We depend on electricity every day. It is often taken for granted, until we are left without power in the wake of a storm, or a construction endeavor. In reality, it is one of our most used mediums of energy. Unfortunately, most people can barely make their way around an electrical service panel. So in times of power trouble, we call an electrician.

If you are someone that is more hands on, and are looking for a valued career that pays well, then you should consider a career in electricity. Opportunities await potential students in industrial commercial and government organizations, in manufacturing, steel mills, chemical plants, refineries and in pulp and paper mills. Some electricians even go on to work in engineering, or become research assistants. Society needs people that are capable of working with electricity, especially since such a large part of the population depends on it on a daily basis.

As electricity can be extremely dangerous to work with if you don’t know what you are doing, it is detriment for students to be properly trained in both the theory and practical application of electric functions.  Electrician apprenticeships are one of the only ways to achieve this. Hours upon hours must be spent working alongside a professional to truly learn all of the ins and outs of the electric world. This training is not only essential to your personal safety, but also to the safety of others.

Simply put, it is not possible to become an electrician without sufficient and extensive training. A certain number of hours must be worked before you can be certified, and you must be both a diligent student, and a hard worker. You must also be a fast learner. This is because electricity is a facet of technology, and technology is constantly evolving. You must be able to adapt and learn changes quickly, as well as have an in-depth understanding of the materials and procedures that you will be asked to work with. In order to work with electrical power, you must have certain qualifications in both security and safety training before you can be certified to work. These qualifications cannot be rushed, and must be obtained through practice and knowledge. Industrial electrician apprenticeships (or construction) will also teach you what to expect in the real world, when a real emergency occurs, or an immediate service in required. As electric issues are often time sensitive, it is important to be able to respond quickly in actual situations.

With the right training, you will be able to work in maintenance, construction, and even eventually, for yourself. You will also be considered a prized member of the workforce, with regulated pay, the moment that you finish your training, dependent on the receipt of your certification. In the shaky job market today, what could be better than guaranteed employment with an impressive salary? Electrician apprenticeships are essential to aspiring electricians. Look in your area to find potential apprenticeship employers, and speak to a college specializing in electrician studies for more informed.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on apprenticeship programs.

 
Knowing the theory of how something works is useful only if it is accompanied by actual experience. Putting into practice what you have learned is sometimes one of the most challenging aspects of learning a profession, and one of the most important.

But this can go both ways. Often many professionals are trained on the practical side of a business, but lack the book theory, or certificate, to accompany their highly developed skills. It is important to have a strong grasp on both the theoretical and practical sides of your intended profession. While having a certificate definitely provides credibility, most people won’t hire someone that doesn’t have sufficient experience.

Today, the combination of experience and knowledge is essential, especially in such an ever-changing world as we live in today. Technology is evolving, and it is important that any kind of professional is able to keep up with new developments in industry, machinery, and computer technology. If not, you are likely to find your resume at the bottom of the pile. This is why being hired for an apprenticeship position is detrimental to your professional success. Understanding technology translates to understanding your own value.

Fortunately, apprenticeship programs are available in a variety of fields. Options include everything from child and youth worker to general mechanic apprenticeship, and truck-trailer service technician to welding apprenticeships. All of these fields are ones that are extremely specialized, and therefore, are highly valued. The majority of them require either security or safety training (or both), and a significant number of apprenticeship hours before students can be declared fully qualified to work independently. You are simply not employable without sufficient field training.

The trade off between employer and student is one of the best things about apprenticeship programs. There are many highly trained professionals to learn from, and this is essential if you wish to be successful in your field. Working with an established professional is also a great way to build your contacts, and your network within your specific industry. You will get to know people that work in the industries surrounding your profession, and learn how to properly deal with anybody in need of your services. This isn’t to say that you can build your business or career off of your employer – but you can definitely learn how to get started.

Apprenticeship programs provide you with experience and theoretical knowledge. They prepare you for the working world, and provide you with an understanding of not only what to expect, but what you will have to do once you are a certified professional. This kind of education is invaluable today, and as a result, is prized by employers. And being valued is one of the best ways to kick-start your career.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on apprenticeships in Ontario.

 
There is no doubt that raising children is hard work. Dealing with both the expected and unexpected situations with children can be as demanding as any full-time career, and the hours far exceed any 9-5. Although parents get some respite from teachers, there are sometimes circumstances where other specialists are called upon to assist the parents.

