Outdoor lighting systems keep homes and businesses safe. When you become an electrician, you can help install security lighting systems that illuminate pathways and deter criminal activity. Some types of security lighting, such as alarm lights, can even alert building owners to the presence of an intruder.

A number of considerations go into creating an effective security lighting system, from seasonal concerns to where to actually place individual lights. Below we’ll look at a few tips for installing security lighting to help you succeed in your electrician career.

1. Security Lights Can Double as Attractive Ambient Outdoor Lighting
One of the benefits of security lighting is that it can easily double as ambient lighting. After all, both ambient and security lighting illuminate dark spaces and deter criminal activity. Path lighting, for example, is an attractive feature for walkways and gardens and also improves safety by ensuring people can easily find their way.

When choosing lighting that can work as both security lighting and ambient lighting, you’ll need to make sure the equipment you choose can manage these dual functions. For example, some types of lights aren’t suitable as security lights. High-pressure sodium lights, for example, look great because they create a soft ambient effect, but they also take up to a minute to warm up. That makes them unsuitable as security lights, which should be able to illuminate dark areas immediately. LED lights are typically the best option for lighting that is both aesthetically pleasing and works as a security feature.

2. Don’t Forget Seasonal Concerns When You Become a Construction Electrician
There’s a good chance that when you become a construction electrician you’ll be installing most security lighting systems during the summer months. However, it’s important to keep in mind how security lights will function during all times of the year. Spring and fall showers mean that lighting will need to be waterproof. Summer storms, meanwhile, can bring high winds and even hail, so strengthening lights with mounting brackets is often a good idea.

Of course, winter weather can be especially harsh. Not only will security lights need to be able to stand up to cold winds and ice, but they’ll also need to be placed where they won’t be buried in snow. Yard lights, for example, should be elevated so that they provide illumination even after a heavy snowfall. And keep in mind how security lighting deals with the shorter days during winter. Some lighting systems have to be adjusted manually to come on earlier during the day, for example. Other lights, like photovoltaic lights, can automatically detect when dawn and dusk are occurring and switch on or off accordingly.

3. Lighting Should Be Placed at Strategic Locations to Enhance Security
The locations of individual lights make a big difference in creating an effective security lighting system when you become a maintenance electrician. Areas around shrubbery and corners that can provide hiding places for criminals are ideal places for putting security lights. Likewise, paths, stairs, and doorways should also be illuminated.

The height at which security lights are placed is an important consideration. Generally, they should be placed high off the ground beyond reach of anybody on the ground. Doing so achieves two purposes: it allows them to illuminate a larger area and it protects them from being intentionally damaged by would-be intruders.

Security lights that are placed high up can illuminate a larger area and are protected from damage

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Few components of a home’s HVAC system are put through as much work as the bathroom exhaust fan is. These fans are needed to remove moisture and chemical fumes, both of which tend to be more common in bathrooms than in other rooms.

Despite its importance, most homeowners only take notice of their bathroom fan once something is wrong with it. At that point a quick 5-minute shower can leave the bathroom looking like a steam room! To help avoid that and other uncomfortable situations, here are a few of the benefits of routine bathroom fan maintenance to keep in mind during your HVAC career.

1. Without a Properly Working Bathroom Fan Homeowners Are at Risk of Mold Exposure

When the fan isn’t working properly, then moisture isn’t being removed from the bathroom. Because the bathroom tends to be one of the smallest rooms in the house, moisture released into the air when the shower is turned on becomes trapped and settles on the walls. From there it begins to attract mold very quickly. Some mold is toxic and even some non-toxic mold can cause asthma attacks, allergic reactions, nausea, headaches, and rashes in some people.

Routine maintenance of a bathroom fan is one of the best ways of reducing the risk of mold in a bathroom. Even if the fan is working, dust buildup can cause it to run slowly and less efficiently. By simply inspecting and maintaining a bathroom fan regularly, homeowners can rest assured that their bathroom is safe from mold.

Routine bathroom fan maintenance can prevent mold from building up

2. Pros with an HVAC Career Know Bathroom Fans Improve the Airflow of the Entire House

The fan doesn’t just remove moisture and chemicals from the bathroom; it also removes them from the entire home. To do that, however, the entire exhaust system, such as the ductwork and outlets, must also be working. If there is a leak in the ducts, for example, then the fan may not actually be removing moisture and chemicals from the home.

Instead, they could be leaking into hidden areas of the house, such as in the attic or between floors, where they could cause moisture buildup. As stated above, moisture buildup can lead to mold, but in this case the mold may be hidden and undetectable until it has become a major problem. After HVAC school, you can help homeowners detect these hidden risks by performing routine inspections of a bathroom and home’s entire HVAC system.

