If you’re hard-working, love challenges and love working with your hands to get projects done, then becoming a carpentry assistant could be the right career choice for you. The field of home renovation covers various different crafts and trades, and carpentry is one of the most interesting among them.

In fact, working as a carpentry assistant has many advantages depending on what you are looking for in a job. Here are three reasons why becoming a carpentry assistant is a career path worth pursuing after your home renovation technician studies.

1. Carpentry Assistants Get to Tackle a Variety of Tasks

As a carpentry assistant, you might find yourself helping more experienced carpenters in performing a variety of tasks, such as safely using various tools, reading blueprints, and taking proper measurements. In certain carpentry assistant roles, you may also be expected to take care of duties such as ensuring that facilities are kept clean and machines are properly serviced, gathering and storing construction materials in shops or at construction sites, and helping to ensure that the worksite is kept safe for everyone. You may also be tasked with various drilling, cutting, planing, and other types of jobs with wood, lumber and paneling. This type of job can help give you plenty of experience in the carpentry trade after you’ve studied how to become a home renovation technician.

2. You Can Work on a Schedule That Isn’t the Typical 9 to 5 Day

Schedules can vary significantly in carpentry. Sometimes you can expect to find yourself starting the day around dawn, and working into the evenings to make sure projects can be completed in a timely fashion. That can mean more money in your pocket at the end of the day. At some places, you may work a short work week of just 4 days, while the workdays themselves will be longer. In other words, you can get a long weekend every weekend in those situations! Additionally, because of extenuating circumstances like project delays or weather, the length of the work week and work days can change with little notice. While that sort of schedule doesn’t work for everyone, if you’re someone who wants to avoid the monotony of the typical 9 to 5 workday, then working as a carpentry assistant could be a great choice.

3. Your Home Renovation Technician Training Could Lead You to Various Work Environments

You’ll learn a lot about carpentry during home renovation technician training and you will afterwards be able to take those skills and apply them in different work environments. On some projects, those working in carpentry could find themselves working on construction or remodeling projects with residential homes or commercial offices. Carpentry assistants are also required on big projects, such as highways, bridges, and ships. You may be surprises to learn that carpentry assistants are also found on film and television shoots, as those projects need carpenters and assistants on hand to help build sets and take care of various maintenance duties. Whatever the project may be that you work on, it’s clear that a career in carpentry can take you down many interesting paths.

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Have you been thinking about pursuing a new career? Perhaps you’re stuck in a rut at your current job or you’re just out of school and looking at potential career paths. Whatever your reasons, pursuing a career as an HVAC technician could be an excellent choice for you.

HVAC technicians are in demand in Ontario. Here, population and economic growth is leading to lots of new construction of both residential and commercial buildings. That means if you become an HVAC technician, you have opportunities to work in a wide variety of exciting settings in Ontario.

If you’re wondering about whether you’re the right fit for an HVAC career, there are fortunately a few ways to find out. HVAC technicians are hands-on people. They love working with machines, solving problems, and they certainly aren’t afraid of getting a little dirty from time to time. Plus, many HVAC technicians love the satisfaction of knowing they’re helping to keep people comfortable and safe.

Check out this useful infographic for signs that becoming an HVAC technician may be for you!

Signs You’re Ready to Become an HVAC Technician

Are You a Hands-On Problem Solver?

HVAC technicians love working with machines

They’re not afraid to get their hands dirty

Sometimes they’ll work outside

Other times they may find themselves in cramped spaces

They diagnose problems and get them fixed

Are You Feeling a Bit Bored in Your Current Job?

Being an HVAC technician is not like a regular 9 to 5 office job

You’ll get to tackle new challenges every day, such as:

• Troubleshooting problems
• Installing new HVAC systems
• Performing routine maintenance
• Inspecting systems
• Communicating with customers
• Testing parts and equipment

You’ll travel to different worksites, like:

• Homes
• Shops
• Factories
• Offices
• Hospitals
• Anywhere with heating, ventilation, or air conditioning!

