Trades & Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship Training while unemployed

Times of unemployment can be an opportune time to continue your technical training. If you are an unemployed Apprentice or if your employer is anticipating a slow-down in work you may want to consider taking your next level of technical training back-to-back with a class you are already registered in or planning to take.

What is Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeship combines paid on-the job training, work experience and post-secondary classroom instruction. The majority of an apprentice’s time (80 per cent ) is spent learning their skills and gaining experience on the job (under the direction of a highly skilled journeyperson) and approximately 20 per cent of their time is spent learning in a classroom setting.

The average apprenticeship program takes four years to complete, depending on the trade, (can range from one to five years in length). Upon completion, an apprentice is required to write an exam in order to receive his/her Journeyperson designation. Northern Lights College offers apprenticeship training in 11 different trades areas at our two main campuses, Dawson Creek and Fort St. John. All of the trades offered at Northern Lights College lead to Journeyperson status under the Interprovincial standards (Red Seal) endorsement program. Red Seal certified workers can work anywhere in Canada where their trade is designated. Labour mobility is essential for the Canadian workforce. For skilled tradespeople the Red Seal is the recognized passport to mobility in trades across Canada.

Apprenticeship classes are ongoing in six, eight and ten-week intakes throughout the year. This enables apprentices in levels 1, 2, 3, and 4 to complete their entire training with Northern Lights College. It is no longer necessary to leave family and community to reach training and career goals. Through strong partnerships with regional industry steering committee and the Industry Training Authority, Northern Lights College has become a strong force in addressing the shortage of skilled trades workers by making trades training accessible in the north.

Apprenticeship is a proven method for giving British Columbia workers the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. British Columbia’s apprenticeship system is recognized globally for the quality of its curriculum and its graduates.

Northern Lights College has been offering apprenticeship training for more than 40 years. Apprentices in our programs receive high quality instruction, great service, and a solid foundation on which to build their career in the trades.

How do I become an Apprentice?

First of all you need to secure employment in a trade and have an employer who is willing to provide you with on-the-job training. An apprenticeship is a three party agreement between; the apprentice, the employer, and the Industry Training Authority. As an apprentice, you learn your skills under the direction of a certified journey person which the employer assigns to your training. The Industry Training Authority will determine the terms of your apprenticeship, maintains your apprenticeship records and technical training results and ultimately will provide your final examination and certification. You may download an Apprentice and Sponsor Registration form or contact the Industry Training Authority (ITA) at: 1-866-660-6011.

Most apprenticeships require that you attend technical training as a requirement for completing your trade training. Each trade requires various levels of training. Normally, an apprentice will attend a block of technical training at the College for each level of apprenticeship. The technical training will provide you with additional theory and skills necessary to prepare you for your journey person examination. See our training schedule for more information. Another pre-requisite to becoming an apprentice is to ensure you have the appropriate level of secondary school education. Many trades require a grade 12 graduation with a minimum of grade 11 math and sciences. However, a grade 10 education is still an acceptable minimum standard in some trades. You may be referred for a trades assessment. For more information on these pre-requisites check out the ITA website and select the trade you are interested in.

Main Contact - Pam Eales, Trades and Apprenticeship Coordinator, peales@nlc.bc.ca

Foundation Trades Training

If you are having difficulty securing work in the industry, many students enrol in a full-time Foundation Trades Training program before entering into an apprenticeship. Upon completion of a Foundation Trades Training program, graduates will have completed up to two levels of technical training towards their chosen apprenticeship, accumulated hours of work experience, and developed enhanced employability skills. As a Foundation Trades Training grad, you are more attractive to an employer because you already have the basic skills needed to be productive on the job site.

A Foundation program runs from 20 weeks to 10 months in duration depending on the trade. Upon successful completion of the program, and after securing employment with an employer you will receive credit for your first and/or second year apprenticeship technical training in that trade. You are now an apprentice and will return to Northern Lights College for technical training once a year until your apprenticeship is completed.

Northern Lights College offers Foundation Trades Training for all of our Apprenticeship programs. In partnership with Northern Opportunities, an innovative north eastern BC partnership, Northern Lights College provide high school students with a seamless learning pathway from secondary school to post secondary trades and apprenticeship training. “Dual-credit” programs combine high school and college studies with work-based training enabling the learner to simultaneously earn their high school diploma and up to two level of technical training in their chosen apprenticeship. This initiative has been very successful for many years and is seeing growing interest from parents, learners, and adults alike.

Innovative programs such as these are the reason Northern Lights College is a driver of learning excellence. Meeting the needs of skilled trades workers by providing accessibility to training in the north. Northern Lights College programs are viable with little to no waitlist for learners to enter into our programs. The northern region of British Columbia is in the midst of high economic times. Since 2003, Northern Lights College has seen interest grow exponentially in all areas of trades training.

Main Contact - Student Recruiters

• While you are still in high school, take courses that relate to the trade you are interested in.
• Complete your Grade 12 education or equivalent ensuring you have completed courses such as Grade 10 English, Grade 10 Math (Applications or Principles) achieving a minimum of C+ (67%). Some trades will require Grade 11 English, Grade 11 Math (Applications or Principles) achieving a minimum of C+ (67%).
• Register in a Secondary School Apprenticeship Program in your school district.
• Research the trade of your choice and talk with potential employers.
• Take a Foundation Trades Training program from a post-secondary institution like Northern Lights College.
• Secure employment in a related field until an apprenticeship vacancy comes open.