Three Routes Start
Apprenticeship

Welder

DEP Soudage-montage (1,800 h); direct employment or PAMT

22 of 30 verified for Quebec; "start something" routes use national figures · How we verify
Quebec works differently: trades are a nearly free DEP then a CCQ apprenticeship; college is a 3-year DEC at a cégep (tuition-free for residents); university is 3 years after a 2-year pre-university DEC. Numbers from IMT en ligne, CCQ, FIQ scales and the Relance surveys.
Years to credential1.5
First real paycheque~2 year
Time in a classroom20%
Total cost$1,900
Typical debt after$0
Demand in QuebecHigh

The first ten years

schoolschoolearnearnearnearnearnearnearnearn
Mostly in schoolEarning

Earnings by year, roughly

What's in "net by year 10"
Earnings, years 1 to 10$506k1 year at $0 while in school, then $45,800 rising to $60,300 by year five, flat after
Program cost−$2ktuition and fees
Typical (medians)$505kthe number on the card
Low to high$428k to $581kpay 15% under or over the median, cost 15% more or 10% less

Not counted: income tax, rent, food, loan interest, inflation, and unemployment gaps. They apply to every route, so they change the size of each number more than the order. Pay is the Quebec median before tax from the sources on this page.

The picture

What the day-to-day isFabrication shops, construction, manufacturing. Skill is visible and testable, so good welders move up fast.
What actually stops peopleCertifications (CWB tickets) matter more than the apprenticeship itself.
The downsideFumes, heat and eye strain; wages vary hugely by sector. Pipeline and shipyard pay is high but means travel.
If you're the parentA shorter apprenticeship with a portable skill. Pay depends on where your child is willing to work.
Local opportunities in Quebec

Ready to explore this for real?

Eight quick questions about whether this route fits your life, not just your grades. You'll get a readiness check, and if you want, we'll introduce you to employers, unions or programs in your region.

Check my readiness

How to enter

What you need
  • No specific courses or average; Grade 12 (or equivalent) and a willingness to show up
Deadlines in Quebec
  • DEP (diplôme d'études professionnelles) through your school board, intakes in fall and winter; then CCQ for construction trades
  • Secondary 4 or 5 can start a DEP

Next steps in Quebec

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

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In QuebecCWB tickets are extra.
www.quebec.ca

✓ Verified 2026-10-09 for Quebec Sources: IMT 72106 wages (min $22, median $29/h); MESS Diagnostic 2025-2029: déficit

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