Cabinetmakers use many types of materials in this work, including veneer, fiberboard, particle board, hardboard, plywood, adhesives, abrasives, hardware and metal fastenings. They must follow blueprints and designer specifications exactly to construct and repair these wooden articles. Accuracy is imperative as they regularly need to fit small parts and sub-assemblies together, to precisely make and install cupboards and cases and to operate woodworking machines to cut and form parts. Today sophisticated equipment, basic woodworking machines, and portable power and hand tools are used to perform many of the job functions.

Cabinetmakers must have a broad knowledge of wood, its structures and properties, and an assortment of cabinetry hardware and materials. A worker with training and education could start in production and work their way up to a supervisory or management position in the wood industry, as the skills are transferable to a number of other professions.

Typical Duties:

• Study plans, specifications or drawings of articles to be made, or prepare specifications

• Mark outlines or dimensions of parts on wood

• Operate woodworking machines, such as power saws, jointers, mortisers and shapers, and use hand tools to cut, shape and form parts and components

• Trim joints and fit parts and subassemblies together to form complete unit using glue and clamps and reinforce joints using nails, screws or other fasteners

• Sand wooden surfaces and apply veneer, stain or polish to finished products

• Repair or restyle wooden furniture, fixtures and related products

• May estimate amount, type and cost of materials required.

Sample Job Titles:

• Bench Carpenter

• Furniture maker

• Woodworking Machine Operator

• Cabinetmaker

• Cabinetmaker apprentice

• Custom wood furniture maker

Companies and Sectors:

• Bench Carpenter

• Furniture maker

• Woodworking Machine Operator

• Cabinetmaker

• Cabinetmaker apprentice

• Custom wood furniture maker

HOW TO JOIN THE FIELD:

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Completion of a four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school or college courses in cabinetmaking is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.

Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories.

Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified cabinetmakers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

INDIGENOUS AND REMOTE CONSIDERATIONS:

 Indigenous and remote communities may lack resources that allow for young people to get a head start in this trade. However, with the traditional skills of building houses and working with tools, it may be an appealing career choice. In some small, fly-in communities, there may be only one or two companies to work for while staying in their home community. This may mean someone pursuing this trade will be looking at relocation or travelling to nearby communities to work on builds.

Once a project has begun, they perform a number of tasks, from simple installation of pipes and fittings to complex calculations and planning in specialized environments such as hospitals. The system must be checked for leaks using air and water pressure gauges to ensure that it is working properly.

Plumbers use a wide range of hand and power tools, torches and welding equipment to cut and shape pipe to precise specifications. An important part of their job is to fit the piping into the building with the least waste of materials while maintaining grade or slope and avoiding trapping air or fluids in the system. A plumber’s skills are also applicable in maintenance, service work, hydronic heating, and medical gas cross connection controls and inspections.

Typical Duties:

• Read blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine layout of plumbing system, water supply network and waste and drainage systems

• Install, repair and maintain domestic, commercial or industrial plumbing fixtures and systems

• Locate and mark positions for pipe connections, passage holes and fixtures in walls and floors

• Cut opening in walls and floors to accommodate pipe and pipe fittings

• Measure, cut, bend and thread pipes using hand and power tools or machines

• Join pipes using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement or soldering, brazing and welding equipment

• Test pipes for leaks using air and water pressure gauges

• May prepare cost estimates.

Sample Job Titles:

• Steamfitter / pipefitter

• Gas fitter

• Sprinkler fitter

• Maintenance plumber

• Apprentice plumber

HOW TO JOIN THE FIELD:

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Completion of a four- to five-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over five years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in plumbing is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.

Trade certification is voluntary in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified plumbers upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

INDIGENOUS AND REMOTE CONSIDERATIONS:

Although plumbing services are needed in northern, Indigenous and remote communities, it may be difficult to get apprenticeships in these communities. This means that many students pursuing this career may have to relocate while they are studying.

With math literacy in the north sometimes being lower than in other places, northern and remote students may need extra support in order to pass tests and get their red seal.

They need electronics knowledge and trouble-shooting skills to provide maintenance services for electronically controlled systems. Proficiency in all types of electronic applications is important as electricity is used for a variety of purposes, including climate control, security and communications.

An electrician reads and interprets blueprints, plans and sketches, following the variety of methods and practices used in the construction field to complete basic wiring circuits in accordance with the Canadian Electrical Code. Electricians need to understand electronics in order to install and maintain the increasing amount of electronic equipment involved in modern construction projects. Keeping up with trends and new technology and continuing to upgrade technical skills is an important part of the job.

Typical Duties:

• Read and interpret drawings, blueprints, schematics and electrical code specifications to determine layout of industrial electrical equipment installations

• Install, examine, replace or repair electrical wiring, receptacles, switch boxes, conduits, feeders, fibre-optic and coaxial cable assemblies, lighting fixtures and other electrical components

• Test electrical and electronic equipment and components for continuity, current, voltage and resistance

• Maintain, repair, install and test switchgear, transformers, switchboard meters, regulators and reactors

• Maintain, repair, test and install electrical motors, generators, alternators, industrial storage batteries and hydraulic and pneumatic electrical control systems

• Troubleshoot, maintain and repair industrial, electrical and electronic control systems and other related devices

• Conduct preventive maintenance programs and keep maintenance records

• May install, maintain and calibrate industrial instrumentation and related devices.

