Herzing Skilled Trades

Photo: Electrician students at Herzing College in Toronto

Exactly what kinds of work or areas of specialty can you pursue as an electrician? Is there more to this trade than routine wiring installation and repairs?

Absolutely. There’s a wide range of career paths open to you. It all depends on your individual strengths, preferences, and career goals.

What kind of environment do you want to work in? Are you fixed on avoiding outdoor work? Are you especially interested in electronics, computers, renewable energy, or telecommunications?

In this post, we're comparing electrician career paths to help you see what's out there. Here's a look at some of your top options.

It's a key question for anyone thinking about a career as an electrician in Ontario: Just how much money can you expect to earn?

Electrician salaries depend on a range of factors, including what company you work for, what area you specialize in, and how much experience you have.

We looked at government data and dozens of actual job postings to get an idea of earnings for electrician apprentices as well as fully qualified journeymen in different specialties.

In this post, we explain how much you can make in various electrician roles, and how to get started with training. Here's what you need to know.

Raechel Kula’s career path has taken some interesting turns. After several years in software testing, she went back to school for theatre training. But steady work in the entertainment industry is hard to come by, and she liked the idea of a job with more regular hours.

An encounter with some electricians sparked her interest in that trade. That led her to enrol in the electrician and network cabling program at Herzing College.

After graduating in September 2022, she immediately went to work full time at a small company in Toronto that installs lighting, communications, and audio-video systems in commercial and high-end residential properties.

We spoke with Raechel to learn more about her experience at Herzing and how her career has unfolded. Here’s her story.

Updated December 2023

There are many compelling reasons to become an electrician in Ontario. This trade offers challenging work, good wages, and a variety of career options.

If you’re looking to establish a career in this trade, you must eventually pass an exam to obtain your electrician licence, known as a Certificate of Qualification. This certificate serves as proof that you have met all the requirements to work as an electrician in Ontario.

So what is the exam all about, and how can you get ready for it? That’s what we cover in this post. Keep reading for details about the path to becoming a licensed electrician and tips to help with your Certificate of Qualification exam preparation.

Updated May 2023

Thinking of beginning electrician courses? Getting ready to upgrade your skills or switch career paths?

Your first step will likely be a pre-apprenticeship program, where you'll learn the theory and practical skills needed to excel in an electrician apprenticeship.

An important part of that training will be learning how electrical systems actually work, how to perform troubleshooting and maintenance, and how to stay safe when carrying out installations and repairs.

Get a head start by testing yourself on these seven very common electricity myths. Which of these misconceptions have you bought into over the years?

Updated May 2023

The rules are clear: if you want to become an electrician in Ontario, you must complete an apprenticeship.

That’s a five-year process of learning the trade, mainly through paid on-the-job training, but also through classroom study. You need to prove you have the skills and expertise to do the work safely.

But before starting any of that, most people complete an electrical pre-apprenticeship. That gives you a solid foundation of skills that employers value in new apprentices.

So what is an electrical pre-apprenticeship all about? How do you get started, what do you learn, and what career options will you have when you graduate?

Keep reading to find out.

Updated November 2023

Considering a career as an electrician? Wondering what the employment outlook in Ontario is like?

Good news: the overall demand for electricians throughout the province is expected to remain steady for the foreseeable future.

Of course, there are different types of electricians, and different factors that affect the demand for their expertise. To get the full story, we reviewed labour market data for construction and maintenance electricians, industrial electricians, power system electricians, and lineworkers.

Get the latest information on demand for electricians in Ontario and learn how you can get started in this trade.

Updated May 2023

Construction electricians are the skilled tradespeople who get the lights on and the machines running. They plan, install, upgrade, maintain, and repair the electrical systems that bring heat, light, communication, and power to all kinds of new buildings.

And the demand for their expertise is expected to grow. According to BuildForce Canada, the construction industry in Ontario will need more than 15,000 new workers between 2022 and 2027.

Thinking about riding that wave and becoming a construction electrician? Curious about what you'd actually do at work?

In this post, we break down the most typical day-to-day tasks of construction electricians. We also spoke with an experienced Hamilton-based construction electrician to get his take on the career.

Find out what to expect and see if this trade is a good choice for you.

Photo: Electrician apprentice learning from a licensed journeyperson

Updated December 2023

Hoping to become a licensed electrician in Ontario? Your journey begins with getting an electrician apprenticeship.

An electrician apprenticeship combines classroom learning with paid on-the-job training under an experienced journeyperson (licensed electrician).

Apprentices get to "earn while they learn." It's an excellent alternative to other university and college programs, where most students don't get real work experience and end up in debt.

Once you successfully complete your electrician apprenticeship, you can write the certification exam that allows you to become a licensed electrician.

Sounds simple enough, right? Actually, there are a few more things to know about how this whole process works.

How long is the training? What can you expect during your apprenticeship? How do you get hired as an apprentice?

In this post, we answer all those questions and more.

Here's everything you need to know about how electrician apprenticeships work in Ontario.

Certified Electrician instructor, Lakeram Ramkaran at the Herzing College Toronto campus

Lakeram Ramkaran has been teaching Herzing's Pre-apprenticeship Electrician training since the beginning of 2020. But his experience as an electrician goes way back, all the way to Guyana, where he learned how to build circuits as a young boy.

Like so many Torontonians, Lakeram immigrated to Canada looking for new opportunities. He retrained to meet Canadian electrician certification requirements, passed the exam, and became a master electrician.

He also earned certification as an Ontario teacher in 2011, setting him on the path to a career in skilled trades education.

Ten years later, Lakeram is helping train the next generation of electrician apprentices. A veteran of the trade with 15 years of practical experience, Lakeram is the ideal person to answer our questions about becoming an electrician.