HVAC maintenance can help detect hidden problems with a bathroom fan

3. A Problem with a Bathroom Fan Can Make Bathrooms Unpleasant Places

Beyond improving health and safety, bathroom fans also increase the overall comfort of the home. If a bathroom fan isn’t working properly, it can make the bathroom uncomfortable to use. For example, a faulty bathroom fan can cause excessive heat, humidity, and odors that can quickly make the bathroom the least pleasant room in the house.

Another problem that you may encounter in your HVAC career is a bathroom fan that is excessively noisy. This is often the result of poor installation or lack of maintenance. The noise is not only irritating for homeowners, but it can also lead them to stop using the bathroom fan entirely, which in turn can mean that moisture and chemicals are not being safely removed from the house.

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Some safety risks are far more obvious than others. A welding flame, for instance, is easy for the naked eye to spot, and measures are consciously and subconsciously taken to avoid getting in direct contact with it. Welding fumes aren’t as obvious, but there are lots of steps which can be taken to ensure that a workspace remains safe and healthy.

Depending on a variety of different factors, welding can produce iron, manganese, nickel, zinc and many other types of fume particles. Poorly skilled welders put themselves at risk of illness by using ineffective techniques in unsuitable welding environments. Here is a useful guide on how to maintain good health throughout the process.

Different Types of Welding Produce Varying Fume Levels

Welding fumes are even smaller than common dust particles, and come from welding consumables and base metal materials. Students in welder school learn that the welding technique they use has a big impact on the amount of fumes produced. Submerged arc and resistance welding are among the low risk options, while flux core and arc gouging produce some of the highest amounts of fumes.

Fume safety plays a big part in a welder’s wellbeing

The type of fume particle also differs based on what types of metals are being used. Iron and manganese are usually by-products of mild steel welding, while chromium and nickel are often produced when working with stainless steel. Of course, it may not always be possible to choose a safer welding technique, but it should nevertheless be a consideration before the start of a project.

Ventilation Should Always be Considered After Electric Arc Welder Training

Just like the chimney or vents in a house, there should always be an easy escape route for fumes created in a welding workspace. Take the opportunity to carry out welding projects outside where possible. However, this may not be practical at all times, so make sure that adequate airflow is allowed into the building when working indoors.

Ventilation is vital in a welding workspace. Vents can be built into the walls, doors or windows, but local exhaust ventilation is a modern way to remove dangerous fumes much closer to the source. These units are like vacuums which can be placed close to the welding workspace. This creates a far more pleasant working environment, allowing you to maintain concentration throughout the welding process.

Follow Professional Best Practices During Welding Projects

Welders should pay attention to the positioning of their head while carrying out work. Make sure that it’s kept out of direct contact with fumes so that these particles are not being breathed in. This is a particularly common problem when welders work in a crouched position. If possible, sit down while carrying out welding work. This reduces the possibility of fumes entering the breathing zone. Electric arc welder training is a great time to develop correct safety techniques and good habits which can be carried through your career.

Welding in a crouched position can be hazardous

Protection equipment is also an important part of a welder’s toolkit. Respirators can be worn over the mouth and nose, to prevent the inhalation of dangerous fumes. They can come in many shapes and sizes, so welders need to make sure that they find an option which is both comfortable and effective.

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The creation of a good-quality cabinet may seem simple, but it actually involves as lot more than many may first think. It takes a careful attention to detail to work in this profession, but it’s also a career path that is very rewarding.

Cabinets, of course, can come in many different materials and styles, but they can also be sourced from different places. Each option will have different advantages and drawbacks. As a professional cabinetmaker, your primary goal is to create a product that fits a customer’s needs. Some customers may want special custom cabinets, while others may prefer stock or factory-made options that better fit their budget.

If you’re interested in finding out what you can expect after you finish cabinetmaking training, read on to learn more!

Stock or Factory-Made Cabinets Can Be More Efficient for Cabinetmakers

Essentially, stock cabinetry is anything that is prefabricated, manufactured, or ready-made. It is mass-produced in standard sizes and common shapes, and is meant to be created and delivered quickly to customers on short notice. Stock cabinets are modular by nature, which means they often come in simple designs and can’t be customized further after they arrive.

Stock cabinetry can help cabinet installers better fit their customers’ budgets

While this may not be ideal for every customer, the benefit of installing stock cabinetry after cabinetmaking training is that it offers a quick and cost-effective option that fits a customer’s budget. If you become a cabinet installer, you might work installing stock cabinets for customers who decide to go for this option.

