• Skip to Content
• Skip to Navigation

Central Vancouver Island: Think Trades & Technology

Machinists

What’s It Like?

Metal is used in a wide range of products because of its extreme durability. Machinists turn blocks of metal into complex metal parts for other products. They also fit and assemble metal parts, ensuring the parts in these products meet exacting standards in size, strength and hardness.

Machinists often work in manufacturing plants or machine shops and are required to read and interpret blueprints and to perform precise machining operations based on project specifications. They must understand the fundamentals of mathematics, metallurgy and mechanical drawing.

Machinists may set up and operate:

• lathes, milling machine saws, grinding machines
• drilling and boring machines, shapers, planers
• precision measuring tools, hand and power tools
• related attachments and accessories including cutting tools

Money and Benefits

Wages

Designation	Hourly Rate
Entry Level	$15.00 - $22.00
Experienced (+5 years)	$22.00 - $28.00
Management (Senior)	$28.00 - $35.00

Benefits

Benefits are unique to each company. Some companies have a bonus scheme.
Union shops have union benefits.
Larger businesses and government have employee benefit packages including health care.

Non-Union Wages

With the current booming state of the construction industry and associated skill shortages, local labour market research suggests it is an employee’s market. For this reason, it is not uncommon for non-union companies to match union rates and benefits in order to attract and retain employees.

Why We're Betting on This

• There are an estimated 180 machinists working in the central Vancouver Island region, as of 2006 (BC Stats)
• The projected growth rate for machinists is 9% from 2006-2011
• According to T3’s current labour market research there is a high demand for machinists in the central Vancouver Island region, as many of the larger employers are having difficulty finding qualified machinists
• Machinists report a high level of job satisfaction, year-round employment, and excellent wages, benefits and working conditions

Interested? Where to Start

Machinist is a nationally designated trade under the Inter-provincial Red Seal program.
There are three ways you can work as a machinist and machining and tooling inspector in B.C. You can work as a self-employed contractor, you can demonstrate to an employer that you are a competent machinist or machining and tooling inspector or you can register as an apprentice and become a certified journeyperson. Hiring is sometimes done through union halls or through direct contact with potential employers.

Apprentice machinists are often chosen from a company's current employees, such as shop hands. Machinists can advance to supervisory positions or start their own business once they have some work experience. To become a machining and tooling inspector, several years of experience as a machinist, tool and die maker or machining tool operator are usually required.

Educational Requirements - Apprenticeship

The machinist apprenticeship requires a total of 6,600 hours on the job and 600 hours in school over four years. The training takes place in four five-week periods.

1. Direct Entry to the job

Through direct entry you find a job with an employer who is willing to participate in the apprenticeship program. Both you and the employer must register in the program. See the Industry Training Authority (ITA) website to find out more and download registration forms at  www.itabc.ca

2. Entry-level Trades Training

You can take Entry-Level Trades Training (ELTT) at a college or institute in B.C. This will give you a good foundation of machinist skills and help you make industry contacts. A grade 12 education is preferred but a grade 12 level in English (or English Language Proficiency) and grade 11 math and physics may be all that are required. Completion of ELTT may give you credit towards your apprenticeship training.  Entry-level training programs in machinist work generally range from four to 10 months.

Educational Instititution

For complete information on these programs, including where training is available, start dates, admission requirements and cost, perform a Program Search under the subject heading "Machinist" at:

Education Planner

www.educationplanner.bc.ca

Top

• Copyright @ 2002 - Malaspina University-College
• Sponsors
• Disclaimer
• Privacy

Malaspina University-College: Centre for Continuing Studies