Three of these situations are the following:

1) Children facing mental health issues

2) Children in need of welfare services

3) Children with juvenile delinquent issues

For those interested in working with children facing any one of these issues, there are many ways to go about beginning a career. Here are examples of some of the specific issues surrounding the above three areas of special youth work:

Youth and Mental Health

·         Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder – ADHD is a behavioral disorder whereby the child has trouble either paying attention to people, being involved or interested in their surroundings, being patient, remaining calm, or controlling energetic outbursts

·         Conduct Disorder – This is characterized as when children have trouble or an unwillingness to get along with others, they are aggressive and dishonest, and it can lead to offenses such as destruction or theft

Welfare Youth Services

·         Adoption – Helping children deal with the loss or separation of their biological parents, adjusting to new families, schools and communities

·         Foster Care – Similar to adoption, but including helping children live within governmental institutions, or adapting to multiple transfers of institutions and homes

·         Abuse – Many issues surrounding the subject of child abuse, ranging from neglect and malnourishment, to psychological, physical and sexual abuse

Juvenile Delinquency

·         Crime – The many complications surrounding youth who engage in criminal activities, how they are treated differently from adults, and considering punishment, delinquent centres, rehabilitation and reintegration

·         Status offence – These are offences specific to the fact that they are committed by minors but otherwise are not illegal, such as alcohol and tobacco-related abuse, automotive crime, firearms possession, or runaway instances

It is to the future youth worker’s advantage to enroll in a program that includes theoretical classroom learning combined with real-world practical experience, most often through apprentice training. This will not only guarantee the most comprehensive form of education and training, but provide any necessary certification to practice in a given domain.

Apprenticeship programs may offer the chance to specialize in any one of these specific areas of youth worker training, or might offer a general apprenticeship programs which allows the student to specialize later in their career. Whatever the choice, working with children is more than just a job, but a lifelong career that makes a difference in the youth of today and the adult population of tomorrow.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on apprenticeships in Ontario.
 
They conduct electricity. They can store and transfer heat. They can be bent and stretched. They can reflect light. They form the support of our industrial structures. They compose most of the earth's natural elements. They are metals.

For over 8,000 years, mankind has been mining and processing metals. Beginning with gold, we made ornament, jewelry, and coins. With the later discovery of copper, the first tools and weapons were forged. Then came lead, the most malleable metals discovered up to date. Its use became widely popular during the Roman era as piping, and was born the fields of plumbing, sanitation and irrigation.

Welding is the art and process of joining metals together through forging—melting them down to near liquid heats, which when cools can harden two pieces together into a single solid piece. It dates back to the Bronze Age when copper was the main metal used for welding. It then became increasingly important during the Iron Age, as iron and steel took over as the primary metal.

It is impossible today to become a welder without first taking the time to understand the basics of metals themselves and metallurgy. This emphasis on metal education is akin to knowing about food before simply learning recipes, or studying maps before simple memorizing directions. A thorough training and welding apprenticeship will cover the basics of many metals, including the following:

Copper

Copper is very ductile, meaning it can be easily reshaped by being pulled or stretched. This is useful for turning metals into a long, thins sheets or into wire form. It is also excellent for conducting heat and electricity. Its combined ductility and conductivity make it ideal for electrical wires. It is also has a natural color that is not grey, ranging from yellow to orange to red, which is why it is popular in ornament. For welding, it binds very easily with other metals.

Steel

Steel is made of a combination of iron and other elements, often carbon. Depending on which element and the amount, its degree of ductility and malleability can vary, and therefore different kinds of steels are used for different kinds of welding. When combined with higher levels of carbon, for example, it is extremely hard and durable, but this has an inverse effect on its ductility.

Aluminum

This is an extremely low-density metal, which means it is light weight. It is also one of the most common metals found in the earth's crust, likely because it is harmless to and unharmed by other flora and fauna in its environment. One of its strengths is its resistance to corrosion, and thus lasts a long time. It is a relatively easy metal to weld with, so long as the conditions have been well-cleaned and as oxide-free as possible.

These three metal descriptions are just some of the basic things a welder should know. There are in fact a great many variations in welding between metals and sub-categories of metals. In training for a career by doing a steamfitter or sheet metal worker apprenticeship, one learns to take the ABCs of these metals and forge them into a meaningful language of metallurgy.  

Visit Mohawk College for information on welding, sheet metal worker, or steamfitter apprenticeships

 
Information is everywhere. Even if we cannot directly perceive our environment to be information, it is embedded all around us. Strolling through a library or surfing the net is an easy way to spot how information is stored. But how does one consider their favorite television program to be information? Or how is a long-distance phone call from your grandmother considered information?