Are You Looking to Make a Difference?

People depend on HVAC technicians to keep buildings:

• Cool in the summer
• Warm in the winter
• Well-ventilated year-round

HVAC technicians do more than just help people stay comfortable

They also keep them safe:

• Nursing homes need HVAC to protect residents on cold or hot days
• Restaurant kitchens rely on HVAC to stay well-ventilated for safety
• Hospitals need HVAC to reduce infections and keep patients safe
• Workplaces rely on HVAC to avoid dangerous working conditions

Do You Want a Successful Career?

In Ontario, there is currently a shortage of HVAC technicians

The demand for HVAC technicians is very strong

94% of HVAC technician work full-time, compared with 79% for all other jobs

Strong demand means HVAC technicians are paid well:

The average salary for an HVAC technician is $51,675

Experienced technicians make up to $87,500!

 

Sources:

https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/outlook-occupation/7533/ON

https://www.randstad.ca/hvac-technician-jobs/

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As an electrician (particularly a construction electrician), it’s important to be able to understand how to read electrical blueprints or layouts. With these layouts, you will have a better understanding of how electrical systems are to be built, and where all the various parts (eg. light fixtures, switches, wires) need to go. That said, they can be a bit complicated to look through at first. Luckily, it’s easier to get the hang of than you might think.

Regardless of all the symbols and more specialized aspects you may encounter while reading them, there are ways you can effectively interpret an electrical plan without too much trouble. Here’s what you should know about reading layouts if you’re studying to become an electrician.

Read What’s in the Architectural Layout Before the Electrical One

When you look at the floorplan for the building’s architectural layout first, you’ll get a good sense of how much space you have to work with, where things are, and where electrical parts should logically go. Not only that, but you’ll have information about the layout that isn’t necessarily in the electrical portion of the plan. This can help you identify potential conflicts between the architectural and electrical plans that you may not have noticed by only looking at the electrical plan. Either way, you’re going to need to understand what sort of parameters and space you have to work with, since you’ll have to work within them to make sure all the wires are in the right place and able to deliver power throughout the building in ways that are safe for everyone and compliant with bylaws and regulations.

Familiarize Yourself With the Wiring Diagrams and Symbol Legend Before Getting Started

In many electrical layouts, there will be symbols representing various parts, and it’s important to study the symbol legend before you start working. Once you understand the symbols legend, you’ll be able to work faster and more efficiently. The legend will help you understand what the symbols are, what they mean, and where various components need to be. The plans for the project’s electrical components will also likely show diagrams of the paths the wires will take between the different pieces of equipment—important to keep in mind since you will be learning about residential wiring in your maintenance electrician training. This will show you the breakers running each wire, as well as which items within the house (eg. lights) are grouped or phased together onto one breaker.

Your Electrician Training Will Help You to Read Blueprints

All instructions of the electrical layout have to be followed exactly as written—or drawn—and sometimes the information presented can be overwhelming and will require specialized knowledge on electrical components. For example, you’ll need to understand how power across lines will be distributed, as well as the circuit’s flow and critical points where separate wires connect. It sounds like a lot to take in, but it is important information to remember so that the job is done effectively and so that fire, sparks or other hazards can be avoided. Fortunately, in electrician training you will learn how to read blueprints and building layouts, as well as the fundamental principles of electricity. At the end of the day, no part of the layout can be misinterpreted or ignored, and learning about plans and layouts will help you become a better electrician.

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Welding is a great job to have if you want to travel. Although you might not think it at first, a welding career can open up several different opportunities for travelling, in a number of different work environments. Working as a travelling welder—or “road warrior,” as they’re called—can be extremely exciting, and it also gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the craft in various locales.

With many situations in which those in the field can perform their duties while seeing various parts of the country, welding is a field with plenty to look forward to after your training. Here are three opportunities in the welding industry that can involve travelling.

