Home Renovation

3 Signs You’re Destined to Become a Home Renovation Technician

September 05, 2017

Sometimes, it’s clear as day when a person is the right fit for a particular career. They might have a natural talent, or a perfect personality for the type of work that the career involves. Whatever the case might be, being able to realize this in advance can be a huge advantage, and let a person know that they are on the perfect professional track.

Wondering what kinds of signs exist that can show you that you’re a perfect fit for a career as a home renovation technician? Here’s a look at a few of the best indicators.

1. Having Physical Stamina is a Big Advantage for a Home Renovation Technician

Home renovation is satisfying hands-on work, and a great outlet for people who are able to maintain a steady physical work output over the course of the day. It can, however, be demanding to move supplies around, use tools, and be on your feet all day long.

Having good endurance is a great indication that you’re the kind of individual who is meant for a career in home renovation. If you’re someone who can work hard throughout the day, and do safe, good quality work even when you’ve gotten a little fatigued, you’re exactly the kind of person that employers in the home renovation and construction sector are looking for.

2. Having Great People Skills Can Help You Stand Out in Home Renovation

Being a good people person is a reliable sign that you’re an excellent candidate to become a home renovation technician. Home renovation pros often need to interact with the owner or residents of a building that is being renovated, as well as get along with a group of other workers who might be hot and tired after a long day. If you are someone who is likable, or who can just get along well with others, you could be perfect for this line of work.

Want a little extra insight into the best ways to get along in the workplace? Enroll in a training program at a top institution like North American Trade Schools. Not only can you develop the technical skills that employers will look for, but you can also pick the brains of the experienced faculty about the kinds of behaviour that will help you thrive in a professional environment. Learn from their years of being home renovation workers, and you can walk into your career with a great handle on how to present yourself as a pleasant professional.

Ask your professors for their insight into how to be a personable home renovation professional

3. An Eye for Detail Makes for a Great Home Renovation Technician

To succeed in a career in home renovation, it is essential to be able to produce accurate work. Measurements need to be precise, and cuts made to wood, drywall, or other materials need to be clean and even. The importance of making things measure up correctly and fit together well cannot be overstated in this line of work.

Precision and attention to detail are important in home renovation and construction

If you’ve got an eye for detail, and live by the philosophy of “measure twice, cut once,” you’re a perfect fit for the construction and home renovation industries. Enrolling in hands-on training can help you translate these natural traits into highly polished, in-demand skills that can land you the rewarding career you want. With training programs typically lasting as little as under a year, you can expect to make quick leaps in your capabilities en route to your new career in home renovation!

Are you convinced that home renovation training is right for you?

Contact North American Trade Schools to learn more about getting started!

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Skilled Trades

Level Up Your Resume and Land a Career in Construction with These Expert-Approved Tips

August 29, 2017

Crafting a great resume is an important part of many career searches, and can help you convey to potential employers the specific reasons why you are a great fit for their needs. Entering the field of construction, you will likely find having a great resume very helpful in getting you interview opportunities.

Want to know how best to go about creating a great resume? Here are some expert-approved tricks you can try throughout the job application process.

Use Relevant Keywords When Building a Resume for a Career in Construction

It’s important to note that recruiters, managers, and HR representatives don’t always look every resume over as carefully as they could. Instead, it’s common for them to just scan through resumes in hopes of seeing information that jumps out at them and lets them know whether a candidate is a good fit. That’s why one of the best ways to enhance your resume’s effectiveness is to design a resume with this reality in mind. Look at job postings titled career in construction and see what types of skills employers in this field are looking for, then, include references to those skills in your resume. For example, if you’re applying for a career as a construction electrician, you might want to include keywords about installing electrical equipment, testing components, or diagnosing the cause of electrical failures. Tailor your keywords to the specific things a particular posting highlights and the result will likely be an impressive and effective resume.

Pair Your Resume with a Thoughtful Cover Letter

Some people apply for jobs simply by sending in a resume, then wonder why they never get called in for an interview. However, by attaching a cover letter to your application you can dramatically improve your chances of an interview.

