STEP 1: EDUCATION
- Under the Modernizing the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2019, A construction & maintenance electrician apprentice must be at least 16 years old and has successfully completed the prescribed academic standard (grade 10 or equivalent). Some trades require a high school diploma or equivalency.
- For more information on how to prepare for an apprenticeship, please visit the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development’s (MLTSD) page, https://www.ontario.ca/page/prepare-apprenticeship.
STEP 2: FIND AN EMPLOYER
- For an employer to hire an apprentice, they must have a minimum number of certified journeypersons working for them.
- Government funded services, such as Employment Ontario, and organizations like Support Youth Ontario, have many locations that offer free services and resources, including help on how to find employment and matching apprentices to employers.
STEP 3: SKILLED TRADES ONTARIO
- For first-year apprentices, 18 years and older, the application can be completed online.
- The employer/sponsor is responsible for contacting the Ministry of Labour, Training, and Skills Development (MLTSD)
Three Steps to Follow:
- The MLTSD will create a training agreement (RTA) for you and your employer to sign, then approve the final agreement, which registers you to legally be able to perform the scope of apprenticeship work in Ontario (Note: You are not allowed to work within the scope of the trade without this registration.) Your name will also automatically be listed on the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register.
- Once registered, you can download an Apprenticeship Training Standard manual (also known as the “logbook”) for your apprenticeship from the Skilled Trades Ontario website. This logbook outlines all the required competencies that need to be covered during your apprenticeship.
- Throughout your apprenticeship, use your logbook as a tool to track proof of your learning. It is what the MLTSD will use to verify your training, which then qualifies you to write your Certificate of Qualification exam.
STEP 4: COMPLETE ON-THE-JOB/IN-CLASS TRAINING
On-the-job training will approximately take 5 years to complete for the electrical apprenticeship.
During This Time, You Will:
- Work as a paid employee within a company that employs tradespeople.
- Work alongside certified tradespersons and/or licensed journeypersons and participate in all aspects of their work.
- Keep track of what you learn by using your Apprenticeship Training Standard logbook.
- Complete three educational terms of in-class instruction; hours of in-class instruction vary depending on your trade.
- These hours will be included in the total hours required for the completion of an apprenticeship.
- Receive notification when it is time to take part in the in-class training.
- Apply for grants or financial assistance from provincial and/or federal governments.
STEP 5: WRITE CERTIFICATE OF QUALIFICATION EXAM
Once you have completed your on-the-job hours and demonstrated that you meet the competency standards, outlined in the Apprenticeship Training Standard manual, you will be eligible to write the Certificate of Qualification exam.
Once your status has changed to Journeyperson Candidate, you are eligible to book your exam. (See more about scheduling your exam.) You have one year to pass the exam. See the Trade Exams in Ontario Exam Preparation Guide.
STEP 6: BECOME A CERTIFIED JOURNEYPERSON
Once the exam has been passed, you will receive your C of Q. You are now a tradesperson who has met all the requirements and standards of the Government of Ontario.
Certificate Pathway:
Experienced tradespeople who have not completed their apprenticeship in Ontario but have equivalent qualifications and experience can challenge the certification of qualification through the Trades Equivalency Assessment (TEA) to have their credentials verified and be able to work as a licensed journeyperson in Ontario. You must provide proof that you have hours of experience and demonstrated skills in your trade that are equal to or exceed the standard of training that an apprentice receives in Ontario. Once approved you have 3 months to write the exam. For more information, see the Trade Equivalency Assessment Application Guide
Exam Results:
- Results are received by mail within 10 business days of the exam.
- If failed, the exam may be re-written after 15 days.
- Before a second exam-writing attempt, it is best to meet with a MLTSD staff member to discuss your results and review areas for further studying.
- Should you fail the exam three times, you will be required to meet with the MLTSD to discuss the further upgrades/training that you may need to complete before being eligible to write the exam a fourth time.
- There is a $150 fee for each exam attempt you make.
Once you have passed the exam, you will receive your Certificate of Qualification, which means you’re officially a licensed journeyperson!