Learn about the apprenticeship program

Time to complete an apprenticeship

The time to complete an apprenticeship and become a certified journeyperson depends on:

• the required work experience hours for your trade;
• whether or not you’ve completed a pre-employment program; and
• the amount of experience you already have in that trade when you start.

It will generally take 2 to 4 years to finish your on-the-job and classroom training. 

Trades in the Yukon are split between 2 and 4 levels, with each level including both work hours and technical training. An average apprentice working full time and attending training once per year usually completes their program in the same number of years as there are levels.

How much are apprentices paid?

As per the Apprentice Training Act and the Apprentice Training and Tradesperson’s Qualifications Regulation, apprentices earn between 60 to 95 per cent of the wage earned by a newly certified journeyperson within the same company. This ensures that apprentices receive a fair and competitive wage as they progress through their training. The wage rates are different in each trade.

Your wage will go up as you move from one level of training to the next.

Each province and territory set wage rates for registered apprentices. The rates in the province or territory where you’re completing the work is the wage rate that applies to you. For example, if you live in Whitehorse and file taxes as a Yukoner but work as an apprentice at a mine in northern British Columbia, your employer will pay you the apprenticeship wage for B.C.

What if you already have work experience in a trade?

We encourage you to contact our office as soon as you start working in a designated trade in the Yukon. The hours you work may count toward your required hours for certification. This simple step can save you time and make sure your wage rate is fair. You must be a registered apprentice in our apprenticeship program to guarantee that your work experience hours will count.

You can start your formal apprenticeship at any point if you've been working in a trade:

• that's recognized (designated) in the Yukon; and
• with a certified journeyperson.

You may be able to challenge: 

• the apprenticeship level 1 exam based on:
  • your previous experience and training;
  • the requirements of your trade; and
  • recommendation from your employer.
• the journeyperson Certificate of Qualification exam in your trade based on:
  • your previous experience and training; and
  • the requirements of your trade.  

Find out more about challenging the certification exam.

How to take training for a trade not designated in the Yukon

You will not be able to register in the apprenticeship program for a trade that is not designated in the Yukon.

You may be eligible for funding support to take in-school technical training through Student Financial Assistance.

If you have questions, email [email protected] or phone 867-667-5929, toll free in Yukon 1-800-661-0408, extension 5929.

1. Fill out the Apprenticeship application and agreement form.
2. Have your employer complete the employer section of your form.
3. Gather your supporting documents, including:
   • copies of any high school or equivalent transcripts that show you have met the entrance requirements for your trade;
   • transcripts or certificates for any post-secondary education in your trade or a related trade, including pre-apprenticeship; and
   • a copy of the journeyperson certificate for the journeyperson who will be supervising your apprenticeship.

Note: we may consider previous work experience to go toward your apprenticeship requirements.

• If you have 299 hours or fewer, this goes right on your application form. Your current employer must approve your hours.
• If you have 300 hours or more, fill out a Trade Experience Verification form for each employer.

4. Pay a non-refundable application fee of $10. We accept cash, cheque, debit or credit card. We’ll process your payment at the front desk at the Department of Education building.
5. Submit your application.
   In person: Education Building (entrance to parking on Hospital Road), 1000 Lewes Boulevard in Whitehorse. We’re open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
   By emailing a request for a secure upload link: [email protected]
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Apprenticeship (E-13)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

Next steps

Your application will take 4 to 6 weeks to process. 

We'll contact you once your formal apprenticeship agreement and record book are available to pick up. 

To ensure timely processing, submit a complete application. If you have any questions or concerns about the application, contact our office for help. 

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed or kept by the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification office.

Orientation to apprenticeship

You must complete an orientation before receiving your record book and wallet card. An Industrial Training Consultant will do your orientation in person at the Department of Education building, and you can receive your record book and wallet card right after.

Your orientation will take approximately 15 minutes, and you can schedule an appointment by email at [email protected] or by phone at 867-667-5298.

Your employer

After we accept your application, we will email your registered employer a copy of your:

• apprenticeship agreement;  
• schedule of training;
• record book; and
• wallet card.

You must tell us if your employer changes during your apprenticeship. If you move jobs, it’s good practice to: 

• have your employer sign-off on all your hours before you quit; and
• notify our office as soon as you start working for someone else.

Your apprenticeship can start as soon as you're approved. You can count any hours you work for your registered employer toward your apprenticeship.

Now that you’re a registered apprentice, you should record all your hours in your record book. 

For example, if you enrol in an electrical apprenticeship program, you'll progress through 8 periods. Here's how it works:

1. Complete the required hours and technical training for each period.
2. Receive a positive evaluation from your employer.
3. Your pay rate will increase by 5 per cent for each period you complete.

