Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a combination of on-the-job and technical training where skilled practitioners pass on knowledge and share their skills with the learner.
To work in certain trades, you must become an apprentice and pass a provincial Red Seal certification examination. In other sectors, apprenticeship is an optional but highly beneficial experience. Taking an NSCC program may help fast-track your apprenticeship journey because with some programs you receive credit for the theory and practical training you learn with us.
Benefits of apprenticeship
Several benefits of becoming an apprentice include:
- Earning money while you learn: You’ll earn a wage from your employer and as you successfully complete each level of training, your salary will increase.
- Mentorship and hands-on-training: Apprenticeship allows you to learn high-level skills through personal, on-the-job training from a highly qualified tradesperson.
- Job opportunities: Skilled workers are in demand in Nova Scotia and across the country.
Becoming an apprentice
- After you complete your program and find an employer to mentor you, you enter into an apprenticeship agreement with the employer through the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency.
- This agreement and journey will vary in duration depending on your trade.
- Upon completion of your apprenticeship, you’ll be eligible to write a provincial or Red Seal certification exam. If successful, you’ll become a journeyperson (certified tradesperson) and will receive a Red Seal endorsement, if the trade is Red Seal, which is what employers look for as an indication of skills and competency.
More information
To see if your program or trade has an apprenticeship option post-graduation, check your program page or visit the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency.