Daily Calendar | Views & Sketching | Bottle Rocket | Mechanical Design | Industrial Design | Architectural Design | Summative 

Why Trades?

For every 7 people leaving the skilled trades, only ONE replaces them

• Approximately 700,000 skilled trades workers in Canada are expected to retire by 2028 

• According to projections from Skills Ontario and Job Bank vacancy data, these fields have the highest urgency for new workers:

  • Industrial & Construction Electricians: Driven by automated manufacturing and critical infrastructure updates, Ontario will require roughly 7,700 new electricians over the next decade.

  • Industrial Mechanics (Millwrights): Highly sought after as industrial problem solvers, with a projected provincial deficit of 7,300 millwrights.

  • Welders & Fabricators: Essential for manufacturing and commercial construction pipelines, needing 6,400 new professionals.

  • Carpenters & Plumbers: Driven heavily by institutional construction projects (such as hospitals and transit infrastructure) rather than just residential builds.

  • Heavy Equipment Mechanics & Operators: The physical expansion of roadways and infrastructure projects has made dual-certified and multi-skilled operators highly valued

What are trades?

What does it require?

What are my pathways?

In Ontario, the average yearly salary for a Level 1 (first-year) apprentice sits between $35,000 and $45,000 per year. Bear in mind you can get this BEFORE YOU GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL

How?

A fully certified Red Seal journeyperson (which can be tried for in about 4-5y of work) in Ontario typically earns an average salary between $75,000 and $95,000 per year, translating to a base hourly wage of $36.00 to $46.00 per hour.

However, looking strictly at the base salary does not tell the whole story. Top earners in highly specialized or unionized roles easily clear $110,000 to $140,000+ per year when overtime, premiums, and total benefit packages are factored in