Electricians in Canada earn a median $35.00 an hour and refrigeration mechanics $37.50, according to Job Bank. Both need about 9,000 apprenticeship hours in Ontario, so a free online course is a cheap way to test a trade before you commit.
Free courses for the skilled trades
Choose a trade below and start its lessons for free
Trades courses on this page and the pay each trade leads to
Each course covers the theory of one trade. The pay and the training hours are what you sign up for afterwards, so compare them before you pick.
| Free course and trade | Median pay per hour | Training in Ontario |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician training Electrician | $35.00 | 9,000 hours, apprenticeship required |
| Air conditioning and refrigeration Refrigeration and AC mechanic | $37.50 | 9,000 hours, apprenticeship required |
| Carpentry Carpenter | $32.12 | 7,200 hours |
| Welding and joining Welder | $30.00 | 6,000 hours |
| Painter and decorator Painter | $28.00 | 6,000 hours |
| Bicycle maintenance Bike repairer | $25.00 | Not one of the Red Seal trades |
| Forklift operator Forklift operator | $22.00 | Hours, not years: the employer checks your skill |
Pay is the national median per hour on Job Bank; the bike figure covers the wider group of other repairers. Training hours from the Skilled Trades Ontario program chart, school time included. In Alberta each period of these trades takes about a year.
From a free trades course to a Red Seal certificate
Learn the basics online. The lessons are free; you need 80% on each test to finish, and a paid certificate is optional.
Find an employer who will sponsor you and register as an apprentice with your province, for example Skilled Trades Ontario or SkilledTradesBC.
Earn while you log hours. Most of the time is paid work on site, with short blocks of school in between; an Ontario welder does 720 hours in class out of 6,000.
Pass the exam. You get your provincial certificate, and in more than 50 trades the Red Seal on it lets you practise in any province.
⚠️ A course alone is not a licence: in compulsory trades such as electrician in Ontario, only a registered apprentice or a certified worker can legally do the job.
Money for apprentices in the skilled trades
The federal incentive and completion grants for apprentices have closed, so ignore older sites that still promise them. Three supports remain open.
Canada Apprentice Loan
$4,000 per period
Interest-free for each block of school, up to $20,000, with nothing to repay until you finish. Red Seal trades only, and not in Quebec.
EI during class
Income while in school
Apprentices can claim Employment Insurance benefits for the weeks of technical training away from the job.
Tools deduction
Up to $1,000 a year
Tradespeople can deduct part of what they spend on tools for work, once the employer signs form T2200.
Forklift and welding cards that industry employers check
🚜 Forklift
There is no national licence. Your employer must train you and confirm you can drive safely; in BC the training follows a CSA standard and is refreshed at least every three years. A college course can be as short as 12 hours, with a wallet card at the end.
Start the forklift lessons →
🔥 Welding
The CWB qualification is the only welding credential recognized across Canada. You weld a test piece in person at an accredited centre or at work, and it usually stays valid two years while you work for a CWB-certified company.
Start the welding lessons →
Questions about free trades training
Is the certificate free as well?
The lessons and tests are. A printed or digital certificate costs a fee that depends on the format and your location, and a free learner record is there if you only want proof for yourself.
How long until I work in a trade?
Paid apprentice work can begin as soon as an employer signs you up. Full certification takes three to five years, depending on the trade and the province.
Which trade pays the most from this list?
Refrigeration and air conditioning, with a $37.50 median, and the best-paid BC mechanics reach $62.00 hourly. Electricians come next at $35.00.
Open a trades course and do the first lesson tonight
An hour with the lessons tells you more than a week of reading about a trade. Pick one course above and finish the first module today; if you like it, call a local contractor about an apprenticeship.
Pay: Job Bank figures for electricians, welders, carpenters, painters, refrigeration mechanics, forklift operators and other repairers. Training hours: Skilled Trades Ontario program chart and Alberta’s trade profiles. Supports: Government of Canada pages on apprentice loans and EI, and the Canada Revenue Agency tools deduction. Safety rules: WorkSafeBC, the Alberta OHS Code and Ontario’s lift truck guideline. Welding: CWB Group. Course rules: Alison help centre.