The Career Code

Should Interns Be Paid? Why More Companies are Abandoning Unpaid Internships

Should Interns Be Paid? Why More Companies are Abandoning Unpaid Internships More and more employers are moving away from unpaid internships across a wide range

Management and Business Competencies in the Skilled Trades

Management and Business Competencies in the Skilled Trades Management and Business Competencies in the Skilled Trades In the skilled trades, success often hinges on more

Equipment, Systems, and Modern Technology: Why Trades Education Must Evolve

Equipment, Systems, and Modern Technology: Why Trades Education Must Evolve Equipment, Systems, and Modern Technology: Why Trades Education Must Evolve The trades have long been

Why It’s Hard to Get Into the Trades Even Though There’s a Labour Shortage

Why It’s Hard to Get Into the Trades Even Though There’s a Labour Shortage We hear about the shortage of tradespeople all the time, and

The Four Big Myths About the Skilled Trades

The Four Big Myths About the Skilled Trades When you think of a career in the skilled trades, what comes to mind? For many, the

The Aging Workforce in Canada’s Skilled Trades: A Looming Problem

The Aging Workforce in Canada’s Skilled Trades: A Looming Problem Canada is on the brink of a skilled trades crisis. With over 245,000 construction workers

The Coming Boom: Rebuilding Canada’s Infrastructure Before 2050

The Coming Boom: Rebuilding Canada’s Infrastructure Before 2050 Canada is on the brink of one of the largest infrastructure overhauls in its history. With an

How Are Tradespeople Going to Acquire Soft Skills When Most Colleges Do Not Teach Them?

How Are Tradespeople Going to Acquire Soft Skills When Most Colleges Do Not Teach Them? 25%: The Percentage of Tradespeople Who Need to Upgrade Their

The 1%: Why Women Are Missing from the Highest-Paying Trades

The 1%: Why Women Are Missing from the Highest-Paying Trades Women make up nearly half the workforce, yet in some of the highest-paying skilled trades,

Professional Skills as the Basis of Career Advancement in the Skilled Trades

Professional Skills as the Basis of Career Advancement in the Skilled Trades Professional Skills as the Basis of Career Advancement in the Skilled Trades In

How Trades Companies Save Money with Paid Interns

How Trades Companies Save Money with Paid Interns Hiring new employees in the trades can be a gamble. While technical mistakes are often anticipated and

First-Generation Students: It’s Time to Include the Skilled Trades

First-Generation Students: It’s Time to Include the Skilled Trades Why Don’t We Celebrate First-Generation Trades Students Like We Do First-Generation University Students? There’s a familiar

Celebrating First-Generation Trades Pathways at Trade Smart College

Celebrating First-Generation Trades Pathways at Trade Smart College In a previous blog, we made the case for putting as much effort, resources, and celebration into

What Should Colleges Do to Make Internships More Valuable for Companies?

What Should Colleges Do to Make Internships More Valuable for Companies? Internships are often touted as the golden bridge between education and employment, but for

How Do You Get Experience In The Skilled Trades Without Experience?

How Do You Get Experience In The Skilled Trades Without Experience? In the trades, as in most industries, a frustrating paradox exists: how do you

The Skills You’ll Need: Why a Blend of Professional and Technical Skills Will Be Needed in Canada for the Next 40 Years

The Skills You’ll Need: Why a Blend of Professional and Technical Skills Will Be Needed in Canada for the Next 40 Years Introduction: The Productivity

The Ontario Government is Committing to 5,000 New Apprenticeships Each Year for the Next Four Years

The Ontario Government is Committing to 5,000 New Apprenticeships Each Year for the Next Four Years Introduction: A Step Forward, but Not the Full Solution

How to Choose the Right Skilled Trade for You

How to Choose the Right Skilled Trade for You If you’re exploring skilled trades in Hamilton, Ontario, you’ve probably spent hours on Google researching “pre-apprenticeship

Workplace Readiness Skills and Routines in the Trades

Workplace Readiness Skills and Routines in the Trades The Skills That Pay Series: Workplace Readiness Skills and Routines in the Trades. In the trades, workplace

Your Chances of Getting an Apprenticeship in Ontario: By the Numbers

Your Chances of Getting an Apprenticeship: By the Numbers By any measure, Ontario is desperately short of skilled tradespeople. We need people now, but the

What’s the Highest Paying Trade in Ontario in 2024?

What’s the Highest Paying Trade in Ontario in 2024? Many of our prospective students ask some version of the question, “what is the highest paying

How to Become a Skilled Trades Apprentice in Ontario in 2024

How to Become a Skilled Trades Apprentice in Ontario in 2024 The first step in taking advantage of the tremendous opportunities in the skilled trades

Should Your College Find You an Apprenticeship? Matching Students with Local Jobs in the Trades

Should Your College Find You an Apprenticeship?Matching Students with Local Jobs in the Trades Students go to college or university to get jobs. This is

Company Costs in Hiring Apprentices and Why it Matters

Company Costs in Hiring Apprentices and Why it Matters An apprenticeship is a form of education. Knowledge and skill are transmitted to students who earn

The Sizzle of the Trades

The Sizzle of the Trades Becoming a skilled trades apprentice opens up a massive range of career possibilities. More people are being attracted to these

Is it Hard to Get an Apprenticeship in Ontario in 2024?

Is it Hard to Get an Apprenticeship in Ontario in 2024? Ontario needs over 100,000 new tradespeople in the next five years. With all that

What is the Purpose of an Apprenticeship?

What is the Purpose of an Apprenticeship? Apprenticeships are an educational model with a long history. They were initially conceived as a way to educate

We Need More People in the Skilled Trades

We Need More People in the Skilled Trades For decades, we’ve been hearing about the shortage of people entering the skilled trades, and it seems

Mindsets and Decision-Making in the Trades

Mindsets and Decision-Making in the Trades The Skills That Pay Series: Mindsets and Decision-Making in the Trades. In the trades, where hands-on skill meets technical

The Essential Role of Tools in the Skilled Trades

The Essential Role of Tools in the Skilled Trades The Essential Role of Tools in the Skilled Trades The skilled trades sector relies on precise,

Measurement and Calculations in the Skilled Trades: A Foundational Competency

Measurement and Calculations in the Skilled Trades: A Foundational Competency Measurement and Calculations in the Skilled Trades: A Foundational Competency Introduction Measurement and accurate calculation

Interview Preparation and Resume Building for Entry-Level Tradespeople

Interview Preparation and Resume Building for Entry-Level Tradespeople Interview Preparation and Resume Building for Entry-Level Tradespeople Getting started in the trades isn’t just about having

The Importance of Workplace Assessments in the Skilled Trades

The Importance of Workplace Assessments in the Skilled Trades The Importance of Workplace Assessments in the Skilled Trades Workplace assessments are vital in the skilled

Project Planning and Tracking: Why Big-Picture Thinking Matters from Day One

Project Planning and Tracking: Why Big-Picture Thinking Matters from Day One Project Planning and Tracking: Why Big-Picture Thinking Matters from Day One For too long,

Building and Assessing Skills Through Failure and Feedback Instead of Grades

Building and Assessing Skills Through Failure and Feedback Instead of Grades Building and Assessing Skills Through Failure and Feedback Instead of Grades In the trades,

The Benefits of Construction Management Software in the Trades

The Benefits of Construction Management Software in the Trades The Benefits of Construction Management Software in the Trades For decades, construction and trades relied on