2chipMcGinty

Hi all very new first timer here,,, so please take it easy with me, I'm a 45yr old Industrial Electrician in Ireland just waiting to lose my job. I have already applied for my Canadian PR, and I hope to settle my family in Alberta but was hoping to get a first hand reality check from electricians that have settled there.
I don't expect to find the "streets paved with gold" like they were in London when I was younger (not). But want the heads up on the pitfalls of living and looking for work in all parts of Alberta and is there anything you would have done different with 20X20 hind sight
Cheers
ps there's a drink in it for ya's when I get over

iaink

Hi, Welcome to BE

Im not an electrician myself, but I think the main reality check is the hassle of getting the red seal qualification. Without it its hard to either find a job, or at least find one that pays top rates.

Good luck!

2chipMcGinty

Thanks for the reply

Aviator

You can sit the exam, given enough certifiable hours. The Red Seal is an inter-provincial endorsement of the AB license. Without being licensed then pretty much all you can do is run around behind a qualified electrician and on a low wage, likley $10 an hour. If you are coming over it is worth taking the exam. I know of several mature students who have done it and had no problems.

R I C H

I just don't see that. Of all the electrical contractors I've employed (commercial and also residential for a house build), there's always been a supervisor (qualified) and a team of guys that work under him (unqualified). Even the unqualified guys are earning $30+ p/hr, so it's not the end of the world in terms of earnings if you haven't passed the exams, but it may limit the breadth of opportunity somewhat.

2chipMcGinty

Thanks for the advice lads obviously the smart thing to do (cant say I've always done the smart thing) would be to study for the exam before I land,,,, If I was just looking after my own ASS I'd go and take any job on offer and learn on the job do some study. But the wife and daughter might have something to say about that
One more thing about the RED SEAL I have looked at the RED SEAL page but it dose not give info (or maybe I just missed it) on what to study ie regulations etc,,, Does anybody have info on Canadian trade books they could recommend I buy????
Thanks again for all the help
John

Aviator

You need this, or equivalent for the province you are going to. Some of it has to be filled in by employers, so best to get done before you leave the UK. All has to be originals, no copies accepted.

http://www.itabc.ca/Assets/ITA+Train...ge+Package.pdf

There is no list of texts. Contact an institution that delivers the program and they should be able to tell you what to study.

2chipMcGinty

Thanks for the link Aviator,,, but if I read it right I could take the ita examination or the red seal examination both lead me to the same goal they will entitle me to work anywhere???
I have just ordered the 2009 Canadian Electrical Code book and ESAT (Electricians Self Assessment Tool) cd, so have to knuckle down now and start studying again
Thanks for all you help

chazcanning

PM me i'm an electrician in vancouver chaz

Aviator

You challenge the one exam, it is administered by the training authority in your province and you get Red Seal if it is a Red Seal trade. With that it is recognized across Canada.

Aviator

Unless the info you are exchanging is confidential, it is often more helpful to post information into the forum. This not only benefits the OP, but also others in similar situations. Thanks

robert_masters

Hi

You've got it, also try IPT's Electrical Handbook - Herb Putz - Handy item! & CE Code Handbook.

Red Seal is a good way to go, you can then work unsupervised. Go to Calgary to sit exam and this will give you the certificate to work in any area i.e domestic/commercial/industrial also any province. Just opens up more doors!!

You need 70% pass mark, it's quite hard so plenty of studying should do the trick. You can re-take while there but you can only do this once in a particular time, I think a year????

Let me know how you get on with everything!

Good Luck

Angela

LMBrian

Hi...I'm an Irish electrician over here. When you say Industrial...do you mean maintenance or construction industrial? You will need your Red Seal. Employers really do expect that now as opposed to a couple of years back when there was a severe shortage. The code book and the CD should be all you need. If I have some other material I will send it on to you. The majority of the 'industrial' work is in Fort Mac....oil and gas. The guinness is expensive here too!!!

2chipMcGinty

Thanks Angela will check out the books, sitting the exam is the thing to do it's just I've been away from studying so long. I did a PLC course last year and it was a struggle to knuckle down and concentrate.
Are you an electrician????
Cheers
John

2chipMcGinty

Hi I've both, I served my time in maintenance back in the stone age of the 80's and then when I went to England I went into construction, and when I came back to Ireland at the end of the 90's got back into maintenance have been working in a Pfizer pharmaceutical plant in Cork as a shift maintenance spark for the last 10yrs. Obviously I'd bite your hand off for any other material you have. Are you living in Alberta?? where is Fort Mac? I'll check it out on GOOGLE maps
As for Guinness, as I'm a Dub trying to intergrate with the Corkies I've taken to drinking Murphy's and Beamish and watching Hurling instead of Football
Cheers
John