There are 5 electrician training providers in the Lower Mainland in our directory: four public colleges and institutes — BCIT in Burnaby, Vancouver Community College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey and the University of the Fraser Valley in Chilliwack — plus one union training centre, the IBEW Local 213 EJTC in Port Coquitlam.
Which one fits depends on where you are starting from. In BC you do not graduate from a classroom into an electrician’s licence — you get there through a registered apprenticeship with a sponsoring employer, and schools deliver the in-school part of it or get you ready to be hired into one. Since December 1, 2023, Construction Electrician has been a compulsory-certification trade in BC, so the apprenticeship is the route that matters. The first question is not “which school is best” but “which route am I taking”.
Lower Mainland here means Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley — Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Port Coquitlam and out to Chilliwack. Looking elsewhere in the province? See all 19 British Columbia electrician schools.
Current as of October 2026. Program availability, intakes, fees and apprenticeship rules can change — verify with the provider and with SkilledTradesBC before applying.
Three ways to start in Vancouver
Your destination is the same SkilledTradesBC apprenticeship and the same Certificate of Qualification. These are the routes with a provider in the Lower Mainland — filter the directory by Pathway to match. BC also offers longer college diplomas as a fourth route; in the Lower Mainland, BCIT’s offerings cover that ground.
1 · Foundation (pre-apprenticeship)
The ~720-hour Electrician Foundation certificate earns Level 1 technical credit plus 350 hours of work-based-training credit, so you enter the apprenticeship at Level 2 — even before you have a sponsor.
In the Lower Mainland: Vancouver Community College, KPU (Surrey), UFV (Chilliwack), BCIT (Burnaby).
2 · Apprenticeship technical training
Once you are a registered apprentice with a sponsoring employer, you attend the four technical-training levels (about 10 weeks each) between paid on-the-job blocks.
In the Lower Mainland: BCIT (Burnaby) — the main Lower Mainland institute for apprenticeship levels; VCC also delivers training.
3 · Union pathway
Apply to the IBEW local’s joint training committee, which places members with signatory contractors. Same levels, same 6,000 hours, same Certificate of Qualification.
In the Lower Mainland: Electrical Joint Training Committee (EJTC), IBEW Local 213 (Port Coquitlam).
Electrician Schools in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland
Compare length, in-school hours and next intake for all 5 Lower Mainland providers. Use the Type and Pathway filters to narrow the list, and click a school for its full page.
💡 Tip: Use the Pathway filter to see only one route, such as pre-apprenticeship.
Lower Mainland 5 schools
| School | Tuition | Length | Total hours | Next cohort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Burnaby
Public
EN
|
Set by institution | 4 levels x 10 weeks | 1,200 h | Multiple intakes per year |
|
Electrical Joint Training Committee (EJTC) — IBEW Local 213
Port Coquitlam
Union
EN
|
Set by institution | Full-time | Port Coquitlam | |
|
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)
Surrey
Public
EN
|
Set by institution | 24 weeks | Cloverdale campus | |
|
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV)
Chilliwack
Public
EN
|
Set by institution | 24 weeks | 720 h | January and October intakes |
|
Vancouver Community College (VCC)
Vancouver
Public
EN
|
Set by institution | Full-time | 720 h | May and September 2027 intakes |
Suggest a correction
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Elsewhere in BC? Victoria, the Interior, the North and the rest of the province are on the British Columbia page.
The licence you are working toward
Construction Electrician is a compulsory-certification trade in BC: to work as one in Vancouver you need the Certificate of Qualification from SkilledTradesBC, or to be a registered apprentice.
BC apprenticeship at a glance
Structure
4 levels of technical training, about 10 weeks each
Technical training
~1,200 hours total (about 300 h per level)
Work-based training
6,000 hours of paid, sponsored on-the-job work
Sponsor first
A signed sponsorship agreement is a prerequisite to registering
Credential
Certificate of Qualification with Red Seal endorsement
Trade codes
SkilledTradesBC BC0080 · Red Seal RS04 · NOC 72200
⚠ Important — a certificate is not the licence
An Electrician Foundation certificate or a college electrical course does not make you a journeyperson on its own. Only the registered SkilledTradesBC apprenticeship leads to the Certificate of Qualification, and you still need a sponsoring employer (or the union) before your work-based hours start counting. Ask any school how its Foundation graduates get placed into apprenticeships, and with whom.
