The Federal Government recently launched a $12 million “Skilled Trades: A Career You Can Build On” national campaign to develop and promote skilled trades as a first-choice career option. Why should this interest you? Well, a career as a skilled tradesperson is probably not what you think it is. Also, the skilled trades market is fast becoming one of the hottest careers around.

Why the hype?

How about money, career opportunities, and a growing respect fro the trades. These are just three of the benefits that come to mind when discussing skilled trades. The old-fashioned views that skilled trades involve hard physical labour, are dirty, and provide fewer opportunities than other careers, have all been thrown out the window.

Medicine Hat College is a comprehensive community college offering university transfer, certificate/diploma, apprenticeship trades and community education programs for all career goals.

Medicine Hat College
299 College Drive S.E.
Medicine Hat , Alberta T1A 3Y6
Canada

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Today it is a common understanding that careers in skilled trades involve specific aptitudes and abilities that not just anyone possesses, provide creative and intellectual challenges, and build complex skills that help trades people work with new technology. The industrial nature, expertise, workmanship, and precision required and learned in the skilled trades makes it a highly sought after profession.

Skilled trades play a very important role in our economy and our society, and Canada depends heavily on our skilled tradespersons. Just think about it. We need skilled trades in almost every aspect of our lives: the houses we live in, the cars we drive, and even the food we eat. Skilled trades people are so important it’s no wonder they are paid so well for their efforts. A Journeyperson Certificate can lead to employment that provides an income level that is 3% higher than the average income for all educational levels (Statistics Canada, 2001), and the money is paid for work that is enjoyable and gratifying.

For anyone looking for a dynamic, exciting career where they see the fruits of their labours instantly, there are over 200 careers to choose from, and a skilled trade for every interest and aptitude. With the baby boomers growing older every year, the career opportunities for trades is set to skyrocket. It is estimated that by 2020 Canada will be short approximately 1 million skilled trades workers - 400,000 in the manufacturing sector alone! (Canadian Labour and Business, 2004). This has become the number one concern for over 50% of businesses surveyed in 2003, and is also why the government, educators, and employers across the board are beginning to encourage more students to move into the skilled trades field. Now is a great time for you to take a closer look at becoming a skilled tradesperson – and your own boss!

Launch Your Career

Before one can become a skilled tradesperson, apprenticeship training must be completed. Apprenticeship training combines hands-on experience with classroom learning. Apprentices get to work under a qualified journeyman and learn the principles, skills, tools, and materials of the specific trade. Apprentices also earn hourly wages - sometimes as much as 50 to 90 percent of the journeyman’s wages. This provides the opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’ and decreases school fees and debts incurred while obtaining a post-secondary education.

A great place to start training to become a skilled tradesperson is Medicine Hat College, a comprehensive community college serving southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan. The college has built an outstanding network of partner institutions and has worked hard to develop a full range of diploma and certificate programs that have been designed to ensure the skills provided match those required in the workplace, and lead to immediate employment opportunities. Small classes, taught by a highly qualified faculty, and a personal, friendly environment makes the college a perfect institution for students with individual career goals.
For those students wanting to move into a skilled trade career, the two comprehensive Apprenticeship Programs at Medicine Hat College are ideal.

Apprenticeships at Medicine Hat

For those students wanting to move into a skilled trade career, the two comprehensive Apprenticeship Programs at Medicine Hat College are ideal. The Careers in Trades Curriculum offers six apprenticeship programs leading to journeyman status and a solid career in the skilled trades. These courses include Automotive Service Technicians, Carpenters, Electricians, Plumbers, Pipe fitters, and Welders. Each program involves a training period ranging from two to four years and includes observing, practicing, and studying the trade, as well as attending a short technical course, which runs from 6 – 12 weeks in each period of apprenticeship. Upon graduation, all apprentices will be awarded an Alberta Completion of Apprenticeship Certificate and, depending on the trade, a Proficiency Certificate or a Qualification Certificate as well.

The Pre-Employment Trades Curriculum involves several 8-15 week programs and is designed to assist students to become more marketable when competing for an entry-level employment in specific trades. The curriculum offers theory and practical training with additional hands-on practice for the first period apprenticeship in selected trades offered at Medicine Hat College. All successful graduates will receive a MHC Certificate and, upon completion of the program and government exam, a first year technical credit.

Ryan Frederiksen, winner of the Top Apprenticeship Award in 2004, is a perfect example of the kind of success students can expect after graduating from Medicine Hat College. A leading graduate from the Welding Apprentice program in February of 2004, Ryan has since gone on to work in his successful career at Hranco Industries in Redcliff, Alberta. Derek W. Ohlmann and Troy D. Maclean are two other Medicine Hat success stories. Both of these achievers were awarded $1000 each from the Alberta Motor Association for obtaining outstanding scores in their final exams, underscoring the interest by top employers in qualified young apprentices.

The rewards are great, and having a solid and secure job is essential; but perhaps the best part of becoming a skilled tradesperson is that the work is fun and most tradespeople love what they do. Medicine Hat College believes that this is an important aspect to work, life and even school. Although education and career training are very important, they are just part of the experience of attending Medicine Hat College; athletic opportunities, clubs, associations, and student government are just some of the ways Medicine Hat College enhances education with recreation, fun and good friends, while getting you on your way to a great career!