Cover letters serve two purposes. First, they allow the person reviewing your application to get a sense of who you are as a person. If you write politely, they will likely envision you as someone they would like to work with, rather than someone who seems impolite. Second, a cover letter serves as an opportunity to highlight specific skills or accomplishments that make you a great fit for the role you are applying to. Perhaps you have a knack for getting to the bottom of problems with electrical systems and you would like to expand on that in a little more detail than a resume would allow, a cover letter is the ideal place to do so.

A good construction school will offer plenty of hands-on training, providing graduates of their programs with plenty of specific skills to refer to in their cover letters. Be sure to keep this in mind when writing your own cover letter and resume.

Take the time to write a cover letter, it can enhance your resume

Get a Second Opinion on Resumes for a Career in Construction

Self-editing a resume is a good way to spot typos and other mistakes, but it’s not quite as good as getting somebody else to look it over for you. Another person may be able to spot areas that can be improved, or come up with suggestions that you wouldn’t have thought of. That’s why a great tactic to take when creating your resume is to ask someone else for help.

Schools NATS offer a number of valuable career services to their students, including assistance with crafting winning resumes that will impress employers. Be sure to take advantage of this service, as it will provide expert advice that can be truly transformative. Your resumes could turn out to be much better than before!

Get some extra help building a great resume by talking to career services

Are you ready to pursue a career in the construction trades?

Contact NATS to learn more about our training programs.

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HVAC

No-nonsense Reasons to Make the Switch to an HVAC Career

August 22, 2017

When deciding on your future career or determining whether to make a career change, you want to make sure that you have considered everything, from pay and job security, to whether you’ll enjoy the role and the training required. If you’re looking for a career that allows you to work with your hands, in an industry that’s always changing due to new advancements in technology, a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) career may be right for you!

Sound interesting? Keep reading to discover some great reasons why beginning an HVAC career is a great career move.

Training for an HVAC Career is Affordable and Efficient

Unlike a four-year Bachelor’s Degree, which can be quite costly, training to become an HVAC technician is much more affordable and timely, which means you’ll be able to complete your training and begin earning an income quickly. In addition, at trade schools like NATS, you can take advantage of a variety of financial assistance opportunities or a monthly payment plan to make paying for your education easier.

Professionals with an HVAC Career Make a Promising Salary

When investing in your education, it’s only natural that you want to ensure that your time and money is well spent. Studying for an HVAC career is an excellent choice, because HVAC professionals make promising salaries.

According to the Government of Ontario, refrigeration and air conditioning professionals make an average annual income of nearly $60,000. However, that number can vary widely depending on your experience and the specific job role. If you move into a supervisory or managerial position, you could have the potential to make an even higher and more lucrative salary.

NATS College offers a monthly payment plan to make financing your studies easier

There Are a Growing Number of HVAC Careers Available

If you think you want to become an HVAC technician, but are unsure about the number of career opportunities that will be available to you once you graduate, you can rest assured that the job market for HVAC technicians is bright!

The Government of Canada rates the employment outlook for HVAC professionals as its top rating of ‘good’ for job growth from 2016 to 2018, while the Government of Ontario rates the more long-term outlook from 2017 to 2021 as ‘above average’, meaning the HVAC sector will have more open positions than the rest of the labour market.

HVAC Careers Provide Great Job Security

While it’s clear that there are plenty of HVAC jobs available in Ontario and Canada, it’s also important to consider job security. Working in the HVAC industry is promising, as home and commercial buildings owners will always need heating and cooling systems. Additionally, with Ontario’s hot and humid summers and cold winters, functioning HVAC systems are essential. Even if there’s a decrease in the number of systems being installed, customers will always need HVAC technicians to perform maintenance on their systems.

HVAC careers offer great job security

Graduates of HVAC Technician Courses Can Start Their Own Business

Another solid reason to begin a career as an HVAC technician is so you have the flexibility to embark on a career that suits your life. While most HVAC technicians go on to work for HVAC installation and repair companies, many also start their own businesses. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit and have always wanted to be your own boss, HVAC training could be the foundation you need to start your own successful company.

Did these reasons spark your interest in HVAC technician courses?

Contact North American Trade Schools today to learn how you can get started!