You Can Pursue Work as an Underwater Welder

If you have a love for both welding and swimming and have a strong willingness to travel, this could be the ideal way for you to marry the two. By working as an underwater welder, you’ll be working in aquatic locales in rivers, lakes, and oceans to help repair or construct infrastructure, such as dams, oil rigs, pipelines, ships, bridges, and more.

Underwater welding is only for the most experienced of welders, and to get this job you’ll also need your diving certification, which you can pursue after your welding diploma. Since underwater welders are a relatively rare breed, this is definitely a career choice that could result in you travelling or relocating entirely.

You Could Also Become a Structural Welder for Industrial Buildings

As an industrial structural welder, you can travel between factories during shutdowns to repair or maintain industrial buildings and energy plants. In this kind of role, you can expect to spend a significant amount of time on the road, going to the facilities where your skills are required. Industrial shutdown work is often fairly easy to come by, even if major plants tend to have a limited period of being shut down (i.e., about a week or so). However, being able to travel frequently and for certain stretches of time could be a definite boost to your welder career—not to mention you’ll be helping manufacturers keep their plants running smoothly.

You Could Also Work at Shipyards or on Ships in Your Welder Career

Becoming a welder in the shipping industry can also be an exciting opportunity if you’re intrigued by the idea of taking your skills out to sea. Not only is there plenty of variety to be found in the industry as a welder, but the breadth of locales you could find yourself working in can also make this kind of job a particularly rewarding one. You can help to construct various types of ships—in which case you would work in a shipyard—or you could do maintenance tasks onboard a ship, which can involve living on the ship while it is at sea. In either case, the locations where you could find yourself working can be wide ranging. Likewise, onboard maintenance welding jobs can result in you working in different countries often, such as if you’re working on a cruise ship or container ship.

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Cabinetmaking is a craft that combines the traditional art of carpentry with the most sophisticated woodworking instruments. For someone who enjoys woodworking, learning about cabinetmaking can open up exciting career opportunities. While cabinetmaking encompasses everything from the identification and selection of the finest wood, to the reading of designs, to the operation of woodworking equipment, one aspect remains perhaps the most critical: safety.

The skills that you learn in cabinetmaking school must be applied with safety always at the top of your mind. If you might be interested in a career as a cabinetmaker and you want to avoid injury, keep reading to learn some essential safety tips!

1. Where You’re Working is as Important as How You’re Working

When working in cabinetmaking, you might decide to eventually begin your own business or simply do some projects on the side in your workshop. Ensuring that the space you work in is safe should be a top priority.

If you, like many woodworking specialists, decide to set up your headquarters in your personal garage or on your property, you need to make sure that the space meets safety standards. You must consider suitable ventilation, fire hazards, and emergency protocol. Remember that while you may not be in a commercial shop, you too must take safety just as seriously if you decide to go out on your own after cabinetmaking school!

2. What You Wear Can Help Protect You from Safety Hazards

Every woodworker should have the right personal protective equipment (PPE) to wear. While sporting the appropriate PPE might seem an obvious recommendation, injuries as a result of non-adequate protection represent a significant percentage of woodworking injuries. One of the reasons for this, ironically, is expertise. Sometimes, when a professional feels overly confident in their abilities, they decide to omit some of the basic PPE. And although they have achieved mastery of their craft, certain things cannot be predicted regardless of experience. A malfunctioning piece of equipment kicking back and chipping a particle of wood or metal into an unprotected eye can cause irreversible damage!

When you’re equipping yourself for the job, make sure you also pay special attention to:

• Clothing (avoid baggy, floating clothes that might get caught in the machinery)
• Jewelry (a long chain of loose bracelet might also be a hazard)
• Hair (if you’ve got long hair, make sure it’s tied up so it doesn’t get caught in the equipment)

3. Get to Know Your Tools and Equipment in Cabinet Making Training

Another important aspect of safe woodworking practice is the equipment that you are using. You’ll learn in cabinet making training about how to safely use woodworking tools and equipment. You should know what tool is required for what job, and you should know how that tool can be used most effectively. You should always verify that the tool is in adequate condition. For example, there is common a misconception that a sharp blade is more dangerous than a dull blade when, in fact, a dull blade risks getting caught or kicking.

