Three RoutesCompare · Ontario figures · updated 2 November 2026
Industrial millwright vs Truck and coach technician
Same columns, no opinion about which is better for you. On typical Ontario figures, Industrial millwright is ahead by year 10 ($638k against $542k), because it pays more per year once you are working. The gap is before tax, rent and loan interest, which hit both routes.
| Measure | Industrial millwright | Truck and coach technician |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Apprenticeship | Apprenticeship |
| Credential | Certificate of Qualification (433A) | Certificate of Qualification (310T) |
| Years to finish | 4 | 4 |
| First real paycheque | Month one | Month one |
| Cost (tuition and fees) | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| Typical debt if you borrow | $0 | $0 |
| Earnings, first years | $45,000 | $33,000 |
| Earnings by year 5 | $69,000 | $60,000 |
| Net by year 10 (typical) | $638k | $542k |
| Demand in Ontario | Steady | Steady |
| Time in a classroom | 15% | 12% |
Earnings by year, roughly
Before tax. Years in school show as "school". Medians rise from the starting figure to the year-5 figure, then stay flat.
Industrial millwright
A day looks like: Installing, maintaining and repairing industrial machinery. Mechanical problem-solving with heavy equipment.
What stops people: Fewer openings than construction trades; factories and plants hire in small numbers.
Downside: Shift work in manufacturing plants. If the plant closes, you move.
Truck and coach technician
A day looks like: Diagnosing and repairing trucks, buses and coaches in a fleet or dealer shop: brakes, air systems, diesel and increasingly electric drivetrains, with eight weeks a year in trade school.
What stops people: Landing a sponsoring shop (fleet, transit agency, dealer) before you can register. A G licence and a Grade 12 math credit help.
Downside: Heavy, dirty and often shift work. You buy your own tools. Diesel and electric drivetrains are both changing fast, so the learning never stops.
Quick answers
Which pays more, industrial millwright or truck and coach technician?
By year five, Industrial millwright is about $69,000 and Truck and coach technician about $60,000 (Ontario medians, before tax). By year ten, counting what each cost, Industrial millwright nets roughly $638k and Truck and coach technician roughly $542k.
Which is faster to a real paycheque?
Industrial millwright: month one. Truck and coach technician: month one.
What does each cost?
Industrial millwright: $1,500 in tuition and fees, typical debt $0. Truck and coach technician: $1,500, typical debt $0.
What is the downside of each?
Industrial millwright: Shift work in manufacturing plants. If the plant closes, you move. Truck and coach technician: Heavy, dirty and often shift work. You buy your own tools. Diesel and electric drivetrains are both changing fast, so the learning never stops.
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Figures are Ontario medians and typical costs from Job Bank, Statistics Canada, Skilled Trades Ontario and institution fee pages; the data page lists every source and date. Switch province on either pathway page for BC, Alberta or Quebec figures.