Career Map: Sheet Metal Worker
© Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2005
This career map may be used or reproduced by any third party for non-commercial, not-for-profit purposes, provided that no fee, payment, or royalty of any kind shall be charged for any further use of the fact sheet by any person. Any proposed commercial or for-profit use or reproduction of this fact sheet requires a written licence from the Queen’s Printer for Ontario.
A sheet metal worker is a person who designs and/or shapes a flat sheet of metal, and also lays out, makes, installs and repairs sheet metal products. They work by hand from a blueprint, or by programming a computer. These products may include (but are not limited to) furnace and duct systems in homes, oven and drying systems in auto plants, heating and ventilating systems in high-rise office towers, hospitals, schools and other institutions, and similar work in other sectors of the construction industry. Common projects include duct work for air conditioning and ventilation systems, coping and flashing for roofs and other building parts, and testing and balancing systems once they have been installed. The work is physically demanding. Other job titles include sheet metal fabricator, sheet metal mechanic, coppersmith, and tinsmith.
Sheet metal workers:
- Manufacture, fabricate, sheer, form, weld, solder, assemble, handle, erect, install, dismantle, recondition, adjust, alter, repair or service all ferrous and nonferrous sheet metal work of No. 10 U.S. Gauge, or of any equivalent or lighter gauge, and all other materials used in lieu thereof, such as items made from galvanized iron, sheet steel, copper, nickel alloy, stainless steel, aluminium and sometimes plastic according to specifications and building codes
- Read and understand shop and field sketches used in fabrication and erection, including those taken from original architectural and engineering drawings or sketches
- Develop patterns for sheet metal using computer-assisted design and drafting (CAD) software
- Operate computerized laser or plasma cutting equipment to cut sheet metal
- Fit and join sheet metal parts using riveter, welding, soldering and similar equipment to make products such as ventilation shafts, eaves troughs, partition frames, air and heat ducts, roof decking, and sheet metal buildings
- Grind and buff seams, joints and rough surfaces
- Inspect product quality and installation to ensure conformance to specifications.
Sheet metal workers on construction sites must often work in cramped and awkward positions, and may be exposed to a variety of weather conditions. Those who fabricate sheet metal products work in shops that are well lit and well ventilated, but may be exposed to some noise and dust. Some workers, such as those who install siding, may need to work high above the ground.
This fact sheet describes how you can be certified as a sheet metal worker in Ontario.
Certification Requirements in Ontario
This is a regulated trade. Trade certification is compulsory for all workers, and is available through Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship offices of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU). The legislation regulating sheet metal workers is the Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act (1981). This law says that in Ontario it is illegal for anyone other than an apprentice, the holder of a valid licence called a Certificate of Qualification (“C of Q”), or holder of a valid provisional certificate, to do any of the work of a sheet metal worker.
Certified sheet metal workers can do siding and decking, but specialized siding and decking workers do not require compulsory certification; they work only on building exteriors at various heights and in all weather conditions.
To become a certified sheet metal worker in Ontario you must do one of the following:
- complete a five-year apprenticeship (9000 hours). Apprenticeship includes on-the-job training (about 90 per cent of the apprenticeship) and some in-school training (about 10 per cent of the apprenticeship). Apprenticeship is a training agreement between a person who wants to learn a skilled trade and an employer who needs a skilled worker. An apprentice earns at least minimum wage while working and learning the skills necessary to become a qualified tradesperson or journeyperson. Apprentices receive a Certificate of Apprenticeship when they complete their training. Employers often request this certificate as proof of training and experience.
or
- prove equivalent training and experience
- When you have done this, you must also:
- apply for the Certificate of Qualification;
- pay the required fees; and
- write and pass the Certificate of Qualification exam.