Soliciting help is another important part of safety. If you are operating a tool with which you have little experience, or if you know that a specific task will be easier with the assistance of a fellow woodworker, then it might be a good idea to get help. Be careful, however, to only get help from people who are properly trained!

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HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, and as an HVAC technician you might be responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing any of these systems. An HVAC diploma provides you with hands-on training in order to get you going in your career, no matter what type of system of you focus on.

One aspect of working as an HVAC technician is knowing how to use the right tools for the job. There are multiple instruments that you may encounter and utilize in your training or in your career, including testing devices.

Continue reading to discover a few of the testing devices frequently used by HVAC technicians.

1. An Infrared Thermometer Can Help You Spot Problems from a Distance

An infrared thermometer (IR) uses infrared technology to measure an object’s temperature from a distance. Sometimes called laser thermometers, IRs calculate the infrared emission of an object to determine its temperature. IRs may be used to quickly locate overheating circuits and equipment without requiring direct manual intervention. By adding an IR to your HVAC technician toolbelt, you can find and repair potentially hazardous components.

2. A Digital Multimeter Provides Important Information About Electrical Components

A digital multimeter (DMM) is a diagnostic tool employed by technicians working with electrical components, including by students developing their electricity-related knowledge at HVAC college. The primary purpose of a DMM is to measure electrical values—namely amps (current), volts (voltage), and ohms (resistance). The advantage of a DMM is that it combines the efficacy of multiple single-task meters into one comprehensive device. In one single reading, the user can receive information that would otherwise require three to four separate machines and three to four separate readings.

3. Leak Detectors Can Help You Detect Leaks When You Become an HVAC Technician

Leaks are a problem that HVAC technicians are often called upon to address. Such leaks may be caused by abrasive substances, physical damage, equipment malfunction or a variety of other factors. What is just as important as the problem itself is the ability to detect it. If a gas leak, for example, goes undetected for a prolonged period, it might become a health and safety hazard.

A leak detector helps you see what is otherwise invisible. If a system is utilizing compressed air to generate energy, for example, and that system is leaking, it might result in decreased productivity because energy will be lost. After your HVAC technician training, you may find yourself called upon to help detect and fix leaks and in those cases a leak detector will prove invaluable.

4. A Vacuum Gauge Is a Useful Tool to Have for Refrigeration Systems

A vacuum gauge is an instrument that measures the pressure in a vacuum. They are one of the most important tools used in refrigeration. As an HVAC technician, a vacuum gauge allows you to test the pressure of liquids and gases in cooling systems, which is essential when working with different refrigerants. Vacuum gauges are also necessary when servicing or replacing a refrigeration system as they provide you with important information about the system.

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Conduit bending is an essential skill electricians learn during their training. Various materials from rigid steel to EMT (electrical metallic tubing) will call for bending at some point or another. If you’re studying to become an electrician, there are numerous reasons why this is an important skill to have under your belt.

While you’ll be taught about conduit bending during your courses, it’s good to have some idea of what it is beforehand. Here’s what students in electrician college need to know about conduit bending.

There Are At Least Four Different Ways You Can Bend It

With regards to conduit bending, there are several methods you can choose to get the job done. Among them are the 90º (also known as the “stub up” bend), back to back, offset, and the saddle bend. The stub-up bend is where one end of the conduit is bent upward into a 90º L shape. Back to back bends are where parallel stub-up bends are made to a 90º angle on both sides, making a U shape.

An offset bend is where a shift is made somewhere along the conduit even though the bend continues to run parallel to where it was initially. Lastly, the saddle bend is where one portion of the conduit is bent at 45º over an obstacle before returning to its original plane. You’ll learn to develop your conduit bending skills during maintenance electrician training.