How to become an electrician in Vancouver
Whichever route you pick, the steps to a licence are the same.
1
Check the preparation. SkilledTradesBC recommends recent Grade 12 with English 12, Math 11 and Physics 11; individual colleges set their own entry requirements for Foundation seats.
2
Pick your route. Sign directly with a sponsor, take an Electrician Foundation program first, or apply through the IBEW Local 213 EJTC.
3
Get a sponsor and register. A signed sponsorship agreement with an employer is a prerequisite to registering your apprenticeship with SkilledTradesBC. Hours do not count before this.
4
Work and learn — 6,000 hours. Four technical-training levels paired with 6,000 hours of sponsored, paid on-the-job work. A Foundation certificate gives you Level 1 credit plus 350 work-based hours.
5
Write the Interprovincial Red Seal Exam after Level 4 and your work-based hours.
6
Earn your Certificate of Qualification with Red Seal endorsement — recognized across Canada.
Timelines vary. The apprenticeship is measured in hours, not calendar years — how fast you reach your Certificate of Qualification depends on how steadily you accumulate work hours.
Vancouver / Lower Mainland median electrician wage
$34.57/hour
Electricians (NOC 72200), Lower Mainland–Southwest region: low $21.82, median $34.57, high $47.69. Source: Government of Canada Job Bank, updated November 19, 2025.
→ Read the full guide: How to Become an Electrician in British Columbia
Frequently Asked Questions
How many electrician schools are there in Vancouver?
Our directory lists 5 in the Lower Mainland as of October 2026: BCIT (Burnaby), Vancouver Community College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (Surrey), the University of the Fraser Valley (Chilliwack), and the IBEW Local 213 EJTC union training centre (Port Coquitlam).
Do I need to go to college to become an electrician in Vancouver?
Not before you start. The core requirement is a registered apprenticeship with a sponsoring employer. You attend an institute like BCIT for the technical-training levels during the apprenticeship, and many people take a ~720-hour Electrician Foundation certificate first to earn Level 1 credit and improve their odds of being hired.
What is the Electrician Foundation program?
A roughly 720-hour (about 24 weeks) full-time pre-apprenticeship certificate offered by VCC, KPU, UFV and BCIT. It earns Level 1 technical credit plus 350 hours of work-based-training credit, so a graduate enters the apprenticeship at Level 2 — a head start toward the Certificate of Qualification.
Is there a union route in Vancouver?
Yes. IBEW Local 213 covers the Lower Mainland, and its Electrical Joint Training Committee (EJTC) in Port Coquitlam runs the training and places members with signatory contractors. You complete the same four levels and 6,000 hours and earn the same Certificate of Qualification.
Is electrician a compulsory trade in BC?
Yes. Construction Electrician has been a compulsory-certification trade in British Columbia since December 1, 2023: the trade’s restricted work is reserved for registered apprentices and certified journeypersons under BC’s Skilled Trades Certification framework.
How long does it take to become a licensed electrician in Vancouver?
About four years of continuous work: four technical-training levels paired with 6,000 hours of sponsored on-the-job training, followed by the Interprovincial Red Seal Exam. A Foundation certificate beforehand adds a few months but gives you Level 1 credit.
How much do electricians make in Vancouver?
The median is $34.57 an hour in the Lower Mainland–Southwest region, ranging from $21.82 to $47.69, according to the Government of Canada Job Bank (updated November 19, 2025). Apprentices start lower and move up as they complete each level.
Can I work outside BC with a Vancouver apprenticeship?
Yes. The BC Certificate of Qualification carries Red Seal endorsement, which supports mobility across much of Canada. Confirm the requirements of the province or territory you plan to work in.