Education · 1 of 4
The path
An apprenticeship: two to four years of paid site work with short school blocks.
- 1
High school
Grade 10 to 12
Ontario's minimum is Grade 10, and union locals take apprentices from age 18. Math and shop help. You must be comfortable at height and physically strong.
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Get into the union hall or a contractor
Weeks to months
Most ironworkers are union. Toronto's Local 721 gives applicants a mechanical aptitude and math test. Non-union steel erectors and rebar contractors also sponsor.
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Register the apprenticeship
Days
With Skilled Trades Ontario, Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training, or your province's trades body. Pick a stream: generalist, structural, or reinforcing.
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Work and study
2 to 4 years
In Ontario, structural and ornamental is 6,000 hours: 5,280 on the job and 720 in school over three levels. Generalist is 8,000 hours and reinforcing 4,000.
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Certificate of Qualification and Red Seal
After your hours
Pass the provincial exam. The Red Seal endorsement lets you follow the work to any province.