Working in the Skilled Trades in Nova Scotia

The skilled trades are a well-paying and exciting career choice. They are in high demand in communities across Canada. In Nova Scotia, skilled trades professionals are at the forefront of the province’s growing economy. If you have a passion for construction, motive power, industrial/manufacturing, or the service industry, you can achieve a highly rewarding, and successful career.

Some trades are specified as compulsory certified in Nova Scotia. This means that to perform the work of that trade a person must have a Certificate of Qualification issued by the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency (NSAA), a temporary permit, or be registered as an apprentice.

A Certificate of Qualification is proof that a person is qualified to an industry standard to work in that trade. Once a trades professional has met all the requirements to practice their trade in their province and has passed a certification exam, they become certified in that trade. While most trades do not require a certification, becoming certified in a trade often translates into better pay and more opportunities for advancement. In Nova Scotia, the NSAA administers the trades training system. Registering as an apprentice is a pathway to become certified.

Apprenticeship is a system of on-the-job training that leads to certification. Apprentices work for an employer as a paid employee and receive on-the-job training from an experienced and certified trades professional (journeyperson). About 80 percent of an apprenticeship is spent working and learning on the job, and about 20 percent is instructor-based technical training.

To become an apprentice, you must have a job working under the supervision of a certified tradesperson who assesses competency in the practical skills of the trade. Apprentices get paid while they are learning, and as they progress in their apprenticeship their pay increases. There are also many financial supports available throughout the apprenticeship training, such as awards, grants, and loans. At the end of their apprenticeship, apprentices write the certification exam.

Interested in learning more about apprenticeship? Watch this video.

Newcomers can also demonstrate their skills to a potential employer in the trades through the Work-based Trades Practical Assessment Program (WTPA). The WTPA is a 12-week paid opportunity for newcomers to gain Canadian work experience in their trade and build their professional networks in Nova Scotia.

Many newcomers in Nova Scotia have found success in the skilled trades. Whether you are a cook, a welder, a plumber, an automotive service technician, or a trades professional in any of the over 70 skilled trades available, a rewarding and well-paying career opportunity awaits in Nova Scotia.