Sample Job Titles:

• Refrigeration Mechanic

• Electrical Engineer

• Industrial Electrician

• Marine electrician

• Mill electrician

• Plant electrician

Companies and Sectors:

• Residential industry

• Commercial industry

• Manufacturing

• Construction firms

• Self-employed

HOW TO JOIN THE FIELD:

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Completion of a four- or five-year industrial electrician apprenticeship program or A combination of over five years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in industrial electrical equipment is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.

Additional construction electrician certification may be required for industrial electricians when the employers are not owners of the industrial electrical equipment.

Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified industrial electricians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Manual welding is controlled entirely by the welder, while semi-manual welding uses machines to perform some of the tasks.

There are many different types of welding depending on the material, equipment and techniques used, the nature of the final product and the degree of expertise required. These categories include Arc welders, Mig welders, TIG welders, Pressure welders, Fitter-Welders and flame-cutters. Welding provides a lucrative and rewarding career, with highly transferable skills and can offer very diverse work and challenges.

Typical Duties:

• Read and interpret blueprints or welding process specifications

• Operate manual or semi-automatic welding equipment to fuse metal segments using processes such as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), flux-cored arc welding (FCAW), plasma arc welding (PAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), oxy-acetylene welding (OAW), resistance welding and submerged arc welding (SAW)

• Operate manual or semi-automatic flame-cutting equipment

• Operate brazing and soldering equipment

• Operate metal shaping machines such as brakes, shears and other metal straightening and bending machines

• Repair worn parts of metal products by welding on extra layers.

• Operate previously set up welding machines such as spot, butt and seam resistance or gas and arc welding machines to fabricate or repair metal parts

• Operate previously set up brazing or soldering machines to bond metal parts or to fill holes, indentations and seams of metal articles with solder

• Start up, shut down, adjust and monitor robotic welding production line

• Assist with the maintenance and repair of welding, brazing and soldering equipment

• May adjust welding heads and tooling according to work specifications.

Sample Job Titles:

• Blacksmith

• Millwright

• Boilermaker

• Aviation welding technician

• Brazing machine operator

• Arc Welder

• Spot welder

Companies and Sectors:

• Construction industry

• Manufacturing industry

• Auto body shops

• Underwater welders

• Mining

• Aviation

HOW TO JOIN THE FIELD:

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Completion of a three-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over three years of work experience in the trade and some college or industry courses in welding is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.

Trade certification is compulsory in Alberta and available, but voluntary, in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon.

Interprovincial trade certification (Red Seal) is also available to qualified welders.

Welding, brazing and soldering machine operators

Some secondary school education is required.

Several months of on-the-job training are usually provided.

Experience as a machine operator helper may be required.

Experience with robotics may be required.

INDIGENOUS AND REMOTE CONSIDERATIONS :

There are many mining operations which have a high demand for welders. Many mines operate on a 2-week in, 2-week out work rotation. (Schedule may vary.)

Carpenters may be required to install prefabricated structures such as window frames, doors or shelves, build foundations, install beams and subflooring, or erect walls and roofing systems. They also build stairways and wall partitions, install fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms, apply drywall, plaster or insulation material to both ceilings and walls, and install moldings, parquet flooring and tiles.

Carpenters use the latest technology in hand and power tools, including computerized machinery, to cut, fit and assemble wood and other materials in the construction of buildings, docks, industrial plants and many other structures. They start with the drawings or blueprints that define the scope of the specific project, measure and mark the layout, cut and shape the materials with hand and power tools, join the materials, check the work and make any necessary adjustments. Their duties often include arranging for sub-contractors, preparing cost estimates and writing progress reports also.

Typical Duties:

• Read and interpret blueprints, drawings and sketches to determine specifications and calculate requirements

• Prepare layouts in conformance to building codes, using measuring tools

• Measure, cut, shape, assemble and join materials made of wood, wood substitutes, lightweight steel and other materials

• Build foundations, install floor beams, lay subflooring and erect walls and roof systems

• Fit and install trim items, such as doors, stairs, moulding and hardware

• Maintain, repair and renovate residences and wooden structures in mills, mines, hospitals, industrial plants and other establishments

• Supervise apprentices and other construction workers

• May prepare cost estimates for clients.

Sample Job Titles:

• Apprentice carpenter

• Carpenter-joiner

• Journeyman/women

• Maintenance carpenter

• Metal framer

• Roofer

• Building contractor

Companies and Sectors:

• Self-employed contractors

• Construction companies

• Residential/commercial carpentry

HOW TO JOIN THE FIELD:

Completion of secondary school is usually required.

Completion of a three- to four-year apprenticeship program or A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in carpentry is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.

Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified carpenters upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

INDIGENOUS AND REMOTE CONSIDERATIONS:

  Indigenous and remote communities may lack resources that allow for young people to get a head start in this trade. However, with the traditional skills of building houses and working with tools, it may be an appealing career choice. In small, fly-in communities, there may be only one or two companies to work for while staying in their home community. This may mean someone pursuing this trade will be looking at relocation or travelling to nearby communities to work on builds. Most communities have housing departments so options may exist to work with housing in a community.