Are there any Heavy Duty Mechanics that have found jobs easy in Calgary.

I have my PR and are moving to Calgary in May 2012. Also can you still find a job if you have not taken the Red Seal exam? I would also like any info from people that have done the Red Seal exam. We are going to base ourselves in Okotoks 30 mins south of Calgary.

If anyone can tell me if you can register children at school before you have a permanent address?? Kids are 11, 8,8.

Look forward to your replies.

If certification is required you have to have a ticket before being able to work in that trade. Nothing stopping you being a laborer though. The exam is not 'Red Seal' though. It is the provincial training authority, that prepares and conducts the exams to a standard agreed between all the provincial training boards and is administered nationally by Red Seal. You get a provincial certification that is accepted nationally. You also have to have 9000 hours experience that can be proved to challenge the exam.

You won't know which school catchment area to register in unless you have an address. If you have a rental address that is good enough. They will want to see the kids residency status papers and sometimes immunisation papers.

Hey,

We applied for PR in July, have PER in October and job offer in October so our route is slightly different to yours, however my husband Shaun is a HGV mechanic and we will be basing ourselves in Cochrane, not all that far from you guys. Basically we are heading over there in the new year on a TWP until we achieve PR, the company that my husband will be working for are based in Calgary and I can PM you if you would like more info. You do not have to have your red seal certificate prior to working in this trade, you must complete this exam within 6 months of being appointed which allows you time to get used to the different names for tools etc... however you will be required to apply to the HRSDC (Alberta apprenticeship training board) who will contact previous emplyers back in the UK to prove that you have the correct eligibility to work within this trade in Alberta, the fee is approx $495 (or there abouts) for this to be done and this fee includes one exam, you may undertake the exam more than once, but you must show a progression of your knowledge on the previous results.

Hope that this helps, unfortunately unable to comment on schooling.
Congrats on your PR though!

Thanks Shaun -Em for the info.

Unable to PM as dont have 3 post yet. If somehow you could let me know what employer you are going to that would be great. Very helpful info. Much appriciated. Good Luck with your PR.

Skill testing question: What is 3 minus 2?

Post your answer.

I'm a heavy duty mechanic who lives in Cochrane. I work up in Fort McMurray though. From what I have seen there are lots of opportunities around Calgary for mechanics. As for the red seal, I sat both the heavy equipment and the truck and coach in Ontario, which enables me to work Canada wide (except Quebec). As I understand how it works in Alberta, is that you can either have a provincial license or red seal, although most jobs seem to want red seal. The test is not a lot to worry about, its multiple choice and there are normally 2 answers you can discount straight away, then its just working out which of the other 2 answers it is that they are looking for, or 50/50 guess

Thanks for your help.

There is no such license as' Red Seal'. All licensing is provincially qualified and issued, however if it is a Red Seal trade, then the qualification is interpersonally recognised.

Well thanks for clarifying that. Although where I sat my license in Ontario, for my trade anyway there is no provincial standard as such. You do not sit a provincial test as you do in other provinces. Achievement of red seal qualifies you for the Ontario provincial license also.

There has to be a provincial standard as red seal was set up by all the provinces through HRSDC to administer a common standard and allow portability of designated qualifications. In ON it is administered by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

It explains all here. http://www.red-seal.ca/[email protected]?cid=22

Red Seal is only an an endorsement of the provincial qualification for trades that have not had federal licensing through other agencies such as Transport Canada. Prior to Red Seal endorsements each province did their own and journeymen had to re qualify in each province they wanted to work in.

So how does all this relate to the OP's original question?

Stuham33

Have you taken your HGV lience or is it called class 1? What is the test like if you have.

I really want to take it, as I have class 1 here in the UK.

Thanks

Just out of ineterest, are you working on the oil and gas fields? Just wondered seeing as though you are in Fort McMurray?

to apply for the "red seal" you need to contact AAIT.
here is a link to the application form, http://www.tradesecrets.gov.ab.ca/fo...l_work_exp.pdf
it takes about 5-6 weeks at the moment to get a reply.
Good luck

Thanks stu_g2004

Will take a look