Trades (Apprenticeable)
Tradespeople play a big role in the upstream petroleum industry and are typically involved in the actual execution of the industry's day to day functions or work in maintenance roles where they are involved in all the work necessary to keep facilities and equipment in good repair and reliable working order.
A compulsory trade is one in which an individual, by law, must be a certified journeyperson or registered apprentice to do the work of that trade. The trades listed below are apprenticeable in one or more provinces. The Interprovincial Standard (Red Seal) Program, referred to in some of the trades below, confirms that the holder has achieved 70% or higher on the interprovincial/territorial exam for their trade, allowing them to work in any province/territory in Canada.
Education
Academic requirements vary by trade and province/territory; however, a high school diploma is recommended for the trades involved in the upstream petroleum industry.
Career paths
In some instances, individuals can enter into this job family at a first-year apprenticeship level without any previous experience. Some trades and/or some employers may require potential apprentices to have trade-related experience at the "Helper, Labourers and Semi-skilled Workers" job family level. An employer must register the apprentice with the provincial/territorial apprenticeship branch. An apprenticeship is an agreement between the employer (or joint training board), provincial/territorial government and apprentice (worker). During the course of the apprenticeship, the apprentice will work alongside a journeyed tradesperson and receive on-the-job training, as well as go to school periodically for more formal training. This training generally consists of a three- to four-year registered apprenticeship program where the apprentice progresses through levels of competency and skill. Upon successful completion of the technical training, the required number of hours of on-the-job training and all required examinations, the apprentice is awarded a certificate of apprenticeship and/or a Certification of Qualification and receives "journeyperson" status. The following classifications or key job family sub-categories best describe the typical clustering of jobs of similar nature and scope exclusive to trades in the upstream petroleum industry:
At work
These labour-intensive jobs can be physically demanding. Opportunities for travel and paid overtime can make these positions very attractive.
Job classifications
- Crane Operators
- Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanics/Technicians
- Industrial Electricians
- Industrial Instrument Mechanics
- Insulators
- Machinists
- Millwrights
- Rig Technicians
- Steamfitters and Pipefitters
- Welders
