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    • Skills Alberta - Crane and Hoist Operator

    Crane & Hoist Equipment Operators: Lifting Industry to New Heights

    Crane and Hoist Equipment Operators are highly trained professionals who operate mobile cranes and boom trucks to safely move heavy materials and equipment. Their precision, planning, and technical expertise are critical to the success of complex projects across construction, manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, and beyond.

    These operators do more than move loads—they manage stability, control swing, operate winches, and lift with pinpoint accuracy. From setup to execution, they assess each job with a sharp eye and strategic mindset, ensuring safety and efficiency in every lift.

    Whether on a construction site or in a high-stakes industrial environment, Crane and Hoist Equipment Operators are the backbone of heavy operations—moving what matters and keeping projects on track.

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    Questions? Email an Apprenticeship Coordinator today

    Learn more about the Crane and Hoist apprenticeship program 

    Build the Future. Be the Next Generation in the Trades.

    If you like working with your hands, solving real-world problems, and making things people use every day, a career in the skilled trades could be your perfect path. From electricians to welders, plumbers to carpenters, the skilled trades offer exciting, high-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree—and you can start learning the tools right now. As a junior high or senior high school student, you can begin the steps to becoming a certified Journeyperson today. 

    Discover how you can become NEXT in trades, through engaging events and direct connections with NAIT’s Apprenticeship Coordinators. 

    Ready to build a future that’s in demand and full of opportunity? Learn how you can begin a career in the skilled trades at NAIT. 

    Twostudents at NEXT in Trades pose in front of wall with insulation

    Welcome to the skilled trades

    In Alberta, there are over 50 different skilled trades you can train for, and many of them require special certification called a Journeyperson Certificate to prove you can work on your own. 

    Getting this certificate shows employers that you know what you’re doing and have the training to do the job properly. It proves you’re a skilled worker and helps you stand out when you're looking for work. 

    To become a Journeyperson, you must complete apprenticeship training, a post-secondary education that blends hands-on work experience with classroom training. 

    There are many ways to become an apprentice, and you can start as early as grade 10 through the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), or discover the pathway ttha tworks best for you! 

    Apprenticeship programs

    NAIT offers over 29 apprenticeship programs that can lead to careers in many industries from construction, manufacturing, and energy. If you are a registered apprentice either through RAP or unsponsored, you can apply to a NAIT apprenticeship program! 

    Once you complete your classroom training and work-experience hours, you will be eligible for a Joruneyperson certificate. 

    View apprenticeship programs

    How to apply to apprenticeship programs

    Diploma and certificate programs

    If you are not yet ready to register as an apprentice or want to build your resume with the skills to get your foot in the door, NAIT offers 1- and 2-year programs that introduce you to the skills needed to enter the job-market.  

    Once you complete a certificate or diploma program and enter the workforce, you can begin earning the apprenticeship work-experience hours needed to become a certified Journeyperson! 

    Discover skilled trades certificate and diploma programs

    Unsure where to start? Speak with one of our Apprenticeship Coordinators today!  

    View skilled trades pathways 

    sheet metal worker

    Upcoming events

    It can be hard to find a skilled trades program that is right for you. Events at NAIT allow you to try hands on workshops, and meet with skilled trades professionals to find your fit! Learn more about upcoming NAIT events. 

    Trade Connections

    May 28, 2025 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM

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