Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Funded by the
ATTENDING TRADE SCHOOL
TRADE SCHOOL
Q Where do I go to attend Trade
School; do I attend during the
day or at night?
A Apprentices attend full day trade
school courses at a local community
college either through Block Release
which is 5 days per week for 8 or 10
weeks or Day Release which is 1 day
per week for 38 weeks.
Q Is Trade School mandatory and
does post-secondary education
count as an exemption from all
or part of it?
A All apprentices regardless of sec-
ondary or post-secondary education
are to attend Basic, Intermediate
and Advanced Trade School.
Q What will I learn while I am in
Trade School?
A At Trade School you will be taught
all aspects of the electrical trade.
Some of the components include:
• Fundamentals of Building Construction
• Electrical Code
• Print Reading and Drawing
• Electrical Theory
• Installation Methods
• Communications Systems
• Electronics
• Instrumentation
• Programmable Logic Controls
• Fire Alarm and Building Systems
FINANCIAL REWARDS
O
ne of the advantages of appren-
ticeship is that you are paid
while you learn. The electrical
trade is governed by the Ontario
Apprenticeship and Tradesman’s
Qualification Act which sets the rela-
tive rate of pay for an electrical
apprentice. The rate of pay for the first
period of training is 40 percent of the
journeymen rate. It increases 10 per-
cent each period until the fifth and final period of apprenticeship when
the rate is 80 percent.
Skilled people are in steady demand
and are well paid in the electrical
industry today. Advances in technolo-
gy impact the electrical trade more
than any other trade. There is an
increasing demand for well trained
people. Wages are generally higher in
urban centres than in rural areas, and
will often be better in the unionized
sector than in the unorganized sector.
Earn while you learn . . .
• 40% during 1st period of on-the-job training
• 50% during 2nd period of on-the-job training
• 60% during 3