Prior to applying, all applicants are required to successfully complete all mandatory minimum requirements (or pre-approved equivalencies, please click here for more information).

In order for your application to be verified, proof of successful completion of all mandatory minimum requirements is required; YOU MUST upload your high school and college transcripts, official foreign course assessments, college course equivalency letter(s), certificates, and licenses to your application in order to be considered. Applications that do not have uploaded supporting documents for all requirements will not be considered. The following mandatory minimum requirements must be successfully obtained prior to completing your application:

EDUCATION

Minimum Grade 12 Secondary School Graduation Diploma as established by the Ontario Ministry of Education (or equivalent for those educated outside Canada), including;

• Grade 12 English (ENG4C, ENG4U, ENG4E, ENG4G, ENG4A, ENGOA),
• Grade 12 Math (MCT4C, MAP4C, MGA4U, MDM4U, MCV4U, MHF4U, MTT4G, MAT4A, MEL4E)
• Grade 11 or 12 Physics (SPH3U, SPH4C, SPH4U, SPH4G, SPH4A, SPHOA), OR
• Grade 11 or 12 Chemistry (SCA3G, SCH3A, SCH3U, SCH4U, SCH4C, SCHOA).

If you have all the educational requirements but the course codes on your high school transcript are not listed above, click ‘Contact us’ above for verification. Inquiries will be responded to within 1 to 2 business days by clicking on ‘Contact us’ above. Neither ORAC nor the UA Local 787 can respond to telephone inquiries.

Many Ontario HVACR college programs now offer equivalency letters to their graduates for the above course work already covered in HVACR programs. Request letters of equivalency from your HVACR professors or program coordinators, and make sure you upload the letter (and all other documents) to your application.

DRIVER’S LICENCE

All applicants must have a valid Ontario unrestricted class “G” driver’s licence and be willing to produce a driving abstract from the Ministry of Transportation, if requested. If you do not yet have the “G” licence, you must obtain it to be accepted into this program.

The highest scoring applicants will be selected and contacted by email to be tested by March 31 (Winter Intake) or July 31 (Summer Intake). Testing and interview dates cannot be rescheduled.

Once testing is completed, the Apprentice Intake Committee will review both the application and test scores. Only those with the top application and test scores combined, will be contacted by email to be interviewed. Upon a full evaluation of the top combined application, test results, interview results and grand total scores by the Committee, the overall highest scoring applicants will be accepted to the First Year Apprenticeship Program as candidates and will be placed on the ‘Ready-to-Hire’ list. This list is accessible all year long by ORAC unionized contractor members on the ORAC.ca website and by UA Local 787 member contractors by request through the above ‘Contact us’ section.

Governed by the current Collective Agreements, all potential first year apprentices must first apply during one of the annual intake periods and be accepted to this program and approved by the Apprentice Intake Committee, in order to be hired as a first year apprentice by any signatory UA Local 787 contractor. Candidates on the list will be contacted directly for interviews by the contractors and if selected, must be hired as first year apprentices as per the hiring date noted on their offer letters. Hiring processes as outlined by ORAC and the UA Local 787 must be followed.

Candidates remain on the list for a maximum of two years. After two years, they can request to extend their time on the ‘Available for hire’ list for a period of one year. After two years or after the requested one year extension, candidates must reapply to the program. There is a $50 + HST fee for a one year extension on the ‘Ready-to-Hire list. Please go to the “Contact Us” page to request more information.

This process is designed to ensure applicants meet the requirements of the HVACR trade and to provide contractors with a list of highly qualified first year apprentices, available all year long. All applicants must first apply and be accepted to this intake process prior to beginning any employment as a first year apprentice with all ORAC & UA Local 787 member contractors. Please note that completing this process does not guarantee acceptance into the First Year Apprenticeship Program, employment or an apprenticeship. Any false statement made on this application is sufficient grounds for rejection of the application.