FAQ: "When Do I Go to School?" and "How Do I Know When to go to School?"

Here is a brief outline for you to follow when you are becoming a registered apprentice. Remember you need to find a sponsor (this could be an employer, union or group sponsor like Support Ontario Youth) and they must be willing to register you with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills development (MLTSD),  BEFORE your apprenticeship starts.

When a sponsor decides to register you as an apprentice, then, and only then, will you be asked what school/college you want to attend for the in-class portion of your learning. The in-class portions makeup 10 per cent of your education in an apprenticeship. You are only able to choose one school/college, so make sure it is the right choice.

Consider these factors below when selecting:

1. How long is the waiting list to get in? (You will not know this, and there’s no way to research it, but the wait can be one to two years long, depending on how many apprentices are on the list for that institution)
2. Is it reasonably accessible (this means looking at where you live and work)? Will I be able to take public transit or have I budgeted enough to pay for a parking pass for the 2-3 months (cost is approximately $400 per month)
3. If there is no school/college near me, it can be a good idea to choose a school/college with a shorter waitlist and consider relocating for a couple of months to get the level of schooling completed.

Once the registration is complete through MLTSD and you have completed the application for the Ontario College of Trades (OCOT), you will be added to the waitlist of the school/college you have chosen. The automated system through MLTSD means once they put your name into the system, they can’t identify your place on the list or when you will receive your offer of class. You will receive a notification for your offer once your name has reached the top of the queue/list.

Receiving the offer-of-class has nothing to do with how many hours you have accumulated in the trade, but from what we have heard from employers it is a good idea to have worked in the trade for a year before you go to the first level of schooling. This helps you to connect the dots of what you learned on the jobsite to the theory you will learn in class.

If you have worked two- to three-years, and you have not received an offer-of-class, it would be a good idea to check back with your ministry representative to understand if everything is still in order, and you are still registered as an apprentice waiting for your offer.

 Questions to ask your Ministry representative:

1. Was I added to the school of my choice when I was registered?
2. How many apprentices are waiting on the list?
3. Is there a school available with a shorter list?

If you are in the apprenticeship system and you are a temporary resident, you will NOT be added to the list for school until you have permanent residency status. If this is the case, connect with your immigration lawyer about how long the process will take for permanent residency status.

For more information about when you would go to school, Support Ontario Youth is here to help, please feel free to reach out.