Competencies Required to Practise Your Trade in Ontario
Before you can receive government certification, you must complete training that covers the competencies listed in Apprenticeship Training Standards – Sheet Metal Worker. This document lists in detail all the skills and work tasks that sheet metal workers must be able to demonstrate to be eligible to write the Certificate of Qualification exam. In Ontario, an employer or Local Joint Apprenticeship Committee (LJAC) who contracts with an apprentice signs off on each of the following competencies during an apprenticeship:
- protect self and others
- use and maintain hand/power tools and equipment
- read, interpret and produce drawings
- develop patterns and working drawings (lay-out and drafting)
- set up and operate shop equipment
- weld and cut
- fabricate for shop and field
- erect, remove and operate work platforms
- rig and hoist
- install heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems
- fabricate and install industrial environmental systems and specialized installations
- test, adjust and balance
- install industrial roofing and architectural metals.
Internationally trained sheet metal workers must be able to prove they have these skills before they can write the Certificate of Qualification exam.
Language Requirements
Although you are not required to pass an English language test when you apply for certification as a sheet metal worker, the job does require excellent language skills as well as basic math skills, to the level of Grade 10 in Ontario. Sheet metal workers in Ontario will be required to read, interpret, and revise drawings and specifications, and give and receive instructions, clearly and effectively. Knowledge of English or French would be a strong asset.
Application Process
There is no automatic certification for internationally trained trades people in any trade in Ontario, but there is an assessment process that evaluates the training and experience of internationally trained trades people. The length of time that it will take you to become certified will depend on how closely your training and experience match the training standards for sheet metal workers in Ontario. It can take as little as two weeks if you have the equivalent training, or as long as five years if you need to get work experience or to complete an apprenticeship.
Before You Immigrate To Canada
Get as much information as possible about working as a sheet metal worker in Ontario. Apprenticeship Training Standards – Sheet Metal Worker is a useful reference if you are unfamiliar with the terminology used and the skills required in Ontario. You can get a copy of this booklet from a Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office in Ontario. (There is a list of these offices at the end of this fact sheet.)
You will need proof of your training and experience. Collect documentation that proves your skill level as a sheet metal worker. Include letters from employers or unions, diplomas, and other documents that describe your training and the work tasks you have performed. These documents must also show where and for how long you have worked as a sheet metal worker. It is important to include as much information as possible about your years of experience and your duties at work, because the evaluation of your skills will be based on your on-the-job experience.
When You Arrive in Ontario
The Ministry of Colleges, Training and Universities’ Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service offices process all applications for trade certification in Ontario. When you arrive in Ontario, contact the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office in your area and make an appointment to see a training consultant. If you haven’t already requested a copy of Apprenticeship Training Standards – Sheet Metal Worker, you can get one from the office.
View a map of the steps you need to take to become certified - PDF format. 
Step 1. Meeting an Training Consultant
The training consultant will ask you for documentation that describes your past work experience and training. Take as many of these documents as possible to this first meeting:
- dated letters written on company letterhead from the companies (or unions, if applicable) for whom you worked, stating:
- your job title
- the exact start and finish dates of your employment in the trade
- the number of hours you worked
- a detailed description of the skills your demonstrated on the job, and a complete description of your job duties
- your Social Insurance Number (SIN)
- trade certificates, diplomas, or licences
- official school transcripts from your training
- a detailed list of the subjects covered in each course and the length of each course
If these documents are in a language other than English or French, bring a translation that is signed by a registered translator, a notary public, or a lawyer.
The training consultant will use these documents to compare your work experience to the requirements for certification as a sheet metal worker in Ontario.
Step 2. Assessment of Your Previous Training and Experience
The training consultant will assess your training and experience and determine if you need further training and experience in your trade before you write the Certificate of Qualification exam.
If your documented experience is equivalent to that of an apprentice in Ontario, you will be eligible to write the Certificate of Qualification exam. You will then complete an application for the Certificate of Qualification.
Training and work experience
If required, you can enter into an apprenticeship contract to get on-the-job training. This will require that you find an employer to hire you as an apprentice. You will then register your apprenticeship agreement with a Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office.
You can find employers by looking in the Yellow Pages (the telephone directory for businesses) or in local newspapers, or by contacting one of Ontario’s 11 local unions for sheet metal workers (also listed in the telephone directory). Employers sometimes place job ads at government employment agencies.
