Education · 1 of 4

The path

There is no contractor apprenticeship. You learn a trade or construction management, then learn to run a job, then run your own.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   Grade 12 with math, English and a construction class. Business courses help more than most people expect.

2. 2

   Trade or diploma

   2 to 5 years

   A carpentry apprenticeship is the classic route. A 2-year Construction Engineering Technology diploma or a 4-year construction management degree is the office route.

3. 3

   Lead hand, foreperson, site superintendent

   3 to 6 years

   Run crews, then whole sites for someone else. Learn scheduling, subcontractors, inspections and clients.

4. 4

   Licences and paperwork

   Weeks to months

   To build new homes you need a builder licence: HCRA (the Home Construction Regulatory Authority) in Ontario, BC Housing in BC, the provincial builder licence in Alberta, and the RBQ (the Quebec building board) in Quebec. Plus insurance, workers' compensation and often a municipal contractor licence.

5. 5

   Your own company

   Years 8 to 10 and beyond

   Start with renovations or a single custom build, then grow.