FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

What Certifications Are Available Through York Construction Academy’s Programs?

Graduates of the Construction Home Renovation program are granted Construction & Home Renovation certificates. Material covered includes Framing (residential and commercial), Finishing, Flooring, Basic Plumbing and Repair, Rough Carpentry and Framing, Window and Door Installation, Blueprint Reading and Sketching, and Basic Electrical Repair.

How Much Practical Experience Is There At York?

Our courses are built on a foundation of theory and hands-on experience. The first portion of the program is in a classroom learning blueprints, planning, sketching and mathematics, as well as health and safety training. The rest of the program is spent working as a team with each classmate, constructing a full house from start to finish.

What Are The Course Schedules? What Is The Difference Between The Full-Time And Part-Time Course?

Full-Time courses are held from 9 AM to 3 PM, Monday to Thursday for 12-14 weeks. Part-Time courses are 12 weeks from 9AM to 5PM, but take place on weekends only. Both cover the same curriculum and certifications, however, part-time is more fast-paced with textbook readings being done at home and a larger homework load.

What Does Tuition Include?

Tuition includes: course fees, program materials, tool kit, textbooks. Each student will receive The T2202 is an official income tax receipt issued by educational institutions for tuition tax credit. Each student must determine whether if they are eligible for these tax credits on a personal income tax return based on their own circumstances. All taxes and fees are included in the tuition price.

Do I Need A High School Diploma?

A high school diploma (OSSD) or an equivalent certificate from Canada is required. If you don’t have one, the following alternatives are accepted:

• GED (General Educational Development) or CAEC (Canadian Adult Education Credential)
• ABE (Adult Basic Education)
• WES (World Education Services) evaluation
• ICAS (International Credential Assessment)

If you don’t have any of these, you can schedule a Wonderlic assessment with our office. Please note that the Wonderlic assessment requires a passing grade of 70%.

Tip: If you have educational credentials from outside Canada, a WES evaluation is required before joining our program. Learn more at www.wes.org.

Can I Pay In Installments?

Yes! You will be required to pay a $1000.00 deposit on the date of registration, which is required to secure your spot in the program and will go toward your total payment for the course. After that you have the choice to pay weekly or bi-weekly until cost of the course is paid in full. Please note that students who have not paid for the course by the end of the class will not graduate until all payments are complete.

Is Any Financial Assistance Available?

Financial assistance may be available for those who qualify.  We have different options available for you. Please contact us for further information and to schedule an appointment with us.

Do You Provide Job Search Assistance To Graduates?

Yes, we provide resume development and job search assistance. We also have a 80% graduate employment rate*!

Is YCA Accepting Of Women And Members Of The LGBT+ Community?

Our program is all-inclusive, and we work to provide a safe and welcoming place for each and every student. While we can not guarantee the opinions and behavior of other workers in the established industry, we take every step possible to ensure that the work sites we refer to our students are just as welcoming as we are.

Is There Work In The Construction Industry?

At York Construction Academy, we provide an unparalleled education that enables students to work in the construction industry shortly after their graduation. YCA stands out from other Ontario trade schools due to its comprehensive construction training courses, which emphasize hands-on experience. According to the Government of Ontario’s Statistics, the construction industry is thriving, creating new jobs, and keeping the province’s economy moving forward. Building permits in the province have reached a near-record high. It’s the perfect climate for this business to boom and residential construction contributed $41 billion to Ontario’s economy in 2010. In fact, Ontario created 121,300 new jobs (with a large portion of them in this sector) in 2011 – more than 45 % of all jobs created in Canada last year. The industry currently employs 442,500 skilled workers and that number is expected to increase exponentially in the next few years as development in Ontario continues to grow. Over 173 skyscrapers are currently being built in Toronto alone – the most in North America right now. This surpasses even New York City’s projected 96 new skyscrapers.

Trade School vs Community Colleges

When looking at options for higher education after high school most adults look toward the traditional college and university routes. Of course, there is nothing wrong with choosing that route, but it is always better to be fully aware of all options that are available to you.

Learning Environment and Expectations

Trade Schools also known as vocational schools give students education that is specific toward the career they are interested in (i.e., Carpentry, Bakers, Electrician, Plumber and etc.) While offering a more hands-on type of learning.

Community Colleges provide a much more broad and rounded learning curriculum that is centered around theories and lectures that help students build knowledge about a certain field rather than technical skills

Flexibility and Time Consumption

Community colleges are traditionally two years in length and in some cases offer the option to continue into a four-year program after transferring. Community colleges are non-selective about their admittance and have lower commitment regulations. Trade Schools are often 4-12 months in length and have very flexible scheduling meaning you can still maintain a Job while studying at a Trade school and earn your certification in a matter of months.

After Education

Upon completion of a course at a Trade school or a Community college, you receive a certification/ diploma that allows you to start working in your desired career immediately. Both options are offered at reasonable prices. Trade schools are more direct and hands-on while Community colleges have a wider scope of learning which can offer more career options in a field down the road.

If you are looking for a program that can give you the right skills to get a job in a short amount of time you should consider looking into Trade schools.

Difference between Diploma and Certification

The main difference between these two is the time it takes to complete the necessary training/course need to get the diploma/certification. A diploma usually takes about two years to complete and is mostly offered by universities and colleges, a certificate can be obtained anywhere from weeks to a few months and is offered by colleges and training programs/schools.

If you are looking for a program that can give you the right skills to get a job in a short amount of time you should consider looking into Trade schools

*as per KPI: https://yorkacademy.ca/kpi