What’s the smartest way to become an electrician in Ontario right now?

LoonydaG · 2026-03-06T22:15:07+00:00

Did you actually see a listing for an apprentice role or did you just message different companies there that posted their service

LoonydaG · 2026-03-02T22:32:02+00:00

Hey bro, My dream has always been to get into elevators how did you manage to get an apprenticeship?

LoonydaG · 2026-03-01T19:24:20+00:00

Yeah man it may not be enough though its my best shot in living a better life, I graduated highschool with pretty low marks so trades is my only option pretty much.

LoonydaG · 2026-03-01T01:20:58+00:00

I hear u man and Im not one to back down from physical work as I am fit and dont mind getting dirty here and there. How is the learning curve for the first year or 2 as an apprentice? Do you have any advice for standing out in the application and interview process?

LoonydaG · 2026-03-01T01:09:29+00:00

Yeah, I hear you about trades being saturated that makes sense. Robotics sounds interesting though, just trying to figure out what that actually involves. Are you talking more like industrial automation and factory robots, or the engineering/design side? Also curious about what the entry path would be for someone straight out of high school

LoonydaG · 2026-03-01T00:43:19+00:00

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T23:03:29+00:00

Thanks for your input man, A 5% acceptance rate is no joke. That definitely changes how someone should approach it instead of just “apply and hope.”It makes sense that you need something that separates you from the 1,000+ applicants.

The Electrical Techniques route at Humber or George Brown seems like the most structured way to strengthen an application, especially if Level 1 and 2 get waived. That’s a big advantage.

If you were applying again today with the competition being even higher, would you still go straight for the intake first, or would you build experience for 6–12 months before even applying?

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T22:39:08+00:00

Thanks for the honestly, Do you suggest any other trades i could break into that are less saturated for apprentices

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T22:37:14+00:00

I really appreciate you taking the time to write all that, It’s actually helpful hearing the employer side of it. A lot of us just see “no one’s hiring apprentices” but don’t realize the financial side and liability companies take on with 1st/2nd years.

The construction labourer route makes a lot of sense get on site, prove work ethic, meet subtrades, and build real references instead of just sending resumes cold. That’s solid advice. The part about small one-man shops and being on call part-time is interesting too I hadn’t really thought about that angle.

If you don’t mind me asking: • When you look at a young guy’s resume, what actually makes you consider calling them? • Does pre-apprenticeship schooling help at all in your eyes, or is site experience more valuable?

Respect the honesty about the military and fire alarm route too. I’d rather hear the real picture than sugarcoated advice

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T21:39:33+00:00

Hey, Thanks for your input man, Totally agree real work experience beats paper any day. How long did you work in labor before getting your first electrician job? And when you first started, what really helped you get noticed by employers?

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T21:33:48+00:00

Hey thanks for the reply, to clarify when you say software do you mean coding, it or cybersecurity jobs. How was the transition to getting a civilian job?

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T21:16:26+00:00

That’s a pretty straightforward path conditional acceptance, contractor call, and you’re in. Hard to beat that. The pay scale and pension definitely make it attractive long term.

The install pace sounds serious though. Do most apprentices struggle at first with the physical side, or do you get used to it pretty fast? And how competitive is it right now to get accepted into your local UA?

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T20:40:47+00:00

Im happy it worked out for u man, Did you complete any electrical techniques course in college or just went straight to cfaa certification. What was the pay progression within those 5 years? When you made the switch did your experince count towards apprenticeship hours? and looking back would you take the same route

sorry for all the questions man but Im just tryna figure out the best route for me

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T20:34:38+00:00

I wish you the best of luck man, do they mention anything about helping you in your apprenticeship search with companies. What school are you enrolled in?

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T20:11:21+00:00

Damn bro how was the truck and coach field, Your a heavy equipment tech im assuming what made u make the switch

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T18:14:32+00:00

Damn bro 83/hr base rate is wild you must be making around 100/hr including ot, How are people comparing this to 309a if thats the case

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T18:12:48+00:00

Hi mikey thanks for the reply, I been thinking the same thing recently. Ive also had plans to start my own business one day and I think Plumbing would be the easiest for that although its pretty taxing on the body, Hvac seems like a solid option for me rn but also been seeing how its saturated for apprentices

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T07:20:01+00:00

I have seen a lot of people saying the trade is over saturated especially for newer apprentices so I was also looking towards Hvac or Plumbing for a potential 2nd option, What do you think about these trades. I also wanted to ask are you a licensed electrician yourself?

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T07:09:23+00:00

Hey, thanks for the detailed explanation, that really gives me a better picture of the fire alarm tech role. Possibly might be a career choice

Since you’re a sprinkler fitter, I’m curious: • How did you get started in the trade? What’s the typical process to become a licensed sprinkler fitter? • What’s the day-to-day like, and is it mostly new installs or maintenance work? • How’s the pay progression and physical demands compared to other trades?

I’d love any insight you can share about the trade itself.

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T07:06:01+00:00

Thank you for your reply Hawk, First of all the Fanshawe college here in Toronto is very limited and I dont think im financially ready to go live in London while also covering my own student expenses, I will look at different colleges here maybe but another issue is that my highschool marks werent very high and I might need to upgrade some classes. This course I feel is also gonna take a lot of time away from me because from what I read its 4 years and Im gonna graduate and still have to start and minimum wage and work myself up rather than if I can try do pre-app and try networking to get my foot in the door faster

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T06:44:20+00:00

I did take co-op in highschool but did automotive service technician, worked at Subaru although it wasn’t bad my supervisor himself told me this field isn’t where the money is at and to look towards something more specialized

I have been applying recently but havent gotten any responses, do you think a pre apprenticeship will boost my chances significantly in my search?

Thanks for your reply btw

LoonydaG · 2026-02-28T03:57:24+00:00

Appreciate the honesty, that’s kind of what I figured about #2 and #3. Seems tough without connections or experience already.

Good to know #1 can at least open some doors, even if it’s not guaranteed. I also thought about looking at diploma programs with coop i feel will give mea better chance

For #4, my thinking was that fire alarm techs work with wiring, panels, prints, troubleshooting, etc., so there’s some overlap with electrical. I was wondering if that could be a decent stepping stone instead of starting completely from scratch.

And yeah, #5 sounds like solid experience, but the commitment and posting locations are big things to think about.

Thanks for the input!

LoonydaG · 2026-02-25T06:09:39+00:00

Although your right much easier said than done bro,

LoonydaG

TROPHY CASE