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How Do I Become a Machinist?

Machinist is an Inter-provincially recognized Red Seal trade.
With a Red Seal, you can work in this trade anywhere in Canada.


Completion of secondary school is recommended, but not required.

Although trade certification is not mandatory to be a machinist in B.C., it will likely increase your job opportunities. You become certified by completing a four-year apprenticeship program or a combination of over four years work experience and some college or industry courses in machining..

Once you complete the apprenticeship program and successfully pass the Interprovincial Red Seal exam, you become certified as journeyperson. After passing the Interprovincial exam (the final exam for this trade), you also automatically have a Red Seal endorsement through SkilledTradesBC.

If you have extensive experience working as a machinist you may also be certified through the challenge process. This includes completing 9,900 hours of work in the trade and successfully writing the Interprovincial Red Seal exam.