There is always a requirement for skilled trade workers in Canada. They are highly trained employees and have total hands-on work like cooks, construction workers, manufacturers, and mechanics.
With the expansion of skilled trades in various industries, anyone looking for an in-demand and hands-on job can be a sure candidate to find a career they will enjoy. Today, we look further into defining skilled trade jobs and list twenty-four in-demand examples.
Skilled Trade Jobs – What are They?
By definition, a skilled trade job can be any role requiring an amount of specialized knowledge and hands-on work. Skilled trade workers like plumbers, construction workers, and electricians greatly contribute to Canada’s infrastructure and society’s well-being overall. In addition, they provide employment and manpower to various industries that offer services most Canadians take advantage of regularly, like food services, hairstyling, and dentistry.
Typically, skilled trade jobs are learned through a few vocational school courses, full-on college programs, apprenticeships, or on-the-job training programs. In addition, most of these professional trade jobs have registration or certification requirements from a province or territory’s regulatory body. This step ensures that all skilled trade workers have ample knowledge to complete their work safely and efficiently.
24 Easiest Skilled Trade Jobs to Learn in Canada
Want to be included in the pool of skilled trade careers? Here are the most high-demand trade jobs that are easy(ish) to get in Canada:
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Arborist
How Much You Can Get: $25.44 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Provide the best tree care clients need through expertise in different types of trees, their structure and function.
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Care for trees through pruning, planting, removing dead branches, and providing emergency tree care.
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Work in a variety of weather conditions outside.
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Considered a seasonal role in Canada.
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Brick and Stonemason
How Much You Can Get: $31.05 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Build and replace structures made with bricks or stone, like; walls, flooring, fireplaces, or chimneys.
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Typically work for construction companies but do residential work on the side.
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Repair home structures such as patios or fireplaces.
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They can also do work as independent contractors.
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Bus Driver
How Much You Can Get: $20.62 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Works for public or private transportation companies.
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Can drive different bus types – city, school, or private busses for companies, such as hotels and car rental agencies with a special license.
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Must adhere to and abide by traffic laws, ensuring the safety of their passengers and other drivers.
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Typically get assigned by the companies they work for under a regular route – to familiarize themselves with their designated area and the locations in that area where they need to stop.
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Cabinetmaker
How Much You Can Get: $22.37 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Build, install, and repair wooden cabinets as well as other fixtures.
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Use hand tools in cutting and shaping wood.
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Use glue, screws, and nails to form their cabinets.
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Usually work for furniture manufacturers, construction companies, or on their own – providing service as needed.
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Carpenter
How Much You Can Get: $26.30 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Work with wood and wood substitutes in creating, installing, and repairing structures like buildings, shelving, and hardware.
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Typically works for construction companies or maintenance departments to ensure buildings and their wooden structures are very safe and sturdy.
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Child and Youth Workers
How Much You Can Get: $20.26 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Assist and counsel children and adolescents struggling with emotional and development issues, such as bullying, discrimination, family issues, or substance abuse.
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May take legal actions when necessary, ensuring children and adolescents have a safe environment.
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Provide psychological support and organize additional services in assisting their clients.
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Construction Worker
How Much You Can Get: $20.10 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Work on building or repairing projects on construction sites.
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Typically prepares the construction site through debris removal, building materials and tools unloading, temporary safety structures assembly, and traffic regulation.
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Working outdoors or indoors under varying conditions, such as confined spaces or commercial settings.
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Eventually, specialize in carpentry, sheet metal, framing or commercial projects.
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Considered a seasonal role in Canada.
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Cook
How Much You Can Get: $16.79 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Prepares a wide range of dishes at any establishment with a kitchen, like restaurants and cafeterias.
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Follows recipes or creates their cooking flow under the supervision of a sous chef or an executive chef.
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Also responsible for workspace clean up and food safety regulation adherence, ensuring patrons enjoy excellently and only the best meals.
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Custodian
How Much You Can Get: $18.51 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Keep buildings and properties clean, free and safe from potential hazards such as spills.
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Use specialized supplies and equipment for cleaning for different tasks
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Perform routine maintenance.
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Primary duties include dusting, mopping, sweeping, emptying garbage cans, and sanitizing different facilities like schools and office buildings.
