Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Trade Profile - Instrumentation Technician

Over the next ten years, it is estimated that over 261,100 tradespeople will retire in Canada, while only 221,300 will enter the field, resulting in a significant loss of skilled workers. In addition, due to the aging population, the overall number of people who are considered to be in their working prime (age 25-54) is expected to decline. These factors will make it increasingly difficult to replenish the retiring workforce.

In response to the anticipated shortage of skilled apprentices, the construction industry has developed several initiatives, opportunities, and grants to encourage youth, women, the indigenous population, and other groups to consider a career in the skilled trades. Alongside various partners, CLAC has become increasingly involved in promoting the skilled trades as a rewarding career option, while simultaneously looking for new ways to support industry and workers alike.

Throughout 2019, we will share a variety of trades-related blogs here on Your Voice. We will highlight in-demand trades by providing you with a snap shot of their education requirements, average salary, and employment outlook.

This month’s highlighted trade is instrumentation and control technician.

One of the lesser recognized trades, instrumentation and control technicians (or instrumentation techs, for short), install, maintain, and repair the measuring and control devices used in industrial and commercial processions. They work with a wide variety of pneumatic, electronic, and micro computer devices used to measure and control pressure, flow, temperature, level, motion, force, and chemical composition. With the increasing automation of most industries, instrumentation techs are needed virtually anywhere there are control and metering systems.

As a currently in-demand trade, it is predicted by BuildForce Canada’s 2019 Construction and Maintenance Outlook report for Alberta that in the next two years, “Workers meeting employer qualifications are generally not available in local markets to meet any increase. Employers will need to compete to attract additional workers.” While this increased demand will level out after reaching its peak in 2022, this is an excellent time to begin an apprenticeship.

CLAC represents various contractors who employ instrumentation techs and journeyperson wages can range on average from $30 to $55 per hour plus additional benefits. A career as an instrumentation tech comes with unlimited career possibilities as they can work in various industries including pulp and paper processing, hydropower generation, and industrial or commercial manufacturing. Experienced instrumentation techs can also advance to various supervisory positions, become employed as engineering technicians, or move into company sales offices.

Those interested in starting a new career as an instrumentation tech can expect to complete a four-year apprenticeship program. The first two years include a minimum of 1,500 hours of on-the-job training and eight weeks of technical training per year, where the third and fourth year include 1,425 hours of on-the-job training and 10 weeks of technical training per year.

There are various levels of support that an apprentice can obtain while working in any Red Seal Trade to help them progress through the apprenticeship program. There are several options available through both the federal and provincial governments aimed to support workers in entering, progressing, through, and completing the apprenticeship pathway in any Red Seal trade. The earn-while-you-learn system opens up many doors for anyone who chooses to pursue a career in the skilled trades.

Interested in the skilled trades? Contact your CLAC Training Team for support in navigating the apprenticeship pathway, assistance in enrolling in technical training, and information regarding student funding.

Trade Profile - Instrumentation Technician

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