Why should you become a Red Seal Carpenter?

Become a Red Seal Carpenter- Carpentry stands out as a craft that combines precision, creativity, and practical skills. If these skills interest you, carpentry is an excellent option for professional growth. The Red Seal Carpenters are often in demand for lucrative job options. The Red Seal endorsement for carpenters is the benchmark of expertise and proficiency in this trade.  

Are you interested in learning more about this trade?  

In this article, we will explore the benefits of becoming a Red Seal Carpenter, steps to becoming a carpenter, and how Ashton College helps students prepare for passing this examination to gain the national standard in this trade.  

Advantages of Becoming a Red Seal Carpenter

1. Growing Career Path:

   It is a rewarding career path because carpentry is a foundational trade required in residential and commercial construction. There is a high demand, especially in the construction industry which ensures job stability and a good income. According to the Canadian Construction Association, Construction employs over 1.6 million people (about the population of Calgary) in Canada, creating an employment creation ripple effect in other sectors like engineering, manufacturing, technology, and retail. Due to this, the industry also requires a greater number of skilled carpenters in Canada.  

2. Expanding Industry:

   The construction industry alone contributes about $151 billion (around $3900 per person in Canada) to the economy annually, accounting for 7.4 percent of Canada’s GDP. This suggests that this industry requires a need for skilled trades such as carpentry.  

3. Beneficial For Immigrants:

          Carpentry is a skilled trade in Canada and immigrants often require skilled trade employment to get their permanent residency. This trade is one of the occupational titles that help to apply under the Federal              Skilled Trades Program (Express Entry) because the National Occupational Classification (NOC) of this trade comes under TEER 2 occupation types. 

Carpenters with a Red Seal endorsement often command higher salaries because of the desirability of the employers. At the higher end of the pay scale, Red Seal carpenters can expect to earn between $35-40 CAD per hour on average. Because of their extensive knowledge and advanced skillset, Red Seal tradespeople consistently command the highest wages across all levels of experience in various trades. If you want to learn more about the labour market in this trade, click here to visit Job Bank by the Government of Canada.  

Carpenters can specialize in different areas such as framing, finishing, cabinetry, or even move into supervisory and managerial roles. The skills you acquire also allow for opportunities in related fields like renovation and it’s also great if you want to start your own business.  

Steps to Becoming a Carpenter in Canada

There may be some people here who are just going to start this career path. Because carpentry is a trade, it requires certain steps to achieve this occupational title. These steps include: 

1. Complete secondary school education and take courses such as math, drawing, and design.  
2. Get carpentry training from a technical school to gain basic carpentry skills under the guidance of experienced carpenters. 
3. Pursue an apprenticeship to get hands-on experience. The program usually covers on-the-job and technical training. To learn more about apprenticeships, click here. 
4. Find your full-time job in the field 
5. Obtain a certification such as Red Seal to become a certified tradesperson and increase your employability. 

Role of a Carpenter

• Carpenters construct, install, and repair a wide range of structures and fixtures in residential, commercial, and industrial settings. 
• They typically work with materials such as wood, steel, and concrete. 
• Their projects can range from installing doors in office buildings to constructing bridges. 
• They can work for various employers, including new home builders, renovation firms, construction firms, building owners, and many more. 

Would you like to see for yourself? Watch this YouTube video of Chad Carrington, a certified Red Seal Carpenter in Nova Scotia. This video will give you a glimpse of working in this trade.  

How can Ashton College Help?

At Ashton, we provide the Red Seal Carpenter Exam Preparation Course which focuses on the review, interpretation, and discussion of this NOA (National Occupational Analysis). It is designed to help the students pass the Red Seal Exam and achieve their designation. We offer flexible learning options with online classes and live sessions recorded for 7 days. We provide a comprehensive curriculum, instructor-led live classes with industry experts, study guides for practice, and well-experienced staff. This 9-week Power Prep Course helps students to ace the Red Seal Exam.  

To get the details on our Red Seal Carpenter Exam Prep Course, please see this faculty interview. Hear firsthand from Kris McFarlane on our YouTube channel about his experiences within the Carpentry Trade as an Interprovincial Red Seal Carpenter and gain confidence in your Red Seal Exam. 

To learn more about the course and register, please visit the Ashton College's official page here.