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.

Photo: Electrician apprentice learning from a licensed journeyperson

Updated May 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 re-trained 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.

10 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.