Plumbing Apprenticeship appliedtechnology.humber.ca
FAQ s on Apprenticeship What is apprenticeship? Apprenticeship is hands-on training for people who enjoy learning by doing. The training provides access to well-paying jobs that demand a high level of skills, judgment and creativity. Apprentices are paid while gaining work experience, and their wages increase with their level of skills. About 90 per cent of apprenticeship training is provided in the workplace by employers or sponsors who provide training to standards of skill and safety set by industry. The remainder involves classroom instruction on theory, which is usually given at a local community college or provided by another approved training organization. To become an apprentice, you must find an employer who is willing to train. Such jobs are rarely advertised, and, instead, employers often rely on word of mouth to attract applicants. People who want to become apprentices usually apply directly to an employer, union, or local apprenticing committee. After being hired, many apprentices will, because of their skills, be asked to train new apprentices, or will find opportunities to manage operations, start their own businesses, or use their experience as a base for technological or engineering studies at a college or university. PLEASE NOTE: You must be a registered apprentice in your chosen field before the Ministry sends you an offer of classroom training. Humber College is not responsible for accepting students into the apprenticeship programs. We receive our student lists from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. You cannot directly apply for an apprenticeship program. You need to be working for a plumber and be registered as an apprentice first. What are the steps to Apprenticeship? 1. Find an employer 2. Sign a contract of apprenticeship or training agreement with your employer and Training Consultant from the Apprenticeship Board of the Provincial government 3. Complete on the job training and required working hours 4. Complete in-school training at your assigned community college 5. Challenge and pass the trade certification exam and receive a grade of at least 70% 6. Receive your Certificate of Qualifications and journeyperson status Page 2
Plumbing Apprenticeship School of Applied Technology North Campus Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced - Eight weeks Apprenticeship offers you an opportunity to learn a highly skilled trade in a variety of occupations through practical job experience and in-school training. To begin an apprenticeship you must first be employed in the industry, in your case you have to find a plumbing company that will take you on as an apprentice. Once you get a job, you must contact The Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities (905) 279-7333 Mississauga Office. A representative from the Ministry will come to your place of employment and register you as an apprentice. Contact your local Apprenticeship Branch Office of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities for start dates. A plumber is defined as someone who installs repairs and maintains piping, fittings and fixtures involved in the distribution and use of water in a building. The safe removal of 'used' water (sanitary sewage, gray water and storm water) discharged from a building is also the responsibility of a plumber. This is accomplished by installing a series of drains, wastes and vents within a building. These important tasks require the skills and knowledge to: lay out a job from blueprints; plan installations from blueprints; assemble and install new piping systems within a building (commercial and residential); maintain and repair fixtures, faucets, valves and piping in buildings (commercial and residential); test water and drainage piping (storm and sanitary); and diagnose water flow problems (pressure and drainage piping). Admission Requirements This apprenticeship is regulated by the Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act. Grade 10 Ontario Secondary School at or above the general level; Grade 10 English (applied or academic); Grade 10 Mathematics (applied or academic); A solid background in science is an asset. Page 3
About one year after you are a registered apprentice, the Ministry will send you an Offer Of Classroom Training where you have the opportunity to come to your Basic level of in-school training. This will also happen for your Intermediate and Advanced. Plumbing Fees Basic 8 weeks $400 Intermediate 8 weeks $400 Advanced 8 weeks $400 Plumbing apprentices serve a 9000-hour apprenticeship with 720 hours allocated toward three levels of in-school training (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced). Upon successful completion of in-school and on-the-job training, the apprentice will be eligible to write the Ontario Certificate of Qualification (C. of Q.) trade exam where a 70% or higher is needed to pass. After holding a valid plumber C. of Q. license for a minimum of two years you are eligible to write a Master Plumber exam. You may also write an inter-provincial exam that will let you work in provinces that participate in the 'Red Seal' program. Additional Information 1. The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program - OYAP is now offered by some Ontario School Boards. This program allows you to complete high school while working part-time as a registered apprentice. If you are at least 16 years of age and have completed Grade 10, contact your guidance counselor or technical director for more information. 2. Red Seal Program - this program was established to provide greater mobility across Canada for skilled workers, allowing them to practice the trade in any province or territory. Through the program, apprentices who have completed their training and certified journeypersons, are able to obtain a Red Seal endorsement on their certificates of qualification and apprenticeship by successfully completing an Interprovincial Standards Examination. Contact the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (905) 279-7333 Mississauga office for more details. 3. Foreign-Trained Tradespeople - In Ontario, the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities helps tradespeople to obtain recognition of their trade qualifications and experience, or to enter an apprenticeship. Tradespeople who have enough related work experience to meet Ontario standards and who pass a written examination receive a Certificate of Qualification. Contact the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (905) 279-7333, Mississauga office, for more details. Page 4
Career Opportunities A plumber typically works in small, medium, and large companies on a variety of projects. Some plumbers and companies specialize in either the residential, commercial, industrial sector. Many plumbers have their own business. Plumbing is a Red Seal Trade. There will be many job opportunities resulting from a high level of retirements over the next few years. The estimated average annual income for a plumber in the Toronto area in 2004 was $50,000. Useful Addresses and Phone Numbers PLUMBERS & STEAMFITTERS/ PIPEFITTERS: Local 46 Training Centre- 936 Warden Avenue Scarborough, ON M1L 4C9 Contact: Joe Bowdring 759-9351 Plumbers Local 599 (Barrie) Training Centre- 295 Edgehill Drive Barrie, ON. L4M 4V1 Contact: Dennis Carter (705) 722-3006 http://www.ua.org Local 67, Hamilton Ontario http://www.ualocal67.com National Maintenance Council of Canada http://www.gpmccanada.com National Plumbing Code of Canada 1995 http://www.nrc.ca/irc/catalogue/plumbing.html National Building Code of Canada 1995 Go to the following site to order, http://www.nrc.ca/irc/catalogue/nbc1.html Pipefusion Services - training Tel: (705) 789-9411 http://www.pipefusion.com Page 5
Helpful Websites www.apprenticesearch.com www.jobbank.gc.ca www.classifiedextra.ca www.yellowpages.ca www.workopolis.com www.humber.ca www.skilledtrades.ca www.tradesway.com www.hrdc.gc.ca http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/training/apprenticeship/skills/splash.html http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/owd/english/economic/index.html http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/training/apprenticeship/skills/moreinfo.html http://www.jobfutures.ca/noc/7242.shtml www.ua.org Contact Anne da Nova at 416.675.6622 ext. 4392, fax 416.675.6187 or apprenticeship@humber.ca or visit appliedtechnology.humber.ca/programs/ electric/index for further information. Humber North Campus 205 Humber College Blvd. Toronto, Ontario, Canada M9W 5L7 www.humber.ca Page 6