This process repeats for all 8 periods, with your pay rate increasing by 5 per cent after each successful completion.

Before you can attend in-school technical training, you’ll need to complete the on-the-job hours required by your level. Your employer must sign-off on your hours. Here’s the process:

• You can register for level 1 training as soon as you are a registered apprentice.
• To attend level 2 training, you must be in your 3rd or 4th period of work hours.
• To attend level 3 training, you must be in your 5th or 6th period of work hours.
• To attend level 4 training, you must be in your 7th or 8th period of work hours.

You need to update your record book and have it signed by both your employer and your Industrial Training Consultant. This ensures your hours count toward your apprenticeship. 

We'll send an evaluation to your employer to assess if you're ready to advance to the next level. Evaluations occur at your:

• 4th period;
• 6th period; and
• final period.

How to register in apprenticeship training

You must be a registered apprentice in the Yukon to attend in-school training.

We’ll register you for all in-school training sessions related to your apprenticeship:

• at Yukon University;
• in Alberta; or
• in another province, if applicable.

When you’re ready for in-school training:

1. Email the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification’s Training Support Officer at [email protected] to request an enrolment form.
   • Your training support officer will guide you to your in-school technical training options.
   • Ensure that you have your employer's approval and signature.

2. Submit your completed form and your updated record book.
   In person: Education Building (entrance to parking on Hospital Road), 1000 Lewes Boulevard in Whitehorse. We’re open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm 

   Email: [email protected]
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Apprenticeship (E-13)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

Our office will review and complete the in-school registration process for you.

• You’ll be registered in the school appropriate for your training with the options you provided. We’ll make every effort to accommodate your 1st option.
• You’ll receive a training kit from our office 6 weeks before class starts with information about:
  • funding for in-school training;
  • what to expect; and
  • where to go.

Completing your in-school training

On the final day of your training course, you'll be required to write and pass an exam. You can find exam information and study materials on the Government of Alberta’s Trade Secrets. 

Apprenticeship and Trade Certification receives your marks directly from the school. We’ll contact you with your results by email.

If you do not successfully pass your exam, you may request a re-write. If your 2nd attempt is not successful, you can apply to the Director of Apprenticeship for a 3rd attempt. If your 3rd attempt is not successful, you must re-take that level of training.

Interim evaluation process for Yukon apprentices

The Yukon has introduced an interim process for evaluating apprentices who attend training in the Yukon or Alberta. Apprentices are eligible for the interim evaluation process until the exams have been updated by the Government of Alberta. 

The interim evaluation assessment considers:

• technical in-class training grades;
• level exam marks;
• employment hours; and
• the employer’s evaluation.

The interim change considers that many of the level exams we use need updates and include some outdated questions. This impacts students' results and ability to advance to the next level. If you attend technical training in a jurisdiction other than the Yukon or Alberta, you'll be evaluated using the process that is used by the jurisdiction you attend technical training in.

The following trades have had their exams updated since the interim evaluation process was put in place in October 2023 and are no longer eligible:

• Carpenter
• Construction electrician
• Industrial electrician
• Power system electrician
• Powerline technician
• Steamfitter or pipefitter attending level 3
• Welder attending level 1

We'll reassess the interim evaluation process in 2026.

What's different under the interim evaluation process?

If you do not achieve 70 per cent on a level exam (previously required to advance), but a score between 60 to 69 per cent, we'll complete further evaluation. When deciding if you can move on to the next level, we will consider the following:

• Level exam mark
• Technical in-classroom training (school) grades
• Whether your employer recommends you pass the level
  • This may involve a conversation with the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification office, the employer, and you. This is appropriate as 80 per cent of an apprentice’s learning is on-the-job.

The Director of Apprenticeship will make the final decision based on the above factors. The employer's recommendation is an important part of the decision.

View a summary of the interim process.

Can I ask for a re-assessment under the interim process?

The Government of Yukon will apply this new approach back to January 1, 2022, to retroactively re-evaluate apprentices that were not able to move on to their next level.

If you did not pass an exam after January 1, 2022, and would like a re-evaluation, email us at [email protected].

Apprenticeship and Trade Certification is available to provide you information during your apprenticeship, whether you’re working or attending school. 

While you’re working 

As per the Apprentice Training Act and its Regulations, apprentices must be paid a wage that is a percentage of the wage earned by a newly certified journeyperson within the same company. This ensures that apprentices receive a fair and competitive wage as they progress through their training. 

Your employer is required to follow all the employment standards for the Yukon and your industry. Your Industrial Training Consultant can support you in conversations with your employer. 

While you're in school, including funding 

You’ll be eligible to apply for Employment Insurance to support you while you’re not working and attending school. 

