Your skills are transferable
The skills you learn for one trade can often lead logically to another. For example:
- Welders, ironworkers and boilermakers all work with similar materials and equipment.
- A crane operator already has many of the skills it takes to become a heavy equipment operator
Create your own path
Your experience as a skilled tradesperson can lead to other paths down the road. Whatever path you choose, you’re sure to end up with a fulfilling and rewarding career. Click on the links to see sample career paths.
Education/Training Career Paths
Option 1
Some trades share many of the same skills and knowledge and its possible to move between them without having to go through a second apprenticeship – you can just learn what you need to pass the certification exam. In this example, after being certified as a journeyperson, a welder changes to the related trade of boilermaker. After gaining considerable work experience, she applies to become a trainer and teaches boilermaking courses while continuing her career as a boilermaker.
Engineering Career Paths
Option 1
You may enter engineering or related careers by taking college or university programs.
Option 2
But you can also begin in a trade or occupation such as electrician, landscaper or surveyor. Certification and work experience provide a great background if you choose to pursue a diploma or degree in the same field, or in another construction-related trade or occupation.
Management Career Paths
Option 1
Management careers may begin with certification as a construction worker or with on-the-job experience, but in most cases some post-secondary study is essential.
Option 2
Many managers start in unrelated fields such as business, marketing or accounting. Sometimes they work in other industries before discovering construction.
Option 3
Consider this example of an uncertified labourer that went on to an apprenticeship as a driller/blaster. Already experienced on site, she decides to take construction management courses. After proving her abilities in a series of jobs with greater responsibility, she is offered the project manager position.
Option 4
In this alternate example, she enters a technical college after high school and studies surveying. After gaining some work experience, she decides to expand her opportunities by taking a business degree at university. After working as a scheduler and assistant project manager, she is offered the job of project manager.
Technical / Administrative Career Paths
Careers in technical and administrative support may develop in a variety of ways. Consider this example of two office managers:
Option 1
One might have a construction background and have worked as a trades helper/labourer before studying construction management and pursuing an administrative career.
Option 2
The other might have gone to college after high school, received a diploma in sales and, after working in the construction industry for a time, decided to pursue an accounting degree. With her combination of experience and skills, he lands a job as office manager with a home building firm.