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Skilled Trades

Foolproof Strategies for Managing Money While in Construction and Maintenance Electrician School

August 15, 2017

With a median hourly wage of around $30, those working as maintenance and construction electricians can often enjoy a comfortable and financially secure lifestyle. Students working their way toward this kind of electrician career, however, may sometimes wonder how to best manage their money while they are still in school and not yet enjoying the high salary of their future profession.

Following a few foolproof strategies can make it much easier to minimize expenses, keep up with bills, and handle other important financial matters while you are a student.  Want a few examples? Here are some smart financial management techniques to try while training to become an electrician.

Do Good Research to Find Deals on Purchases While at Electrician School

When going to the store, it’s tempting to just grab whatever it is you need off the shelf without thinking about it, but this can cost you a great deal of money in the long run. Doing a little bit of research in catalogues, or on deals sites like Shopbot, can help you find good discounts on life’s essentials. You can pick up things like food, appliances, and other necessities at a steep price reduction, and save a good amount of money over time.

Developing this kind of researching habit can also prove to be very valuable once you become a construction and maintenance electrician. Electricians use a variety of tools to accomplish their work, including testing instruments, measuring tools, and special safety gear. Being in the habit of doing a good amount of research before buying these workplace essentials can help you get top-quality equipment at a lower cost, and ensure that you’re fully prepared to do good, safe work.

Knowing how to research products can help you save money on electricians’ tools

Spend Less Money on Luxuries During Construction and Maintenance Electrician Training

Luxuries like video games, daily coffees from cafes, and other non-essential treats are nice, but can quickly eat up a student’s money. That’s why it’s advisable to cut down on these kinds of expenses during your time at construction and maintenance electrician school.

You don’t need to completely give them up in order to make significant savings – even just reducing spending on them can help you save a fair bit of money. You could maybe get an expensive coffee once or twice per week instead of every day, or wait a few months after a video game’s release to buy it at a discount.

It might not be fun to cut back on things you love, but a benefit of training to become an electrician at a school like North American Trade Schools is that you can complete your education in under a year. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to a career with a great salary – and plenty of budget space for your favourite luxuries.

Lighten Your Financial Burden With Financial Assistance Programs

Having a little extra money in your pocket can make it much easier to manage expenses. For that reason, a great strategy for students looking to manage their money is to take advantage of financial assistance programs.

There are many different kinds of financial assistance programs available. The Ontario Student Assistance Program, for example, offers loans, grants, scholarships, and bursaries to eligible students that can help cover tuition, living costs, transportation, and other expenses. There is also the option to get a line of credit from banking institutions to help pay for school, or to make use of a number of other programs offering loans and grants to students.

Financial assistance programs are good ways to help pay for electrician school

Taking advantage of these kinds of programs is a great way to reduce finance-related stress. It can also give you more time and energy to devote to learning the technical skills for working with electrical systems and wiring, and help you achieve great results at school.

Do you want a career with great pay and prospects?

Contact North American Trade Schools to learn about our construction and maintenance electrician training!

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Welding

Use These Secret Habits of Highly Successful Students to Ace Your Welding Courses

August 08, 2017

Welding careers offer high wages, interesting work and great employment opportunity over the coming years, with approximately 30,000 job openings projected to arise in the sector across Canada by 2024. If you like the idea of pursuing this kind of hands-on career, enrolling in welding courses is a great way to prepare yourself.

While learning a difficult trade like welding can be challenging, with the right approach, acing your course material during welding training is very much possible. Just by following some of the habits of highly successful students, you can improve your odds of getting great results while at school.

Here are a few of the good habits you should consider getting into while enrolled in a welding training program.

Focus on One Thing at a Time While at Welding School

Welders know that when working with hot and electrified welding tools, it’s important to stay focused on safely completing a single task before moving on to another. A similar level of focus is important for succeeding at welding school.

Highly successful students realize that distractions prevent them from learning and remembering as well as they can, so they avoid dividing their attention as much as possible. If you want to succeed, you should too. Keep your phone in your pocket, pay attention during classes, and try to study in a quiet space, away from the TV and other sources of entertainment. Making these efforts to stay focused on course material can help you retain a lot more information and get better results.

Avoiding distractions is a valuable habit to develop during welding training

Highly Successful Students Make Personal Schedules

How do highly successful students balance their studies with other commitments, like being with family or working? They make a habit of scheduling their time every day. Applying this same habit to your own life can help you find success, too.