You Can Use Your Cabinetmaking Training to Craft Custom and Semi-Custom Options

On the other end of the cabinet spectrum, you can choose to create more personalized products after cabinetmaking school.

Custom cabinets are appealing to any cabinetmaker, because they allow them to express their creative side, as well as reflect the personality and tastes of their customers. Generally, custom cabinet services begin by offering customers a standard base size, and then adding the custom features and details they want. Due to the amount of time and labour that goes into creating a custom cabinet, they are generally of a better quality and craftsmanship than factory-made options, but also tend to be more expensive.

Students at NATS can use their training to create customized cabinetry for future customers

Some customers, however, may want a middle ground between custom and stock cabinetry, and you have the option to offer semi-custom cabinets. Semi-custom cabinets allow for more variety in size and style than stock cabinets, and are also usually made from higher-quality materials. This option helps customers get something that matches their kitchen and tastes a little more than a stock option would, while still staying on the more affordable side. The layout and design of a kitchen can change dramatically from one customer to another, and both customized and semi-customized cabinets allow you to adjust your work to each specific parameter.

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If you’re like many people, you may believe that if you want a high-paying job, you need to go to university. This belief has been repeated so often that for some people it seems almost self-evident. Fueling it is the fact that for some there is a stigma against the trades, with trades work unfairly seen as low-skilled, low-paid, and dirty, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

What you may not realize is that you don’t need university for a well-paying job. In fact, if it’s a hefty pay cheque that you’re after, you may be better off going into the trades. Let’s take a look at why trade school could be a better option if you’re looking to pursue an in-demand and well-paid career.

Trade School Takes a Lot Less Time Than a University Degree

If you want to pursue a university degree, chances are you’re going to be in school for at least 3 to 4 years. For some professions like law, architecture, and medicine, the amount of time you’ll spend in school could be much longer. During that time, you’ll likely be accumulating student debt and you’ll typically only have limited opportunities to work while studying.

When attending a trade school, however, the situation is completely different. You’ll be able to finish your studies in less than a year and then enter the job market. Furthermore, during your apprenticeship after trade school you’ll continue to learn, but you’ll also be getting paid. That can help you avoid the years of student debt that university students often acquire.

Trade school takes less time than university and allows students to start earning faster

The Trades Are Among the Most In-Demand Jobs in Canada

If you want a career that pays well, you’ll usually need to get one that is in demand. When it comes to the trades, it’s hard to overstate just how severe of a skills shortage there is in Canada. The unemployment rate in Canada is currently at a four-decade low, and the jobs that are in most demand are in the trades.

In fact, a recent survey found that 41 per cent of employers say they can’t fill open jobs, and the ones that are among the hardest to fill are in the skilled trades. In fact, according to that same survey, “One in four employers says filling skilled trades roles is harder this year than last.” Employers say the main reason they can’t fill those jobs is simply because there aren’t enough applicants. So, if you’re looking to get hired fast, then a trade may be for you.

The trades are among the most in-demand jobs in Canada

With a Career in Construction, You Can Earn a Good Salary

Of course, the big question you probably have is which is more likely to lead to a better paying job: the trades or a university degree. According to Statistics Canada, men with an apprenticeship certificate (in other words, those working in the trades) earn a median salary of $72,955, which is ahead of those with college diplomas or just high school qualifications. While that’s still 11 per cent lower than the median earnings for men with bachelor degrees, it’s important to keep in mind that that gap looks much smaller when you consider the high student debt university graduates accumulate along with the fact that trades people can usually enter the workforce much faster.

Plus, in some trades the average salary is higher than the average salary for degree holders. The median salary for men who work as electricians, for example, is $84,016, higher than the median $82,082 that men with bachelor’s degrees earn. In other words, if you’re after a well-paid job, then construction school may be a better fit for you than university.

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Completing training in welding technology can open the door to a variety of rewarding careers. You could start working for residential service companies, at engineering firms, or at manufacturing companies—to name just a few of the possibilities. Of course, stepping into these careers necessitates sending out your resume in order to land that coveted interview.

While that process might make you feel a bit nervous, there’s no need to worry. At NATS, you’ll get to benefit from our career services, which means that you’ll receive the expert feedback of a career services representative who can help you craft the perfect resume and ace your interview. Here are just a few tips to help you get started.

Make Your Resume Relevant to the Job You’re Applying for After Welder Technician Training

When employers are looking over your resume, they’re trying to determine if you have the right skills and experience for the job. That’s why keeping your resume relevant and tailoring it to the specific job you’re applying for can be a great idea.

