BC needs tens of thousands of skilled tradespeople over the next decade. The jobs are here. The pay is real. The future is yours to build.
All trades listed are certifiable through the Industry Training Authority (ITA BC) and Skilled Trades BC. Click any trade to learn more about the path.
BC is facing a skilled trades shortage unlike anything we've seen. That's not a warning — it's an invitation. The table is set. The question is whether you'll sit down.
Apprentices earn a real wage from day one. No tuition debt. No four years waiting to enter the workforce.
AI can't wire a panel, fix a burst pipe, or cut a key. Skilled trades are recession-resistant and automation-proof.
A Red Seal certificate is the foundation of a business. Most successful trade contractors started exactly where you are.
You build things that last. You solve real problems. People remember the person who fixed what was broken.
These institutions offer apprenticeship technical training and certification programs recognized by Skilled Trades BC and the ITA.
People who took the path. In their own words.
"I was stacking shelves at 19 with no plan. My cousin got me a job sweeping a shop. Four years later I'm a Red Seal electrician making more than most people I went to school with."
"People told me trades were for people who couldn't do anything else. I own two vans now and I'm 28. My friends with degrees are still figuring it out."
"I came to Canada speaking broken English. Trades gave me a path that didn't care about my accent. It cared about my work. That meant everything."
"Locksmith was not on my radar until a friend showed me what access control actually looked like. It's tech. It's problem solving. It's physical. I was hooked."
"The money is real. $45/hr as a second-year apprentice. My friends finishing degrees are applying for $22/hr jobs. I have no debt. They have $60,000 of it."
"My dad was a carpenter. I resisted it for years trying to be different. Eventually I tried it and realized — this is legacy. I'm proud to carry it forward."
Metro Vancouver trade companies actively hiring apprentices and journeypersons. More added regularly.
→ Are you a company? List your business here to reach qualified candidates.
Whether you're just exploring or actively building your trade career — SkilledBC has a place for you. Free to start, always.
You're exploring trades or actively training. This is your hub.
Access a searchable directory of certified and apprentice tradespeople in BC who are ready to work.