Try breaking each day up into hour-long blocks of time, and schedule your various commitments within those blocks (be sure to leave yourself time to relax, too!). This can help you keep track of everything you need to do, and gives you deadlines that can be useful for motivating you to get things done.

One great way to give yourself a scheduling advantage: Enroll at a school that offers flexible class times. For example, North American Trade Schools (NATS) offers classes both during the day and the evening, making it easier to find a course schedule that works for you.

For Exceptional Results at Welding School, Ask for Help!

Asking for help doesn’t come naturally to everyone. When experts are around and you could use some advice, though, taking a couple of seconds to ask for assistance can be a great way to not only solve your problem, but solve it quickly. This can free up your time to do more work, or to spend more time on a different challenge. Successful students usually aren’t afraid to ask for help, and neither should you be.

Welding courses are typically based primarily on doing hands-on work. That’s why it’s best to ensure you enroll in a program that is taught by experienced welding professionals, like the one offered by NATS. The instructors’ welding careers have given them expert insight into the tools, techniques, and theory behind welding, and they will be happy to share what they’ve learned to help you find success.

Ask the expert welding instructors at North American Trade Schools for help when you need it

Do you want to prepare for an exciting and rewarding new career?

Contact North American Trade Schools to learn about our welding technician training!

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Skilled Trades

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Construction College

August 04, 2017

Are you considering enrolling at a construction or trade college, but are unsure of what to look for? Choosing the right college for your needs and goals is important. You want to make sure that it will provide you with everything you need for success and that once you complete your program, you feel confident in your skills and ready to start your trade.

Selecting the right college doesn’t have to be difficult. When starting your search, make sure you opt for a construction college with the following qualities.

Select a Construction College with Small Class Sizes and Individual Attention

Enrolling at a construction college ensures you receive the training you need to start a great career that allows you to do a job you enjoy, while making a reliable and stable income. By choosing a college that has small class sizes, you’ll receive more personalized and individual attention from your instructors. In addition, smaller classes will allow you to ask important questions and learn from your instructor’s experiences.

NATS’ small class sizes allow students to work closely with instructors

Choose a Construction College That Offers Helpful Career Services

Selecting a college that will provide you with all the construction skills and knowledge you need is important; however, knowing how to land a job after graduation is just as crucial. Great construction colleges will provide comprehensive career services that will help smooth the transition between college and your future career. For example, North American Trade Schools (NATS) teaches students how to write stellar resumes, specifically tailored for the construction industry. Students at NATS will also learn to polish their interview skills, and learn how to find the best job for their career goals. Remember: top construction colleges are just as invested in your future success as you are!

Opt for a Construction College with a Great Industry Reputation

While there are many colleges offering construction trades, they aren’t all created equally. If a college is known for providing top-notch career training and producing hard working and dedicated graduates, then you’ll benefit from that notoriety once you start your job search. So, if you want to secure a great career with top employers in the construction industry, make sure to opt for a college with a fantastic reputation.

Employers hire graduates of NATS because of the college’s strong industry reputation

Select a Construction College That Has Instructors with Industry Experience

There’s no one better to learn from than construction professionals with many years of experience working in the trades they teach. When learning from instructors who know the ins and outs of the construction industry and have dedicated a fair share of their lives to the trade, you’ll benefit from their valuable insights and wisdom. Not only will they prepare you to succeed by teaching you to expertly perform the capabilities you need for a promising career, they’ll also be able to offer relevant advice that will help you navigate your new career.

Choose a Construction College That Prepares You for Lucrative Careers Quickly

One of the main reasons students enrol at a trade school instead of opting for on-the-job training is because college provides a fast-track to lucrative careers. While building your knowledge is important, it’s understandable that you want to break into the workforce and start in your field as soon as possible. That’s why NATS offers quick and efficient programs with plenty of hands-on training. By ensuring there’s an emphasis on learning by doing, you’ll feel confident to begin your career immediately upon graduation.

Did you know that North American Trade Schools is an industry-leader in preparing students for a career in construction?

Contact NATS today to learn how you fast-track your career!

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Solar Energy Technician

Solar Energy Technician Training Program – Student Review – Bill G.

