Becoming an Electrician in Canada

How do I become an Electrician in Canada?

To become an electrician in Canada you will need to successfully complete an electrical apprenticeship. Once you complete your electrical apprenticeship, you are able to take the Certificate of Qualification (C of Q) exam. Passing the C of Q exam qualifies you to become an electrician in Canada.

When looking to become an electrician in Canada, one of the best ways to stand out to a potential employer is by taking a pre-apprenticeship program. ETCO provides a great online course Electrical Technician Training that will teach you the foundational and practical knowledge required to start your electrical apprenticeship!

What types of Electricians are there?

The two most common types of electricians in Canada are Construction & Maintenance and Industrial.

Construction & Maintenance Electrician

A C&M electrician license will allow you to perform electrical installation and maintenance work in the residential, commercial and industrial fields in most provinces. Select a province from the list below to see specific details.

Industrial Electrician

An Industrial Electrician works specifically with the industrial field. In some provinces this is a mandatory license and some provinces leave this as a voluntary license.

What is an Electrical Apprenticeship?

An electrical apprenticeship may vary by province, but it consists of both on the job training and in class theory. A Construction and Maintenance Electrician apprenticeship in Ontario typically takes 5 years to complete and requires the apprentice to complete 3 levels of school (840 hours) and 8,160 hours of on the job training / work experience.

An alternative to completing an electrical apprenticeship is to successfully pass the trade equivalency assessment (TEA). The TEA is designed for people who have an equal amount of knowledge, training and working hours in the electrical industry. If you successfully pass the TEA, you will be granted access to write the C of Q exam to obtain your electrician’s licence.

What is a pre-apprenticeship program?

A pre-apprenticeship program is a course designed to provide you with the foundational knowledge most employers are looking for before signing you up as an electrical apprentice. These courses generally provide electrical theory, safety, and an overview of the different careers withing the electrical industry.

The Electrical Technician Training course through ETCO is a perfect online pre-apprenticeship course that will provide you with the knowledge that most employers are looking for when hiring an electrical apprentice.

Province Specific

Becoming an Electrician in Ontario

Ready to start?

Enroll in the Electrical Technician Training course today to gain the knowledge required and receive a certificate from ETCO to help you land that desired electrical apprentice position!