Attestation of Competencies
In addition to providing documentation above, you will be asked to complete and sign an Attestation of Competencies. This document is an oath that you make, stating that you have all the competencies required for the trade. This Attestation of Competencies will be considered as proof that you are able to do the work of a Sheet Metal Worker. A false attestation is a serious criminal offence.
Step 3. Application for the Certificate of Qualification
When you have met the requirements for certification, you may apply for the Certificate of Qualification.
Step 4. Provisional Certificate of Qualification
After you complete an application for the Certificate of Qualification, you will receive a Provisional Certificate of Qualification (a temporary license). This allows you to work for up to ninety days until you write the exam for the Certificate of Qualification. You must write the exam within this time.
Step 5. Exam Preparation
The Certificate of Qualification exam is based on the skills that sheet metal workers need to succeed in the workplace. The content of the exam is based upon skills and experience acquired on the job. This is why many workers who have not worked in Ontario find the exam difficult.
The best way to prepare for the exam is to make sure that you can perform all the skills described in Apprenticeship Training Standards – Sheet Metal Worker. Study the competencies and be sure that you can explain the theory behind each task. Work experience is helpful before writing the exam.
You should also study the Ontario Building Code and the National Building Code, both available at most community college libraries in Ontario. The following readings are also recommended for preparation for the exam:
- Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA) specifications
- Ontario Fire Code
In Ontario, these books are available at community college libraries and bookstores, and possibly at local libraries or general bookstores. The training consultant may be able to give you the titles of other helpful publications.
Some local unions offer pre-Certificate of Qualification exam preparation courses for their members. These courses prepare unionized applicants to write their exams.
Some community agencies may offer special training courses for internationally trained sheet metal workers. Contact the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI). (See the contact information at the end of this fact sheet.) OCASI can provide information about settlement agencies in your community.
Step 6. Certificate of Qualification Exam
You may write the Certificate of Qualification examination for sheet metal worker at a Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office, once you have either completed an apprenticeship or been approved based on your work experience for this trade. The exam is available year-round, usually by appointment. You can arrange a date to write the exam during your meeting with a training consultant, or you can call the Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office to make an appointment to write the exam. You must show photo ID on the day of the exam.
Description of the exam
The Certificate of Qualification (C of Q) exam is a written exam with multiple-choice questions. These questions test your practical knowledge of workplace procedures and tasks. You are allowed three hours to complete the exam.
Readers/translators
If you have difficulty with English, you are allowed to bring a reader with you. Readers can be anyone whose English skills are strong; they may be relatives, friends, or interpreters from your community. Readers can translate the parts of the exam that you don’t understand, but they are not allowed to help you answer the questions. The exam is highly technical; make sure that you choose someone who knows English well, but does not have knowledge of the sheet metal worker trade. Readers must sign a statement that they do not have any training or experience in the trade.
Dictionaries, calculators, pencils, erasers, and paper are available in the exam room. If you bring your own dictionary, you will be asked to submit it to the exam supervisor for inspection.
Pass mark
The pass mark for the exam is 70 per cent. If you pass the C of Q exam you will receive a Red Seal on your certificate without the need to write a further exam. Canada’s Red Seal Program is the inter-provincial certification that allows trades people to work in other Canadian provinces and territories. Established to provide greater mobility across Canada for skilled workers, it allows qualified trades persons to practice the trade in any province or territory in Canada where the trade is designated. “Sheet Metal Worker” is one of the many trades included in the Red Seal Program on a national basis. You can get a copy of the C of Q examination plan and possibly other material to assist you in preparing for the exam through your local apprenticeship office.
Rewriting failed exams
Your exam results will be mailed to you. The results sheet will detail the score as a percentage for each section of the exam, so if you are not successful on the exam, you will know which areas you need to strengthen. If you fail the exam twice, you will be required to either take a refresher course to upgrade your training or get more work experience before you can try the exam again. There is a $100 fee every time you write the exam.
Step 7. Certificate of Qualification
If you pass the exam, your Certificate of Qualification will be mailed to you. You can get an official duplicate (copy) of the certificate from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship Client Service office for a fee of $60. Sheet metal workers must renew their certificates once every three years. The renewal fee is $60.
