction materials
- Perform various duties involving lifting, carrying tool use and machinery management
Responsibilities
- Safely perform inspections, lifts, transport, and maintain cranes
- Determine crane and rigging capacities
Responsibilities
- Apply assorted beads, reveal and shadow trims that transform ordinary walls into “Drywall Art”
- Mix and apply filling compounds, then sand them to create a smooth finish
Electricians design, plan, install, repair and maintain electrical systems in homes, commercial buildings, industrial complexes and retail buildings. There’s also growing demand for specialized work with controls, Internet of Things (IoT), renewable energy projects, fibre optics and communication and computer networks.
Responsibilities
- Plan new systems and upgrade older systems, wiring, receptacles & light fixtures
- Install fiber optic systems, fire alarms, security & data systems
Glaziers fabricate, install and repair commercial and residential window, door and entranceway systems. They can work with construction glass installation contractors, interior design and architectural firms, and glass fabrication shops. There is always a demand for glaziers!
Responsibilities
- Read and interpret drawings & specifications
- Measure, cut, fit, install and/or secure glass panes, window parts & architectural metals
Hazardous materials abatement workers identify, remove, package, transport and dispose of hazardous materials such as asbestos, mould, lead, mercury, PCBs and other biological hazards.
Responsibilities
- Comply with safety procedures, provincial regulations and federal laws
- Pre-cleans work areas
Heavy Equipment Operators operate heavy machinery such as articulating haul trucks, loaders, excavators, backhoes, dozers, graders, rollers, and skid steers. These machines are universally used for all heavy construction, including earthmoving, road building, mining, and forestry. Operators are responsible for safe equipment operations, basic equipment maintenance, the application of markers, grades and stakes, and the heavy equipment GPS guiding systems.
Responsibilities
- Safe operation of haul trucks, loaders, dozers, excavators, graders, and other heavy equipment
- Operate heavy paving equipment safely for building roads
Insulators apply, remove and repair thermal and acoustical insulation using a range of insulation materials (e.g., fibreglass, mineral wool, styrofoam, etc.) on all types of mechanical equipment, such as plumbing and piping systems, HVAC systems, heat exchangers, tanks, vessels and other mechanical systems.
Responsibilities
- Measure and cut insulating material & coverings to required shape and dimension
- Fit insulation around obstructions or shape insulation materials & protective coverings
Ironworkers rig, handle and place all the rebar, post tensioning and structural steel on a construction site such as columns, beams, girders and more. In B.C., they can work on high rise & commercial buildings, bridges, tunnels, dams, mines, stadiums and other structures. An ironworker generalist is trained in both reinforcing and structural steel.
Responsibilities
- Select, cut, bend, position and secure steel bars & wire mesh to reinforce concrete
- Read blueprints & specifications
Painters/decorators apply decorative and protective finishes in commercial, institutional and industrial settings. They prepare a variety of surfaces (wood, masonry, drywall, plaster, concrete, synthetics, stucco and metal) prior to the application of materials such as paint, high performance coatings, waterproofing, fireproofing, varnish, shellac, wall coverings, and specialty finishes.
Responsibilities
- Use, maintain and repair various types of spray pumps, spray guns, pressure washing equipment and sand blasting equipment & related components
- Read and interpret blueprint
Plumbers, steamfitters and sprinkler fitters are all part of the Piping Trades. Each trade is unique and offers different career opportunities. They can work in residential, commercial, institutional and industrial construction, as well as in refineries, LNG facilities and shipyards.
Responsibilities
- Plumbers study building plans and install underground, sanitary and water piping systems
- Steamfitters lay out, assemble, fabricate, maintain and repair piping systems
Refrigeration mechanics fabricate, install, alter, repair and service equipment that freezes, cools and/or heats. This equipment is used in the industrial, commercial, institutional and residential sectors. They will also have a B Gas Fitter ticket when their apprenticeship is complete.
Responsibilities
- Comprehend schematic diagrams and troubleshooting
- Measure, cut and connect piping using welding and brazing equipment
Sheet metal workers lay out, fabricate, assemble, weld, install and service a variety of projects such as HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), industrial, kitchen and hospital equipment, and architectural work. A Sheet metal worker requires highly specialized and up-to-date skills to accomplish the various tasks involved in the trade.
Responsibilities
- Lay out, measure and mark sheet metal according to drawings or templates
- Develop computerized patterns and layouts
Teamsters move crews and materials using a pickup truck to a rock truck to a nine axle lowboy. There is no sector of industry, be it heavy construction, agriculture, manufacturing, road building, or oil and gas, which does not require the services of teamsters. Teamsters drive a wide range of motorized vehicles in a safe and skillful manner.
Responsibilities
- Haul people & material
- Schedule deliveries & shipments
Wall & ceiling installers frame interior walls and install window frames, doors, partitions and computer floors. They hang drywall, T-bar ceilings and suspended ceilings
Responsibilities
- Use architectural blueprints to lay out walls and ceilings for a project
- Assemble interior and exterior walls, ceilings and partitions
