• 2023 Pre-Apprenticeship Guide

Program Benefits

• All training is free
• Training is offered at Durham College, Whitby Campus
• All safety equipment required for work placement is provided (i.e. work boots, tool boxes, hard hats, tape measure)
• Financial subsidies available to students for child care costs, and travel costs for those that qualify
• Employer wage subsidies for work placement

Program Eligibility - programs are for youth or adults who:

• graduated from high school
• left before finishing high school
• are unemployed or underemployed
• are indigenous, newcomers to Canada, women, or youth at risk

Electrical
Start Date: May 23, 2023 - End Date: December 15, 2023

Plumbing
Start Date: May 23, 2023 - End Date: December 15, 2023

Welding
Start Date: May 23, 2023 - End Date: December 15, 2023

All Pre-Apprenticeship Programs include:

Still have questions? Email us at apprenticeship@durhamcollege.ca

Program Overview

Whether you find yourself at a dairy farm or in a nuclear power plant, your knowledge and skills of electricity, safety and installation methods will give you the ability to install, maintain and troubleshoot the motor controls and wiring systems that allow businesses to operate. Having physical control of temperature and pressure systems ensures that staff are comfortable and safe, and that work is completed effectively and up to code.

Program Details

As an apprentice in this training, you will learn the fundamentals of electrically based technologies and how to assemble, install, test and calibrate electrical testing equipment.

This program will focus on the skills required to install and maintain current industrial, electrical and electronic systems, including programmable logic controls, and enable you to develop troubleshooting and problem-solving skills through theoretical and extensive hands-on training.

Primary Group: Indigenous Community

Please note: all applications will be considered with priority admission granted to members of the Indigenous community.

Start Date: May 23, 2023     
End Date:  December 15, 2023

Primary Trade: Electrician – Construction and Maintenance (309A)

Secondary Trade: Elevating Devices Mechanic, EDM-T License Included

Program Outcomes

The Electrical program develops the pre-apprentice’s knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles of electricity and teaches the following:

• Rules and regulations found in the Canadian Electrical Code, including its scope, objectives, and administrative requirements.
• How to identify and interpret alpha numerical lines, use metric and imperial scales and convert between them, and know how to obtain information from the architectural, structural, and mechanical drawings.
• Installation methods and standard trade practices for the installation of electrical equipment, as well as the basic concepts of instrumentation, how it is incorporated into the industry, and its associated terminology.

Program Overview

The welding industry contributes more than $5 billion to the Canadian economy and employs over 300,000 individuals. Become a part of this booming field, and learn welding techniques and skills to ensure you’re fully prepared for the trade. In this program you will become skilled in multiple welding processes with additional learning in blueprint reading and metal fitting. You will also become familiar with metals and their unique properties, and enhance your hand-eye skills to work safely and effectively in the structural, pressure vessel and manufacturing industries. Whether you are preparing to build, create or repair, you will have the attention to detail and technical knowledge for a successful career in this high-demand skilled trade.

Program Details

Apprentices will be prepared to work in the manufacturing and construction sectors with the skills and knowledge to find entry level employment opportunities in a number of areas such as welding shops, manufacturers of metal products, piping and structural contractors, automotive and aircraft manufacturers, repair and maintenance services, building and construction industries, railroad and railcar industries and wind turbine manufacturers.

Primary Group: Women

Please note: all applications will be considered with priority admission granted to those who self-identify as a women.

Start Date: May 23, 2023   
End Date:   December 15, 2023

Primary Trade: Welder (456A)

Secondary Trade: Industrial Mechanic Millwright

Program Outcomes

The Welding program develops the technical knowledge of multiple welding processes and teaches the following:

• The content and organization of drawings, and the purpose and function of common types of lines found on drawings and common views and presentations found on drawings
• The fundamental causes of distortion, and methods used to prevent and correct it.
• How to perform fillet welds and groove welds using the Shielded Metal Arc Welding process per government safety regulations, manufacturer’s recommendations, and approved industry standards with a focus on meeting or exceeding the testing requirements of CSA W47.1 regarding weld quality.
• How to perform safe set-up, operation, and correction of common cutting faults for the Oxy-Fuel Cutting equipment.

To address the skilled trades shortage in Canada, Durham College (DC) has launched three Pre-Apprenticeship programs for aspiring workers looking to advance in or enter the skilled trades. With funding from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, these programs are specially designed to help employment-seekers gain the materials and skills they need to enter the trades.

DC is looking for field placement partners to help our Electrical, Plumbing and Welding pre-apprentices acquire the invaluable hands-on learning needed to launch their careers. Pre-apprentices require 240-480 placement hours over an 8-12-week period to complete the program. To help offset the cost to you, as the placement partner, subsidies are available through Durham College.

To help offset the cost to you, as the placement partner, wage subsidies are available through the Pre-Apprenticeship Program.  Not only do these paid placements help prepare students for their profession, but they are also an opportunity for the partner to meet, train and consider potential future employees.

Our Pre-Apprenticeship programs offer in-class apprenticeship training before the students have an employer or hands-on trade experience. DC pre-apprentices are a dedicated group of individuals who are driven and committed to succeeding in their future careers.

Before our pre-apprenticeship students attend a field placement, they have received the following training:

• Working at Heights
• Workplace Safety and First Aid
• Exposure to Level 1 apprenticeship curriculum

Program Outcomes

ELECTRICAL PROGRAM

The Electrical program develops the pre-apprentice’s knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles of electricity and teaches the following:

• Rules and regulations found in the Canadian Electrical Code, including its scope, objectives, and administrative requirements.
• How to identify and interpret alpha numerical lines, use metric and imperial scales and convert between them, and know how to obtain information from the architectural,
• structural, and mechanical drawings.
• Installation methods and standard trade practices for the installation of electrical equipment, as well as the basic concepts of instrumentation, how it is incorporated into the industry, and its associated terminology.

PLUMBING PROGRAM

The Plumbing program adheres to the learning objectives within the Curriculum Standard for Plumbers, and teaches the following:

• The common piping materials and joining methods, plumbing drain design, system components, types of plumbing traps, venting principles and requirements, as well as the Ontario Building Code.
• Common drainage drawing types and practices.
• Program assignments where pre-apprentices learn to join steel pipe, cast iron pipe, and copper pipe and build piping projects incorporating various offsets while utilizing various measuring, hand, and power tools.
• The documentation for communicating info in the trade, including the basics of construction blueprint reading and standard drafting principles.
• Safe operation, welding principles, and applications of oxyacetylene cutting and welding equipment.

WELDING

• The Welding program develops the technical knowledge of multiple welding processes and teaches the following:
• The content and organization of drawings, and the purpose and function of common types of lines found on drawings and common views and presentations found on drawings
• The fundamental causes of distortion, and methods used to prevent and correct it.
• How to perform fillet welds and groove welds using the Shielded Metal Arc Welding process per government safety regulations, manufacturer’s recommendations, and approved industry standards with a focus on meeting or exceeding the testing requirements of CSA W47.1 regarding weld quality.
• How to perform safe set-up, operation, and correction of common cutting faults for the Oxy-Fuel Cutting equipment.

For more information, please refer to the 2023 Pre-Apprenticeship Guide.  Still have questions? Email us at apprenticeship@durhamcollege.ca.