You can look over the job application and double check if you addressed the different responsibilities and skills listed. For example, if a job posting mentions that responsibilities include reading and interpreting blueprints, it could be a good idea to list where you learned and used that skill.

Tailor your resume to the job and its duties

After completing welder technician training at NATS, you can take the practical welding tests. If you pass them, you can join the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) Trade Association, and you’ll obtain a CWB Certificate or Achievement. Listing this certification on your resume can also be a good idea, since welders need to have it.

Keep Your Resume Short and Well Formatted

It’s no secret that employers don’t spend a lot of time looking over a resume. In fact, according to one study, recruiters spend just six seconds looking over a resume before deciding whether they want to keep it or toss it. That’s not a very long time to make a good first impression. However, by keeping your resume short and reader-friendly, you can up your chances of making it through this step.

Recruiters don’t spend a long time looking over resumes

In general, resumes shouldn’t be longer than one or two pages long. In addition, it’s a good idea to format it in a way that makes it easy for recruiters to find the information they’re looking for. For example, you should have a section clearly labelled “Education,” where you list your welding diploma. By keeping your resume easy to read, you’ll make sure that the time a recruiter spends on your resume is well used.

Include Details that Help Illustrate Your Abilities

While keeping your resume short is a good idea, that doesn’t mean you should do away with important details. It can be tempting to shorten bullet points until they’re nothing more than a word or two. However, if you had to compare the following two descriptions, which one would you choose?

“Worked on projects”

“Worked on 2 welding projects, which were both completed on budget and on schedule.”

In the first example, all of the time management and other concerns that you kept in mind don’t have a chance to shine through. This makes it harder for recruiters to see all of your hard work and dedication. By making each of your descriptions count, you can help to show recruiters what a great candidate you are, and help them see why they should call you in for that interview.

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Training to become an electrician opens up a large array of career opportunities. That’s because electricians are required in just about every industry, and electrical systems themselves can be quite complex. As a result, a number of specializations within the electrical field are available after your studies, many of which are in high demand and pay a high salary.

While there are many specializations you can focus on as an electrician, here we’ll look at just three popular ones. These career paths, which all have their own various sub-specializations, are a great indication of the variety of work you can find as an electrician.

Maintenance Electrician Training Can Prepare You for Work on Electric Motors

As an electrician, you can focus on working on electric motors. People who work on electric motors go by many different job titles, including electric motor repairperson, electric motor systems technician, and winder electrician. In any of these positions, you’ll be the one who repairs and maintains electrical motors and equipment.

Because motors are utilized in so many different industries, your electric motor systems technician career can take you down many different sub-specializations. For example, you could focus on repairing electric generators at homes and businesses, or you could be employed at a factory where you could help troubleshoot electrical equipment breakdowns on assembly lines.

As a Construction Electrician You’ll Get to Install New Electrical Systems

A common career path that you can pursue after training is that of a construction electrician. Construction electricians, as their name implies, are the electricians who do electrical work during the construction and renovation of buildings. They are responsible for laying out and installing electrical systems for new buildings, which means they are typically hands-on people and practical problem solvers.

If you become a construction electrician, you can also specialize in various sub areas. For example, some construction electricians focus on installing security systems, while other construction electricians focus on industrial or commercial systems. Being a construction electrician tends to be a physically demanding job, and you may also be required to work outside from time to time. However, there’s a lot of variety in this job, which can make it fun and rewarding.

Become a Maintenance Electrician or Electrical Technician to Focus on Troubleshooting

Maintenance electricians and electrical technicians are the professionals responsible for troubleshooting problems with an existing electrical system. Unlike construction electricians, they typically don’t design or install electrical systems themselves. Instead, they focus on maintaining an existing electrical system or they may focus on one specific aspect of that system. For example, industrial and manufacturing sites have complicated electrical systems, so a maintenance electrician may focus on just one area at a particular site while other maintenance electricians at the same site might focus on different components of the same electrical system.

If you become a maintenance electrician or electrical technician, you may work at one site, such as an office building or manufacturing plant, or for a single company. Many maintenance electricians are also hired by municipalities and utility companies. You also have the option of working independently and helping maintain electrical systems at different residences and businesses.

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HVAC school can put you on a number of different career paths. Two of the most popular are as an HVAC installer and an HVAC technician (sometimes called a maintenance technician or service technician). While there is plenty of overlap between what installers and technicians do, they also have some differences.

There are advantages to being either an installer or a technician, so whichever path you choose will come with plenty of perks. To find out whether you’re more suited to a career as an installer or a technician, here’s a closer look at the differences between the two.

