English Language Centre

Are you a newcomer to Canada? Do you want to work in the trades and improve your English? Take the Pathways to the Trades program.

This customized trades program for newcomers is focused on building specific skills needed to succeed in the southern Alberta labour market. You’ll prepare to pass the Alberta Apprenticeship entry exam for a recognized trade and improve your opportunities for unskilled or semi-skilled employment in the trades and manufacturing sectors through:

• developing job search strategies
• understanding Canadian workplace culture
• gaining labour market knowledge
• building professional networks

Who is eligible?

• Individuals aged 18 or older.
• Newcomers (immigrants born outside of Canada who are destined for or living in Alberta, either temporarily or permanently) who have Permanent status in Canada: Permanent Residence Status or Canadian citizenship).
• Government assisted refugees.
• English proficiency at or equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) levels 6-8.

Class Schedule and Delivery Methods

Choose from one of our upcoming offerings:

• July 10 – Oct. 20, 2023
• Feb. 26 – June 7, 2024
• July 8 – Oct. 25, 2024

You’ll take four courses over 15 weeks through a mix of on campus and online learning, with hands-on labs for the trades and visits to local work sites.

• Specialized English (terminology and language leading to employment)
• Employment Skills
• Employment Readiness
• Introduction to the Trades (hands-on experience of up to 12 different trades)

About the Program

The Opening New Employment Pathways to the Trades and Associated Professions in Alberta is a collaborative program between the Centre for Business, Arts and Sciences, which includes the English Language Centre, and the Centre for Trades, and is supported by a Settlement, Integration and Language Projects (SILP) grant from Alberta’s Ministry of Trade, Immigration and Multiculturalism.