June 05, 2017

Bill G. is a Solar Energy Technician student at the London campus of North American Trade Schools. In his review, he talks about his experience at NATS, his instructors and why he decided to attend the school to study to become a Solar Energy Technician.

 

Transcript

“My name is Bill G. I’m studying solar technology at NATS. I chose NATS because I feel solar is the future and they were offering a solar class.

The thing I like best of the instructors is this the stuff that you might have an idea about but are kind of foggy about they really know how to make you understand it and learn it to the best of your ability. Actually just the thing I li

ke the most about the campus, it’s very easy to find. The people here are great and it’s just a fun environment. You are stringently locked down to doing things, you get a little bit of freedom, a little relaxed, it’s quite nice to be here.

The thing I learned at NATS that I really enjoyed is how much solar is actually expanding across the whole globe right now – it’s the wave of the future.

Some of the maths that I had forgotten over the thirty years of being out of high school and other colleges that you just really don’t use every day and they brought it right back into your head. In five years I see myself heavily involved in solar, whether it’s energy or thermal installing, designing, building, maintenance, whatever the customer needs.

It has been very easy to make friends at NATS, everybody’s here for the same reasons they all want to learn something new, they all want to talk to people, enjoy people – it’s really good place.

If somebody was thinking of coming to NATS I would I would encourage them to come in, talk to the staff walk around, take a look and then you’ll make a better informed decision.”

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Welding

Overview of the Welding Technology Training Program

May 15, 2017

Keith is a Welding instructor at the London campus of North American Trade Schools. In this video, he talks about the welding program and also the welding industry and profession.

Transcript

“A Welder is a person who is trained to weld together metals and piping using arc welding and brazing.

Welders install maintain and repair structural and piping systems in every environment.

Welders are people who are good with their hands, problem solvers, mechanically inclined and they learn how to read blueprints and specifications.

To become a good welder, you need to enroll in a certified program like the one at North American Trade Schools.

Welders need to be certified with the CWB (Canadian Welding Buearu) and the TSSA (Technical Standards & Safety Authority).

The demand for certified welders in Canada is projected to increase annually for the foreseeable future.”

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Cabinetmaking

Cabinetmaking Training Program – Student Review – Rachel H.

May 01, 2017

Rachel H. is a Cabinetmaking student at the London campus of North American Trade Schools. In her review, she talks about her experience at NATS, her instructors and why she decided to attend the school to study Cabinetmaking.

 

Transcript

“My name’s Rachel H. and I’m in cabinetmaking. What I like about my instructor is very supportive, he helps me in situations that I’d get stuck in.

I chose NATS because it will change my perspective in the future. What I enjoy about the campus is it’s very open, very friendly, it feels more like you’re on the job site and it’s easier to communicate with everyone around you.

It’s very, extremely, easy to make friends on campus because I’m very social and I enjoy talking to others and asking for help from someone who’s already done that project or something that I haven’t done yet.

My family is proud of me for choosing NATS. Don’t think twice about coming to NATS, it’s an amazing place to be, I enjoy it you would definitely enjoy it.”

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Home Renovation

Home Renovation Technician Training Program – Program Overview Dino

April 15, 2017

Dino is a Home Renovation Technician instructor at the London campus of North American Trade Schools. In this video, he talks about the Home Renovation Technician program and also the Construction industry as a profession.

Transcript

“A Home Renovation Technician is a person who renovates homes. It can include anything from putting an addition to a house, re-doing a floor in the house, installing windows are doors, finishing an unfinished basement and building a recreation room.

As a Home Renovation Technician, you have the ability to specialize in certain fields or you can become multi-faceted in with the ability to do mutliple tasks.

Charactertistics of a good Home Renovation Technician include strong math skills as you would be required to do a number of tasks that require measuring and cutting. Additionally, excellent communication skills are required due to the amount of work that you would be required to do in a team setting with other trades workers.

North American Trade Schools training includes the ability to learn and use a number of different tools and materials that are needed for each individual job and project. It also includes a solid foundation in learning building codes.

In addition to the hands-on training that is provided, North American Trade Schools instructors are licensed carpenters, plumbers and electricians. The instructors teach their real-world experience to students with the goal of passing on all of their knowledge and expertise in their respective fields.”

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