Bending Conduit Involves a Lot of Marking

After you’ve undergone the first step of selecting the proper bender and removing cutting burrs if necessary, you’ll need to mark the points on the conduit for bending it properly. You’ll then need to decide where the conduit should start, the necessary length of the bend, and where you need it to change direction. Then, you’ll need to mark the bend’s midway point before measuring to make sure those marks will bend correctly, and then mark another line on the floor.

In other words, make sure you buy yourself a Sharpie if you want to be an electrician! However, if your bend is for exposed work like in factories, use a pencil instead to prevent the ink from bleeding through after the conduit is painted.

You’ll Want a Good Bender After Electrician College, But it’s Not the Only Tool You’ll Need

Whether it’s made of steel or aluminum, it should go without saying that having a good bender to use after getting your electrician diploma is important. However, aluminum ones are preferred over steel, as the latter type is a lot heavier. It’s also very useful for newer electricians to have a handle as well as multiplier markings on the bender, to streamline the calculation process.

While a bender is easily the most essential tool you’ll need here, it’s not the only one. You will need a strong, high-quality level, and ideally one with rare-earth magnets and levels attached to them. Additionally, you will do well to have a tape measure and a framing square on hand, as both will be key in helping ensure you get the correct angles and measurements for the bend.

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Learning a trade like home renovation provides you with a marketable specialty. You’ll have skills that are in demand by the many people who require renovation work on their homes every year. In addition to providing a nice income, home renovation skills can benefit you in other ways.

If you’re considering training to work in the field of home renovation, you may be surprised by the number of benefits you’ll gain from it. Let’s look at just some of those benefits below.

Home Renovation Is a Skill That Will Never Be Out of Fashion

No matter how technologically advanced society becomes, there will still be a need for home renovation skills. Even if we eventually relocate to Mars, we’re going to build shelters and we’ll need home renovators to help! So long as people live in homes, they are going to need people with home renovation skills.

That’s why the demand for home renovators will continue to be strong. But there is more to a career as a home renovator than a stable income (although that’s certainly nice to have). The skills you’ll learn during home renovation technician training can serve you well both in your personal and your professional life.

Whether it’s helping your retired neighbors fix the porch or educating your teenaged son or daughter about how to read blueprints, the skills you will acquire during a career in home renovation will always benefit you and those around you. How many people can say that about their job?

Making Money Is One Thing, But Have You Thought of the Money You’ll Save?

There’s a financial benefit to being a home renovator you may not have considered: no longer having to hire someone else to renovate your own home. The average Canadian homeowner spends over $10,000 on home renovations. Now, imagine being your very own general contractor and pocketing that money. With the knowledge of a modern handyperson, you can achieve independence at home and in your career. Not only will your skills be in demand by other homeowners, but those skills will also help you save money by being able to do work on your own property.

Drop the Gym Membership—A Career in Home Renovation Is a Cheaper Way to Stay in Shape

The benefits of engaging in regular physical activity are pretty obvious. But people who spend their days in a cubicle sitting in front of a computer don’t get too many opportunities to exercise. Unless, of course, they spend hundreds of dollars a year on a gym membership! As a home renovator, however, you’re constantly staying active on the job. You might be moving from one room to the next, one residence to the next, or one job to the next. At any rate, you’ll be moving and working with your hands, which is exactly what many home renovators love about their jobs.

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It’s an essential process for aspiring welders to learning, but how exactly does it work, and why do you need it in your welding career? Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)—known by some as “stick welding”—is where a weld is made through an electric current that forms an arc between a weld pool and a flux-covered electrode, leading to the formation of gases that shield the weld pool and give it a layer of slag. As a result, the weld is protected from contamination.

Being one of the most basic and oldest welding techniques, SMAW may seem at first like it has a big learning curve, but it is actually quite simple once you’ve fully understood its inner workings. Here’s how SMAW works, and how it can be helpful for you and your welding career.