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Crane Operator
How Much You Can Get: $27.40 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Operate and control cranes used on construction sites in moving and placing large machinery, equipment, and objects.
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Responsible for crane and construction site inspection, ensuring only the safest work environment for themselves and their colleagues.
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Three (3) crane operator control types are boom trucks, tower cranes, and mobile cranes.
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Electrician
How Much You Can Get: $30.79 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Work on electrical systems with electrical fixtures, devices, and wiring.
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Install, maintain, and repair anything that provides electricity inside buildings and facilities.
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Must have the in-depth industry knowledge and follow all health and safety regulations since they often work with live devices and wires.
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Electrical work requires a good understanding of electricity, current voltage, circuits, and physics.
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Work under licensed electricians for 2-5 years to gain your designation while getting paid.
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Electrical work can be in residential or commercial buildings.
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Hairstylist
How Much You Can Get: $16.42 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Cuts, trims, washes, and styles every customer’s hair according to their requests.
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May offer and suggest hairstyles that will suit customers.
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May also do trimming and maintenance of beards, mustaches, and eyebrows.
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Train to work with different hair types but specialize in a specific one.
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Work in a small business or as part of a larger group.
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Heavy Equipment Operator
How Much You Can Get: $27.55 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Operates have a special license and work on construction sites tasked to operate heavy machinery.
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Commonly operates heavy equipment types like backhoes, front-end loaders, graders, and bulldozers.
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Must have strong attention to detail in looking out for their colleagues and all potential hazards along their path.
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HVAC Technician
How Much You Can Get: $30.39 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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HVAC means “heating, ventilation, and air conditioning,” this means that they do the installation, maintenance, and repair of the systems used to control air quality and temperature inside homes and commercial buildings.
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Install climate control systems for residential or commercial purposes.
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An HVAC technician will likely specialize in specific equipment but will also receive training to work with all heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.
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Mechanic
How Much You Can Get: $30.03 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Repair and maintain motorized vehicles.
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Typically works on cars and automobiles.
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Also, work with buses, trucks, and heavy equipment.
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Usually works in garages or auto shops but may work for particular car dealerships, agencies for car rentals, or transportation companies.
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You can choose from various paths; for example, industrial mechanics can be heavy-duty and work in mines or mills as a millwright.
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Pipefitter
How Much You Can Get: $31.69 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Sometimes called a steamfitter, responsible for creating, installing, and maintaining mechanical piping systems.
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Monitor systems, including heating, cooling, ventilation, and hydraulics.
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Similar to plumbers, but work with high-pressure piping systems compared to plumbers who work with low-pressure ones.
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Plumber
How Much You Can Get: $31.21 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Installs and repairs pipes.
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Works with pipes that may supply water or gas or remove waste from toilets.
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Also, fix and install appliances that require a water supply, like washing machines, sinks, bathtubs, and dishwashers.
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Refuse Collector
How Much You Can Get: $16.59 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Operates a vehicle for waste collection, collecting and removing waste, garbage and refuse along a designated route.
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Works on specific routes in cities or towns, targeting different neighbourhoods on a set date on a given day of the week.
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Work with their team, with the inclusion of drivers and loaders.
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Registered Nurse
How Much You Can Get: $37.60 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Typically works inside outpatient care centers, hospitals, clinics, or care homes, assisting with treating patients.
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Primary duties include monitoring patients’ vitals, administering medication, applying or changing dressings, and assisting with personal care.
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They work extended shifts, sometimes overnight and on the weekends, due to the nature of their work.
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Welder
How Much You Can Get: $24.53 per hour
What You Need to Do:
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Joins metal parts using a welding torch in applying heat to the metal that bonds the pieces.
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Works in industries like construction and manufacturing
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Create or repair things such as bridges, buildings, and cars.
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They may also work in factories or warehouses but most commonly work outdoors.