The answer is the way we record and transmit everything around us. Our brains do a good job dealing with what we directly perceive with the five senses. For everything else that is transmitted through some electronic device, sights, sounds, numbers and words are sent to us through circuits of information. There are two major forms of circuit transmission: analog and digital.

Analog was first developed in the 1920s and came to popular use during World War II. Digital came into being in the 1960s and became widely used in the 1980s by libraries. But just because digital is newer does not mean that an electrician school or electrician apprenticeship program won't cover the two. Both are still used today, and many electronic devices use a combination of both.

Analog is a faithful electronic recording of the original information source. For example, a voice recorded with analog takes the actual wave forms of the voice and imprints them directly onto the tape, which a reader will play. Digital takes an original signal source and translates that information into a series of numbers—binary code of 1s and 0s. Digital receivers take those numbers and translate them back to the original information for playback.

Electrician training will guide trainees to know the difference between the two seemingly opposite systems. While it may seem that digital circuits require more work to do the same thing as analog, there are some advantages to digital, especially as today the amounts of information being stored and transmitted  is growing exponentially.

 

Signal

Analog sends a constant signal no matter if a receiving device is turned on or off. So for example, televisions, which were mostly analog, could have the screen turned off, but its receiver is still always on. Digital can be turned on and off, and thus could save electricity.

Storage

Since digital turns information into code, it has a much larger capacity to store information than analog, which requires a set amount of space for a set amount of information. Digital can also compress large amounts of code by finding patterns, thereby saving even more digital space.

Integrity

Because analog requires a physical form of storage, it can be subjected to wear and tear, thus deteriorating over time. Digital is simply the information about the original signal. The quality and integrity will therefore never degrade so long as the information can be read.  This also has the advantage of being able to be duplicated and transmitted with zero loss of quality.

Knowing the difference and the advantages of each is an essential aspect of electrician apprenticeship programs. Being in control of the means of storing and communicating information is an essential aspect of modern life.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on electrician and industrial electrician apprenticeship programs.

 
A good tool is only as good as the worker who uses it. This is perhaps nowhere truer than it is in the areas of home improvement. Having the proper tools can save one time, energy, and maybe most importantly, save one from damages and accidents, both to the house and the worker. When walking up and down the aisles of a hardware store, one can be overwhelmed by the selection of kinds, brands and models of tools. Some are absolutely necessary, while others are simply more convenient. Finally, while some tools may look attractive, they can turn out to be utterly useless.

It is a good idea to research tools before buying. Don't stick to product descriptions on brand or store websites. Read comparative reviews and blogs from professionals and everyday users as well to get an unbiased opinion. If possible, borrowing tools from someone else to try them out is an even better way to determine their use and efficacy.

Once a tool has been purchased, you might be excited to go ahead and start using it. It is always recommended, however, to take the time to read the accompanying instruction manual first. Another great way to get the most out of your tools is to see if there are instructional videos online that you can watch. This is also useful for product reviews.

Home improvement courses are often the first place one learns about the necessary tools for a job, such as for plumbing or roofing. Even better than classes are plumber or roofer apprenticeship programs, for here one gets the chance to put their tools to work.

Here is a list of some of the tools required for these trades:

Plumbing Tools

- Tongue and groove pliers

- Basin wrench

- Compression sleeve puller

- Pipe wrench

- Adjustable wrench

- Hacksaw

- Plumber's putty

- Sink auger

- Flange plunger

- Valve reseating tool

- Tubing cutter

Roofing Tools

- Ladder

- Razor Knife

- Speed square

- Shingle sheers

- Tin snips

- Flat bar

- Roofing shovel

- Circular saw

- Roofing jacks

Always check your tools before beginning a new job at least one day in advance when stores are still open, just in case you need something fixed or replaced at the last minute. Always clean your tools properly after use, and if necessary, tighten any parts or replace any components right away if you notice it is needed. Any roofing or plumbing apprenticeship will enforce the importance of these steps before and after a job. Doing so can save you from wasted time, thereby guaranteeing you complete your job satisfactorily and efficiently. This will leave not only solid roofs and smooth plumbing, but happy clients as well.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on plumbing, roofing and other apprenticeship programs.
 
For many people, cars are a natural way of life, although cars in themselves are quite far from being natural objects. They are conceived, designed and engineered by handfuls of specialists. They combine practical science, technology, and synthesized materials. Nowhere in nature could the automobile evolve spontaneously on its own. Cars are only natural as an extension of human beings’ natural ingenuity.