Those in Welding Technician Training Should Familiarize Themselves With the Process

Since it’s one of the simplest processes in welding, it goes without saying that those hoping to have a career in the profession should understand how shielded metal arc welding works. First, the electrode briefly comes into contact with the workpiece, striking the arc, which results in parts of the electrode being passed onto the weld pool before the covering disintegrates and forms protective gases. With the power source connected to a circuit, one of its two output terminals makes a connection with the electrode either with alternating current or direct current. Additionally, SMAW electrodes contain covering with various elements and materials that allow the welding process to be carried out, as not having the covering would make the arc hard to maintain and cause the weld bead to be improperly shaped.

Shielded Metal Arc Welding Needs to Meet Three Criteria to Work

Since SMAW is something you’ll learn in welding technician training, it’s important to remember that there are three steps the electrode in any SMAW application must take to properly weld. These are the ability to shield both the weld metal and the arc, the adding of metal to the weld, and the ability to sustain the arc. Furthermore, SMAW has three additional functions when the covering is heated well enough, which are the formation of the shield for the metal and the arc; the covering ionizing so that it can support the arc plasma; and the fluxing of the metal so it forms a cover on the weld bead as it cools, eventually giving off gases to avoid any contamination to the weld.

There Are Many Upsides to This Type of Welding—and Various Things it Can Weld, Too

The advantages of performing SMAW for your welding career are vast. Not only can it suitably weld a number of different alloys, metals and steels, but it’s also a process with various other upsides, not the least of which are its simplicity and relatively inexpensive nature. For example, the SMAW process isn’t as draft or wind-sensitive as gas shielded arc welding can be, nor does it necessitate the use of auxiliary gas shields. SMAW can also be applied to various welding positions, as well as its electrodes being able to access, and be applied to, hard-to-reach areas such as blind spots. Given how versatile and productive the process can be, it’s easy to see how advantageous it is for many welding projects.

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If you’re about to begin a career as an electrician, there are numerous possibilities for where you might work. You could ply your trade in homes, office buildings, construction sites, or industrial factories. Whether you want to work indoors or outdoors, travelling or just at one site, there’s an electrician job for you.

Wherever you end up going, your job remains to ensure electricity safely goes straight from the source to those who need it the most. Here are three places you might find yourself working in after completing your program to become an electrician.

1. You Could Find Yourself Working in People’s Homes After Electrician School

Residential electricians work on wiring and lighting in people’s homes and apartment buildings, among other living spaces. In this career, you could find yourself going to different homes, carrying out the necessary tasks to make sure residential buildings and units have electricity in place, and installing it both indoors and outdoors as necessary.

Your tasks could include determining where equipment and fixtures will be located in the home, working on security and air conditioning systems, and ensuring electricity can travel from the source to the home’s circuit breaker. Whether you’re working on an existing home, or one that’s still being constructed or undergoing renovations, you’ll be able to work on electrical wiring and fuses to keep tenants and families happy and their homes running smoothly.

2. You Could Work in Any Environment Specializing in Maintenance

If you you’re the type of person who likes fixing things that are broken or not working properly, being a maintenance electrician may be the route for you. Travelling and commuting between different worksites is common for people in this job, so you could find yourself working in various environments. If you want a job where your workplace will change every day, this job could be a great fit.

As a maintenance electrician, you could be performing tasks like troubleshooting using testing devices, performing preventative maintenance, rewiring connections or electrical equipment in homes or businesses, or working on equipment in factories or manufacturing units. Regardless of where exactly your career after studying to become an electrician takes you, your problem-solving skills and ability to carry out the necessary maintenance procedures will serve you well if you want to become a maintenance electrician.

3. You Could Work in Office Buildings (or Outside Them) as a Commercial Electrician

Businesses need light and electricity during the work day and sometimes even at night, so they need commercial electricians to help set up their electrical systems and keep them running. In this environment, you could be installing lighting, wiring, and/or control and security systems, while adhering to all safety requirements.

Alternatively, you could work as an electrician on a construction site where a new office building is being built, or at a factory as an industrial electrician where you may work on hydraulic and other machinery. Regardless, whether you work in a small corner of an office building or a wide-open construction space, your career after electrician school can lead to you working for a number of successful businesses.

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