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Work with other trades to complete projects
Radiology Technician
Typical Annual Wage: $61,910
What You Need to Do:
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Perform diagnostic imaging procedures; X-rays, CT Scans (computed tomography)
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Work with a doctor in an office or hospital
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Maintain reports and be comfortable working with people
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Understand medical terminology
Respiratory Therapists
Typical Annual Median Salary: $62,844
What You Need to Do:
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Complete tests relating to lung function, including blood oxygen levels and lung capacity
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Work with patients to create a plan to treat diseases in the airways and lungs
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Work with people in pulmonary rehab clinics, hospitals or diagnostic laboratories
Medical Sonographer
Typical Median Salary: $62,923
What You Need to Do:
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Use specialized equipment to generate images within a patient’s body using high-frequency sound-waves
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Work with patients and doctors in a hospital or clinic setting
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Technical report generation and ability to maintain logs
Dental Hygienist
Typical Annual Wage: $61,910
What You Need to Do:
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Work under dentist supervision to perform oral care on patients
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Examine the mouth for abnormalities, take dental x-rays and clean teeth
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Stay up to date with oral care and provide advice for maintaining dental health
Benefits of Skilled Trades
There are many benefits to pursuing skilled trades career paths. They are always in big demand, and the pay is quite good. There are specific areas on the globe where the job is needed more, and the pay is better, but generally, a skilled tradesperson can always find work.
These in-demand professions are very rewarding, there is a higher-than-average job growth rate in each, and many job placement opportunities can take you places that are very interesting if you’re willing to move.
One of the most important aspects is that they also provide job security.
High Demand for Skilled Trades
Many jobs require skilled trades workers at all times. The sector has high job growth, and you can choose from various in-demand trades.
There are always job openings available if you decide to switch employers. Another advantage is that when you have gained enough experience, you can go out to start your own business and work independently.
After you have completed training programs, you can get right into on-the-job training and learn other trades that might interest you.
Trade School Costs Less than University
Trade schools or any community college most commonly offer training for skilled trades programs. Once you pick a trade to learn for your career, you can determine if you need an associate degree or a vocational school program.
The programs offered at a trade school to be trained for the above trades often cost less than getting a bachelor’s degree at a university. In addition, trade school programs can be completed in 2 years or less, so you can complete your education and join the workforce more quickly.
Associate degrees can be earned at most community colleges in roughly two years.
This is not to say all the trade school programs are quick and easy; some take extensive training or require completing a bachelor’s degree. Trade school training programs can be intense, requiring further education and working with other untrained class members in a peculiar situation.
Also, training at a business school is a position that requires some training and education outside the high school, such as computer applications but does not usually require a bachelor’s degree. At business schools, the emphasis is on learning skills used in the profession after graduation. To become a master, you must be in the classroom to learn more about the craft.
Offer on-the-job Training
These careers often offer on-the-job training, where you gain practical experience working as an apprentice before you gain your official designation.
As for returning to the daily practice of craftsmanship, you will probably want to look for a training program. However, before applying to a technical school or training program, remember that you can learn many of the skills you need at home.
At the end of the course, you can become an apprentice or journeyman in the craft, obtain an associate degree, diploma or certificate, prepare for a license examination and become a master of this craft. After a few years of journeyman work, you can apply for a master’s or master’s degree.
Does Retail Count as Skilled Labour?
Many retail jobs are required in our economy, just waiting to get their hands dirty. The best way to take the first step in your new career is to find a place that offers free programs to become successful in retail. Join free training programs online; those looking for a lucrative career in retail can train themselves and do not need to attend a trade school.
Retail job growth has faced some challenges but is generally growing as our population grows.
Before exploring some of the highest-paying jobs in retail, we should take a moment to answer an important question that may be preoccupying us: What is a retail job? Retail is any job working in a store where customers frequent; it can be in customer service, inventory or human resource management. There are many reasons why working in this industry is a good option.
Final Thoughts on Skilled Trade Jobs
As easy as they seem, skilled trade jobs need well-earned skills, the right amount of dedication and motivation, and the fuel required to pursue the field. But with the right attitude, effort, time, and perseverance, only time will tell the success you can achieve in these job types.
Take it easy, have fun, but be disciplined, follow the rules and instructions, and most importantly, move towards success every step of your way.
A rewarding career will help you have a great life!
Also Read:
Highest Paying Trades Jobs in Canada
How to Make Money Online in Canada
Best Industry to Become a Millionaire