We depend on cars, but cars also depend on us. This is why there are so many opportunities in the automobile service industry. Mechanics will continue to be a necessary hand to motorized society for quite some time. There are many places besides an automotive garage where automobile service technicians can find work, like car dealerships, transportation companies and car or parts manufacturing companies.

Before considering a career as an automotive technician, there are a few things you must ask yourself regarding this kind of career:

- are you prepared for the training?

- can you handle the work environment?

- are you in good enough physical condition?

- do you have the right physical and mental abilities?

Training

Getting the proper education and training could be a long and involved process. Most programs are about 30 hours a week and last for three to four semesters. The best education combines theoretical learning with hands-on experience, which is best gained through an auto mechanic apprenticeship program. You need to know if you are ready to put in the hours learning and working with little or no financial remuneration.

Work Environment

Repair shops and garages are not the most congenial work places for many people. They can be dangerous and unpredictable. You must be ready to work long hours amid loud noises, semi-noxious fumes, hazardous materials, dirt and grease, and heavy vibrating machinery.

Physical Condition

Although we are hearing more often today about the hazards of spending eight hours a day sitting at a desk starting at a monitor, this does not compare with the physical endurance required of a mechanic. You must be in good enough physical shape to withstand extended periods of time working on your feet, on your knees or on your back.  There is also much heavy lifting and carrying involved.

Abilities

The mechanic is much more than just a combination of car and engine aficionado and physical laborer. Knowing how to do something is not the same as being able to properly execute it, and so excellent eye-hand coordination is needed. The mechanic must also be super organized in terms of their tasks and time management. Mental capacities such as problem-solving, logical thinking and decision-making are very important as well. Finally, the mechanic must be a good learner and self-educator, as they must keep up-to-date with new systems and technologies.

Cars are a fundamental service to society, and so indirectly, automotive service technicians are equally important. If you’ve decided to pursue training to become a mechanic though an auto apprenticeship, you’ll find out if you have what it takes to be such a highly valued member of the motorized world.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on general mechanic apprenticeship programs.

           
 
From the Rocky Mountains of the west, to the great expanses of the Prairies, to the sophisticated city centres of Toronto and Montreal, to the gorgeous Atlantic coast of the Maritimes, Canada offers some stunning variety in terms of its culture and scenic landscape. While travelling across Canada is certainly far more difficult than backpacking across Europe, due to the vast distances between regions, there are better and more productive ways to experience Canada. If you are getting an education in a specialized trade, consider doing an apprenticeship that lets you train and work across Canada’s provinces.

Canada has an apprenticeship program called Red Seal: it is a regulated inter-provincial standards program that lets people find suitable and recognizable work across the country to complete their apprenticeships.

How Does It Work?

Red Seal is a program that reviews and selects workplaces in a variety of industries that are up to a certain standard for offering apprenticeship training. When an apprentice candidate with the Red Seal program seeks a place of employment, he or she will have an endorsed list of workplaces to choose from. The graduate will then also have earned a certificate stating that their training was done within the program.

What Are The Advantages Of Red Seal?

Being an apprentice could be tricky because one is basically offering their services to a company without financial remuneration, but rather for experience. The risk is that some companies could exploit this source of cheap labor without properly giving the apprentice the required training. Red Seal guarantees the companies considered are suitable and honorable regarding how they will treat the apprentice.

Another advantage, as mentioned above, is the chance to live and work across Canada while doing an apprentice. It is also provides the graduate of an apprentice program with the qualifications to work and settle in any province.

 

What Kinds Of Industry Does Red Seal Manage?

The areas of work for apprenticeship programs under the Red Seal program are extremely numerous and varied. Some of the most diverse examples of trades are: baker, hairstylist, heavy equipment operator, motorcycle mechanic, roofer, landscape architect, and cabinet maker. This is a very short list but one can already see the ranges of industry, from construction, to the food industry, to the design industry. There are over 50 trades registered with the Red Seal program.  

Conclusion

Canada is so much more than a beautiful place to visit. It is a leader in technology, industry and trade. This is because of the care and high-standards Canada has regarding training their specialists of tomorrow. Because of programs like Red Seal, apprenticeship training is not only a guaranteed excellent education, but also fun, interesting, and gratifying, as the future professional learns in, about, and for this great country.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on apprenticeships in Ontario.

 
Electricity is behind some of the simplest, everyday tasks, like flipping a light switch, booting up your computer, or charging your phone. The little two or three-pronged outlets scattered about mask the complex wiring systems that connect our homes and offices to power plants in byzantine ways the average person knows very little about.

