May 27, 2025
"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."
The famous quote, attributed to Albert Einstein, reflected his lifetime experience as both teacher and student, as well as his personal view of education. He believed the way that content is delivered is as important as the content itself. With this in mind, BC’s post-secondary institutes offer a variety of instructor courses and certificate programs for tradespeople who are teaching, or planning to teach, adults in a polytechnic educational setting.
These programs share a common goal: to ensure BC's trades instructors have the knowledge and skills to develop and implement interactive teaching and learning plans that engage and inspire students. For experienced trades professionals seeking to make a change, it's a good time to consider a career as a certified trades instructor.
The growing number of students entering apprenticeship programs and an aging skilled trades workforce are driving the need for more certified and Red Seal trades instructors throughout the province. The shortage is being felt across all industry sectors, and the trend is expected to continue over the next decade, resulting in short and long-term opportunities for qualified instructors. A career in education can provide rapid career advancement, long-term job and income stability, competitive salaries, and comprehensive health, pension, and other benefits.
If you're a skilled trade professional and want to learn more about what a teaching career pathway might look like, the following overviews and links to teaching courses and certificate programs published on the TradeUpBC website may be of interest.
This program is available to experienced trades professionals seeking to become a trades instructor. Upon completing the three courses, graduates will be able to design, deliver, and evaluate appropriate learning and teaching programs for adult students. The program engages learners through a variety of content delivery strategies, including but not limited to interactive presentations, lectures, field trips, and case studies. Significant attention is given to the integration of critical reflection strategies and to the ethics of teaching adults in a polytechnical education setting.
Cost: $1,684.00 (course and program costs subject to change)
Schedule: Continuous | 120 hrs – 3 courses, 8 credits | In-person, Online
Click here to learn more and sign up
The Trades Instructor Program is designed for experienced tradespersons planning for a career as a trades instructor. Those enrolled in the four-course program will gain fundamental knowledge of adult learning and teaching processes and practices, and how to design and implement teaching and learning plans that create engaging learning experiences for students. Upon completion, graduates will have developed a deep appreciation and keen awareness of teaching ethics and the importance of creating learning environments that promote and respect diversity and inclusion.
Cost: $1,743.00 (course and program costs subject to change)
Schedule: Continuous | 105 hrs – 4 courses, 7 credits | In-person, Online
Click here to learn more and register
This comprehensive certificate program is specially designed for trades professionals who are currently teaching and those preparing for a future career as a trades instructor in a polytechnic setting. Graduates of the six-course professional development pathway will have gained a solid foundation of critical learning and teaching skills, a deeper understanding of instructional and assessment strategies, and how to apply effective online learning tools and available technologies. Course content is delivered through experiential learning models. Some courses earn transferable credits to the Provincial Instructors Diploma Program (PIDP). For more information about credit transfers between BCIT and VCC’s PIDP program, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Cost: $4,350.00 (course and program costs subject to change)
Schedule: Fall Registration open | 204 hrs - 6 courses, 17 credits | In-person, Online, Hybrid
For those who wish to further advance their educational development, the following programs may also be of interest.
Click here for more info and to sign up
The PIDP is managed by VCC on behalf of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. Designed with working professionals in mind, it offers flexible learning options with a minimum completion time of ten months and a maximum completion time of up to five years. Some of the courses and programs noted above include course credits that are transferable to the PIDP. For more information about credit transfers, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Cost: $4,437.00 (course and program costs subject to change)
Schedule: Continuous | 450 hrs – 8 core courses, 7 electives, 30 credits | In-person, Online, Hybrid
Click here to register for this course
This two-phase program begins in July every year. Those who complete phase one, a mandatory 14-month in-person program offered at TRU's Kamloops campus, can apply for a Trades Certificate credential to teach Technology Education courses at BC high schools. Phase two, an optional self-paced program with flexible study options, is specifically designed for working phase one graduates seeking to obtain a B.Ed. Trades and Technology degree.
Cost: $5,302.46 (course and program costs subject to change)
Schedule: Summer Registration Open | In-person and online
Click here to sign up for this program and learn more about it