Fees and Costs
(in Canadian dollars)| Application for the Certificate of Qualification | no fee |
| Registration of an apprenticeship, if required | $40 |
| Certificate of Qualification examination | $100 |
| Rewriting failed exams (re-examination) | $100 |
Training and Upgrading
You may need to take upgrading courses to help you prepare for your provincial exam. But training and upgrading doesn’t stop there. New materials, such as plastics and composites, which require different installation techniques and joining methods, require additional skills. More significantly, sheet metal workers must keep updating their computer skills to manage increased operation of computer-controlled equipment such as laser or plasma cutting and computer-assisted design programs. Community colleges, trade schools, unions, and other associations offer training and upgrading courses, often as evening courses.
Labour Market Information
About 75% of sheet metal workers in Ontario typically work in the construction industry. Their employers include trade contractors; manufacturers of sheet metal and fabricated metal products; structural steel 10 gauge or less; sheet metal work facilities; maintenance departments of industrial plants; nuclear power plants; auto plants; primary steel producers, stamping press and coated metal products companies, plumbing, heating and air conditioning firms, and fabricated structural metal product producers.
Employment prospects for this occupation are average. Opportunities should be good for individuals who acquire apprenticeship training. The prospects depend to a large degree on the economy and on construction activity, which is expected to grow over the next five years. The demand for sheet metal installations will increase as more industrial, institutional, and residential structures are built, and as the automobile industry grows. The need to install energy-efficient air-conditioning, heating, and ventilation systems in the old buildings should boost employment.
The salary for sheet metal workers across Ontario varies according to the workplace and local labour market conditions. In a unionized environment, the average salary for an apprentice rises annually, starting at 40% of a journeyperson’s (certified tradesperson’s) wages during the first year, which comes to $16.93 per hour, including benefits. They rise to 80% of a journeyperson’s wages during the fifth year. The average unionized base hourly rate for a journeyperson (excluding overtime) is $29.32. When one adds benefits to this, the average hourly rate is $39.24, which works out to $73,000 annually, based on a 36-hour work week. The top salary level can only be attained when one is successful on one’s C of Q. These unionized wage rates were in place until the three-year union agreement expired May 1, 2004.
For the profession of siding and decking, there is no apprenticeship period; education requirements include grade 10 math skills and English (for communication). There are three unionized classifications:
- sheeter/decker, whose wage is in the same range as that of sheet metal journeypersons;
- sheeter/decker assistant, whose wage is more than that of a fifth-year apprentice;
- a material handler, who earns more than a fourth-year apprentice.
For more information on labour market conditions, see Ontario Job Futures at www.ontariojobfutures.net. In Ontario, this information is also available in the Ontario Job Futures binder at public libraries.
Related Trades and Occupations
Many internationally trained individuals apply to become sheet metal workers in Ontario. It is important to remember that although there may be many similarities between what they did in their country of origin and the skills required in Ontario, they should not be surprised when their applications to become certified as sheet metal workers are refused. Applicants must show proof that they have the work experience of a sheet metal worker.
Other related occupations include aircraft mechanics and inspectors, contractors and supervisors in metal-forming, shaping and erecting trades, workers in metal fabrication, boilermakers and structural metal and plate work fabricators and fitters, ironworkers, blacksmiths, coppersmiths, cutters, model-makers, die setters, metalworking machine operators, and welders and related machine operators.
Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship offices in Ontario
To order a copy of Apprenticeship Training Standards – Sheet Metal Worker, to get more information about certification, or to make an appointment with a training consultant, contact the Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship office in your community.
|
Toronto District Office |
Pickering Regional Office |
Mississauga Regional Office |
|
Hamilton District Office |
Brantford Area Office |
Owen Sound Area Office |
|
St. Catharines Area Office |
Barrie Regional Office |
London Area Office |
|
Sarnia Area Office |
Waterloo Area Office |
Windsor Area Office |
|
Chatham Area Office |
Ottawa District Office |
Brockville Area Office |
| Cornwall Area Office 113 Amelia Street Cornwall, Ontario K6H 3P1 Telephone: 613-938-9702 or 1-877-668-6604 Fax: 613-938-6627 |
Kingston Area Office |
Pembroke Area Office |
|
Peterborough Area Office |
Belleville Area Office |
Sault Ste. Marie District Office |
|
North Bay Area Office |
Sudbury Area Office |
Timmins Area Office |
|
Thunder Bay Regional Office |
Kenora Area Office |
For More Information
For information on certification requirements and training in Ontario, contact:
- Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities - training hotline (no charge in Ontario): 1-800-387-5656; website: www.tcu.gov.on.ca
- the Workplace Training Branch Apprenticeship office in your community (see the addresses and fax and telephone numbers listed above)
For information on where to get help once you arrive in Ontario, contact:
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
110 Eglinton Avenue West
Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario
M4R 1A3
Telephone: 416-322-4950
Fax: 416-322-8084
E-mail: general@ocasi.org
Website: www.ocasi.org
For information on settling in Ontario, visit www.settlement.org.
For information about accessing professions and trades in Ontario, contact:
Government of Ontario
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Global Experience Ontario (GEO)
Tel: 416-327-9694 or 1-866-670-4094
TTY: 416-327-9710 or 1-866–388-2262
Fax 416-327-9711
E-mail: geo@ontario.ca
Address:
163 Queen Street East, 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5A 1S1
Website: www.ontarioimmigration.ca/en/geo/index.htm
Go back to the Information on Trades page
For More Information
For information on joining the union, contact:
Jim Moffat
Ontario Sheet Metal Workers’ and Roofers’ Conference
1312 Hurontario St .
Mississauga , ON
L5G 3H3
Tel: 905-2778-2280
Fax: 905-278-4409
e-mail: osmwrc@symatico.ca
For information on the employer bargaining agency, contact:
Wayne Peterson
Executive Director
Ontario Sheet Metal and Air Handling Group
30 Wertheim Court , Unit 26
Richmond Hill , Ont.
L4B 1B9
Tel: 905-886-9627
Fax: 905-886-9959
e-mail: shtmetal@pathcom.com
Government-approved centres for apprenticeship training for the trade of sheet metal worker:
Algonquin College, Nepean ( Ottawa)
Phone: 613-727-4723
Website: http://www.algonquincollege.com
George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology, Toronto
Email: info@gbrownc.on.ca
416-415-5000 or 1-800-265-2002
http://www.georgebrown.ca
Fanshawe College, London, St. Thomas, Simcoe and Woodstock
Phone: (519) 452-4430
Website: www.fanshawec.ca/programs-courses/apprenticeship
Mohawk College, Stoney Creek
Phone: 1-905-575-2546
Website: http://www.mohawkcollege.ca
For information on exam preparation courses
Some Ontario colleges offer exam preparation courses for sheet metal workers. Contact the college nearest you to find out whether it offers such training.
For information on the sheet metal workers in the construction industry in Ontario, contact:
The Ontario Construction Secretariat
940 The East Mall, Suite 202
Etobicoke , ON M9B 6J7
Tel: 416-620-5210
Fax: 416-620-5310
Email: info@iciconstruction.com
Web site: www.MadeWithTheTrades.com
This site includes information about the construction industry and profiles of apprentices and journeypersons
For information on where to get help once you arrive in Ontario, contact:
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI)
110 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 200
Toronto , Ontario M4R 1A3
Telephone: 416-322-4950
Fax: 416-322-8084
E-mail: general@ocasi.org
For information on settling in Ontario, visit www.settlement.org
For information about accessing professions and trades in Ontario, contact:
Government of Ontario
Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Global Experience Ontario (GEO)
Tel: 416-327-9694 or 1-866-670-4094
TTY: 416-327-9710 or 1-866–388-2262
Fax 416-327-9711
E-mail: geo@ontario.ca
Website: www.ontarioimmigration.ca/en/geo/index.htm
Go back to the Information on Trades page
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