But electricity can be hazardous if not used or installed properly. Because of the reliance we have on electricity, it is vital that we have certain clearly defined regulations in place for the proper installation and maintenance of electrical systems. In Canada, we have what is known as the Canadian Electrical Code. Since 1927, this comprehensive guide has undergone 22 revisions and is revised every three years, as it is important that such codes keep up with new technologies and the increasing demand for power. Anyone planning a career as a commercial or industrial electrician in Canada must be very familiar with this code. Because of the complex nature of this kind of reading, and the necessity of putting to practice the regulations outlined in this code, one cannot simply pick up or download a copy, read it, and get to work. Every major university and trade school program that trains electricians should have several complete courses dedicated to studying the code, and some of the best programs combine these studies with a fully-integrated electrician apprenticeship program.

Many of the sections of the code explain the proper installation of electrical systems in a general setting, for example of a residential or commercial building. Such topics include grounding, bonding and conductors, to name a few. There are also several sections dedicated to electrical systems in locations that require special circumstances. Here are a few examples of these special locations:

- damp or wet locations: these include underground locations or in direct contact with earth, but can also include businesses dealing with water, such as car washes or water parks

- hazardous locations: places where there is a lot of hazardous or flammable materials, like gases or even flammable dusts, such as factories and processing plants

- locations in the health care industry: for example hospitals and nursing homes, where patients may have pacemakers or other electrical devices that can be interfered with from electrical systems

- temporary installations: outdoor concert and event grounds or construction sites, where electrical systems often have greater exposure to the elements and should also be installed and taken down with greater ease and speed

- emergency locations: these are electrical systems for situations where electricity must remain operational even when general electricity is out, for example with exit signs and emergency lighting during a blackout

Learning the Canadian Electrical Code is not something to be taken lightly precisely because the importance of proper procedure effects far more than the simple operations of light switches and cell phones, but affects the safety and lives of everyone. While almost anyone can plug in their computer, only someone with extensive schooling and training in an industrial electrician apprenticeship program would be trusted to power up our hospitals, airports and fire stations.

Visit Mohawk College for more information on apprenticeship programs
 
Some jobs are more hazardous than others. A professional Formula One driver puts himself at far more risk every time he gets behind the wheel than someone who puts on their headset at a call centre. But it isn't always so black and white.

Regarding skilled technician work in construction and similar industries, one would easily assume the roofer's job is far more dangerous than the plumber's. A roofer spends most of his time working high up while the plumber is safely on the ground. But proper workplace safety is is just as important for the plumber as the roofer, even if in less obvious ways. What the plumber and the roofer have in common regarding workplace safety is attention and diligence regarding their surroundings, their equipment, and  themselves. Though this intuition is learned during one's career, it is important to get the proper education and training beforehand regarding workplace safety.

Roofing Safety

Falling off the roof is the most obvious danger, and this can happen because of a loss of balance, careless equipment or material handling, or even the roof caving in. The basic tips for maintaining balance include: never rush or hurry, stay cool and well-hydrated, and always keep a stable visual point of reference to avoid dizziness. In most cases the roofer can make use of a temporary guard rail, but this option is not always available.

Other aspects of roofing safety include the proper procedure for handling propane cylinders used to heat the tar. Keep propane tanks upright and away from other materials that may need to be moved around a lot. When moving a propane tank, always lift it properly from both ends of the collar, never drag or slide the tank. Another hazard is the presence of electrical lines which are often present near roofs. Know in advance the electrical voltage and keep the appropriate distance, which is approximately 1 metre for up to 750 volts. These and other useful guidelines are standard material taught in any roofer apprenticeship program.

Plumbing Safety

For plumbers, perhaps the biggest hazard is the exposure to noxious chemicals, like asbestos, lead or mold. Proper inspection of the work area for such chemicals is vital before beginning a job. Also be sure to wear the necessary protective gear while working and then wash your hands and equipment properly after each job.

Plumbers also have to negotiate some tricky spots to work. If working in a confined space, make sure that it is properly ventilated using some an air monitor device. Also pay attention to your own body for being at risk of muscle pains. Taking short breaks for fresh air and stretching goes a long way for physical safety and health. Regarding excessively wet spaces, be extra cautious to avoid electric shock by employing a grounding device. Doing a plumber apprenticeship will train you with grounding and air monitoring devices.

These are just a few examples of the hazards and safety precautions for roofer and plumbers. Both must always practice proper equipment handling at all times, must have done a good inspection of their work areas, and must pay attention to their physical conditions during their long hours of work.

Visit Mohawk College and learn more about opportunities doing general apprenticeships.