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Tip Sheets
Apprenticeship in Alberta
An apprenticeship training program is a combination of on-the-job training, work experience and technical training in a trade. From day one, apprentices earn a salary for their time on the job.
Apprenticeship training program lasts one to four years, depending on the trade.
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Apprentices spend about 80 per cent of their time learning on the job from a qualified tradesperson. The rest of the time they take technical training, usually at a college or technical institution.
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While they attend technical training, apprentices may be eligible for Employment Insurance (EI) or student grants (based on need). |
Apprentices may also be eligible for more than 230 annual scholarships of $1,000 each. Visit www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca for more information.
Minimum entrance requirements range from Grade 9 to Grade 12, depending on the trade. However, most employers prefer to hire high school graduates.
While in high school, students can earn credits toward both an apprenticeship program and a high school diploma through the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP). There are 500 annual scholarships of $1,000 each available to RAP apprentices. For more information, talk to a school counsellor, check out the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training website at www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca or visit the nearest Apprenticeship and Industry Training office. Call the Career Information Hotline at 422-4266 in Edmonton or 1-800-661-3753 in other Alberta locations for the office nearest you.
Registering for apprenticeship training in Alberta is as easy as 1-2-3.
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Choose a trade
Check the list of apprenticeship trades in Alberta at www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca and narrow your choices down to those trades that interest you.
(Note: For more information on the apprenticeship trades, visit the OCCinfo website at alis.alberta.ca/occinfo)
Next, talk to and ask questions of people working in these trades. Talk to employers, too. You may be able to job shadow to see what the day-to-day work is like.
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Find an employer
You must be employed to be an apprentice. Thousands of employers hire and train apprentices. Sometimes finding an employer to train you can be the hardest part of the process. To assist you in your search, consider taking a copy of the brochure Hire and Train an Apprentice with you to job interviews in case you find an employer who is unfamiliar with the apprenticeship process. Brochures are available from Apprenticeship and Industry Training offices and may be conveniently downloaded from the Alberta Apprenticeship website at www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca
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Apply
Once you have an employer, pick up an apprenticeship application and contract form from your nearest Apprenticeship and Industry Training office or download it from http://www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca When you and your employer have completed and signed the form, return it to the Apprenticeship and Industry Training office for registration.
The apprenticeship application and contract form is a legal agreement between you and your employer. It outlines the responsibilities of both you and your employer during your apprenticeship program: |
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You commit to completing your technical and on-the-job training requirements.
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Your employer commits to paying you a certain percentage of the journeyperson wage at your place of employment, increasing your pay as you progress through training. Your employer also agrees to train you on-the-job while allowing you time to attend technical training.
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| Technical training generally involves attending classroom sessions that are four to 12 weeks long. In some trades, technical training delivery options such as distance learning, weekly apprenticeship training (you attend classes one day a week), or on-the-job-site training are available. Tuition fees and the purchase of course supplies will apply.
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| As an apprentice, you accumulate hours on the job and advance through technical training until you have mastered your trade. When you have completed your apprenticeship training requirements, you become an Alberta-certified journeyperson. |
You may be able to write an Interprovincial Standards Program exam to earn a Red Seal on your journeyperson certificate. This credential permits you to work in most Canadian provinces and territories without further examinations.
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download an online copy or order the publication from the Publications website at alis.alberta.ca/careershop |
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call the Alberta Career Information Hotline at 1-800-661-3753 toll-free or 780-422-4266 in Edmonton |
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visit your local Alberta Employment and Immigration service centre. To find the centre nearest you, call the Alberta Career Information Hotline. |
Last Updated: September 4, 2007
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