Thanks to the generous funding of our partners, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia (SkilledTradesBC), the program is free and there may even be certain financial supports available to help you cover some bills while you’re in training. But you will not be paid wages while you’re in training, and you will need to take 2.5 weeks off work to complete the in-shop portion. The nice thing about apprenticeships is that once you’re dispatched to an electrical contractor, you get paid to learn! IBEW apprentices on Commercial Jobs start at $24.33/h as of April 28, 2024  (other rates, higher or lower, may apply depending on availability and type of work in your area). As per the Inside Electrical Workers Collective agreement, this rate is scheduled to go up another 4.5% in 2025, in addition to the ~5% raise every 6 months worked that apprentices enjoy over and above the scheduled wage increases. The Journeyperson rate on Commercial Electrical sites is currently $48.66 (April 28, 2024) so you can count on making over $117,000 year after 4 years (Gross, including extended medical benefits and RRSP/Pension contributions). Most apprentices can even collect EI while in school and there are many financial supports in the form of Scholarships, Bursaries, Grants and Tax Incentives for apprentices that make apprenticeship very lucrative.