The Main Difference Between HVAC Installers and Technicians Is Maintenance

The main difference between HVAC installers and HVAC technicians is a little obvious from their job titles. HVAC installers are primarily responsible for installing new HVAC systems, while HVAC technicians focus more on maintaining and repairing existing HVAC systems. Of course, both technicians and installers need to have a good understanding of how HVAC systems work and many of their job duties overlap.

Because HVAC installers install HVAC systems, they also tend to be more involved in the construction industry than technicians are. When a new home or business is being built, it needs an HVAC installer to come in and set up an HVAC system for it. HVAC technicians, on the other hand, are more likely to work with home and business owners who already have an HVAC system, but one that needs repairs or maintenance.

HVAC installers often find plenty of work in the construction industry

There Are Advantages to Being Either an HVAC Technician or Installer

Both installers and technicians enjoy unique advantages and neither HVAC career is necessarily better than the other. Installers tend to be more in demand when the economy is booming, as this is when new buildings are being constructed and people have more income to afford new or upgraded HVAC systems. During economic downturns, meanwhile, HVAC technicians are in demand since people will often be holding off on replacing older HVAC systems, which are more likely to break down and require repairs.

The hours that HVAC technicians and installers keep also tend to differ. Because technicians are servicing homes and businesses, their schedules often have to accommodate those of their clients. In many cases, HVAC technicians need to work on-call, especially given that some HVAC repairs, such as for restaurants or nursing homes, may need to be urgently fixed. HVAC installers, on the other hand, are typically more able to set their own appointment schedules. The payoff to being on-call is that demand for technicians tends to be more stable no matter the time of year or economy.

Technicians and installers may have different work schedules depending on their customers

HVAC School Can Prepare You to Work as Both an Installer and a Technician

If you’re still having trouble deciding which career path you should choose, the good news is that you can actually do both. Your HVAC training will prepare you to become both an installer and a technician. Many HVAC technicians also work as installers, so they can easily find work no matter what the economy looks like. In fact, sometimes the title HVAC technician refers to a person who does both installation and maintenance work.

Of course, if you prefer installation over maintenance or vice versa, then you are free to specialize in one area rather than doing both. HVAC installers and technicians are both in high demand and they are well compensated, so focusing on the part of the industry you enjoy the most is more than possible.

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Electricians are among the most in-demand and best paid tradespeople in Canada. If you’ve thought about training to become an electrician, you’ve probably heard the term Red Seal at least a couple times. The Red Seal program sets nationally recognized standards for designated trades like electricians.

After you complete your training and apprenticeship, you can become a journeyperson, at which point you can take the Red Seal exam and become Red Seal certified. There are a number of benefits to becoming Red Seal certified. Let’s take a look at just three below.

1. Red Seal Is Recognized by Employers Across Canada and Internationally

The main purpose of the Red Seal certification is that it is a national standard. This means that once you are Red Seal certified for a trade in one province or territory, you can then, with few exceptions, have your certification recognized anywhere in the country. By being a national standard, the Red Seal endorsement tells employers that you have undergone the same standards of training and experience regardless of where in Canada you were originally certified.

Furthermore, because of the high quality of trades training and workplace standards in Canada, the Red Seal program has a global reputation. While every country has its own rules regarding trades certification, the Red Seal certification is highly respected internationally.

2. Red Seal Opens Up Opportunities If You Want to Become a Construction Electrician

While Red Seal certification is not mandatory in order to work in the trades, it can make a huge difference in terms of salary, job security, and career advancement if you want to become a construction electrician. Employers offering high-paid positions will typically favour candidates who boast Red Seal certification over those who don’t. Furthermore, as a Red Seal electrician, you’ll be considered a journeyperson, which gives you the right to train apprentices.

Because the Red Seal program is recognized across the country, it also allows you to pursue better job opportunities no matter where they happen to be. So, if you’re working in one province which then suffers an economic downturn, you can take your electrician skills anywhere else in Canada that may have a high demand for electricians.

3. You Could Be Eligible for Grants and Loans for Pursuing a Red Seal Certification

Canada has a shortage of skilled workers and if you want to pursue an electrician career in construction or another Red Seal trade, then there are plenty of financial incentives to help you along the way. The federal government offers generous grants and loans specifically for those pursuing a Red Seal trade. For example, apprentices in a designated Red Seal trade can apply for the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, which is a cash grant of up to $1,000 per year, up to a maximum of $2,000 per person.

Women apprentices in designated Red Seal trades may also be eligible for the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women, which provides up to $3,000 per year up to a maximum of $6,000 per person. Furthermore, upon successfully completing your apprenticeship you may be eligible for the Apprenticeship Completion Grant, which is a $2,000 grant per person.

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