We'll pay your tuition directly to the training institute. You can apply for additional funding support for a variety of expenses, including: 

• travel;
• a living allowance; and
• dependent care costs, including childcare. 

We’ll send you a funding application 6 weeks before the start of your classes. 

Learning supports 

We're here to help you be successful throughout your apprenticeship. Email us at [email protected] to learn more about free: 

• tutoring or learning assistance;
• support for learning disabilities; and
• psycho-educational assessments. 

Additional supports 

• Canada Apprentice Loan
• Government of Canada
• Yukon Women in Trades and Technology (YWITT) 

You may also want to speak with your Yukon First Nation government about any financial or other supports they have available for apprentices.

You can work or train anywhere in Canada without interrupting your apprenticeship training.
You must tell the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification office if:

• your employer changes; or
• you move away from the Yukon.

We can then give you information on how to transfer your apprenticeship to the new employer or jurisdiction. 
For more information:

• Apprentice Mobility Guidelines
• Apprentice Transfer Guide
• Apprentice Mobility Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Transfer your apprenticeship within the Yukon

In the Yukon, only the employer with whom you register your apprenticeship agreement can:

• sign your record book;
• approve you to attend technical training; and
• complete evaluations.

There’s no fee to transfer a Yukon apprenticeship from one employer to another within the Yukon.
Follow the steps below to transfer your apprenticeship to a new employer.

1. Fill out the Application to Transfer Apprenticeship to an Employer within the Yukon form.
2. Have your new employer complete their section of your form.
3. Submit your application.
   In person: Education Building (entrance to parking on Hospital Road), 1000 Lewes Boulevard in Whitehorse. We’re open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   By emailing a request for a secure upload link: [email protected]
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Apprenticeship (E-13)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

We’ll notify you and your new employer once we process your application. It'll take 1 to 2 weeks to process your application.

Moving to the Yukon

If you temporarily move to the Yukon to work or take training, contact your home apprenticeship office to let them know and to stay registered there.
If you plan to live permanently in the Yukon, you must contact the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification office to transfer previous training from another jurisdiction. This is to ensure that any gaps in training are addressed by the apprentice and the employer.
There’s a $10 fee to transfer your apprenticeship to the Yukon from another province or territory.
Follow the steps below to register as an apprentice in the Yukon:

1. Fill out an Apprenticeship application and agreement form.
2. Have your Yukon employer complete their section of your form.
3. Include supporting documents and the contact information from your provincial or territorial apprenticeship office.
4. Submit your application.
   In person: Education Building (entrance to parking on Hospital Road), 1000 Lewes Boulevard in Whitehorse. We’re open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
   By emailing a request for a secure upload link: [email protected]
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Apprenticeship (E-13)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

Once you submit your application, we'll verify your apprenticeship information by contacting your previous provincial or territorial office. We'll ask for your:    

• work experience hours;
• in-school training levels; and
• exam results.

Your application will take 4 to 6 weeks to process. 
We’ll contact you once your formal apprenticeship agreement and record book are available to pick up. 

Orientation to apprenticeship

You must complete an orientation before receiving your record book and wallet card. An Industrial Training Consultant will do your orientation in person at the Department of Education building, and you can receive your record book and wallet card right after.
Your orientation will take approximately 15 minutes, and you can schedule an appointment by email at [email protected] or by phone at 867-667-5298.

Moving away from the Yukon

It is best to contact our office before you move or start working outside of the Yukon, even short-term. 
If you work outside of the Yukon, you’ll be paid the apprentice wage rate for the province or territory where you’re working. You should have your previous Yukon employer sign-off on all your hours before you end your employment here.
If you plan to work short-term outside of the Yukon:

• you can apply to transfer your apprenticeship to an employer operating outside the Yukon; and
• you will continue your apprenticeship, registered with the Government of Yukon.

You must maintain your Yukon residency while continuing your apprenticeship outside of the Yukon. This means you’ll file your taxes as a Yukon resident with the Canada Revenue Agency.
Follow the steps below to transfer your apprenticeship to a non-Yukon employer:

1. Fill out the Application to Transfer Apprenticeship to an Employer Outside the Yukon form.
2. Submit your application form to our office. There is no fee for this transfer.
   In person: Education Building (entrance to parking on Hospital Road), 1000 Lewes Boulevard in Whitehorse. Our office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
   By emailing a request for a secure upload link: [email protected]
   Mail:
   Government of Yukon
   Apprenticeship (E-13)
   Box 2703
   Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

We’ll notify you and your new employer once we process your application. It will take 1 to 2 weeks to process your application.
If you’re moving away from the Yukon permanently, contact the apprenticeship authority for your new province or territory of residence and work with them to complete your transfer. 
At your request, we'll provide an activity report detailing your trade, levels completed and hours earned or accrued.