How to Become a Heavy Duty Equipment Technician in Northwest Territories
Do you need certification?
Certification required
Heavy duty equipment technician is a compulsory trade in Northwest Territories. You need a certificate, or registration as an apprentice, to work in the trade.
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“Compulsory/Voluntary (C/V) Certification Required by Apprenticeship Authority Provinces and Territories designate each trade as compulsory or voluntary. Work in Compulsory trades can only be performed by certified journeypersons or registered apprentices. Work in Voluntary trades may legally be performed with or without certification or apprenticeship training - - - - - - - - C - - C -”
From ellischart.ca/eng/trades/non-red-seal/heavy-equip-tech.shtml, checked October 11, 2026.
At a glance
- Licence status
- Certification required See the source
- Routes
- Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations
- Annual fees
- Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations
Your roadmap
Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations has no page of its own for this trade. These are the steps it gives for every designated trade in Northwest Territories.
The steps are not listed yet.
Check the current steps with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations.
Requirements
Education
To get into an apprenticeship program, applicants must pass an entrance examination with a mark of at least 70% to meet the minimum educational requirements.
Source
“To get into an apprenticeship program, you must pass an entrance examination to meet the minimum educational requirements. A pass is 70% and there are different tests, depending on the trade.”
ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades
Experience
Experienced workers who have not completed a Canadian apprenticeship program can challenge the certification examination once they have demonstrated proof of eligible trade experience, which in the Northwest Territories is a minimum of 7200 hours working in the trade.
Source
“Provinces and Territories dictate a minimum number of required hours working in a trade for a trade qualifier to be eligible to challenge any certification examination; candidates must also dem onstrate experience that covers the trade’s practices | 10800 | 10800 | 10800 | 10800 | Not applicable | 6720 | 10800 | 10800 | 6750 | 9495 | 8100 | 7200 | 7200”
ellischart.ca/eng/trades/truck-transport-mech/ellis-chart.shtml
Already licensed in another province?
Not stated
The pages do not state how someone already licensed in another Canadian province or territory registers in the Northwest Territories. Source
“Heavy Equipment Technician - Truck and Transport Mechanic | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable | Applicable | Applicable”
ellischart.ca/eng/trades/truck-transport-mech/ellis-chart.shtml
Processing time: Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations
Credential assessment
Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations
Exams
-
entrance examination
Source
“To get into an apprenticeship program, you must pass an entrance examination to meet the minimum educational requirements. A pass is 70% and there are different tests, depending on the trade.”
ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades -
Written Level Examinations
Source
“Written Level Examinations Indicates if written examinations are required to successfully complete and advance past each level of training | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not applicable | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes”
ellischart.ca/eng/trades/truck-transport-mech/ellis-chart.shtml
Language tests
Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations
Canadian experience
Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations
Supervised practice
Not stated by the regulator Check with Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations
Demand and pay
| Where | Low | Median | High | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Territories | $32.87 | $52.22 | $82.01 | Moderate (3 of 5) |
| Canada | $23.87 | $37.12 | $55.00 | — |
Heavy duty equipment technicians in other provinces and territories
- British Columbia Voluntary certification
- Alberta Certification required
- Saskatchewan Voluntary certification
- Manitoba Voluntary certification
- Ontario Voluntary certification
- Quebec Certification required
- New Brunswick Voluntary certification
- Nova Scotia Voluntary certification
- Prince Edward Island Voluntary certification
- Newfoundland and Labrador Voluntary certification
- Yukon Voluntary certification
- Nunavut Voluntary certification
Compare heavy duty equipment technician licensing across Canada
Sources checked
- Heavy Equipment Technician - Ellis Chart ellischart.ca/eng/trades/non-red-seal/heavy-equip-tech.shtml · fetched October 9, 2026
- Truck and Transport Mechanic - Ellis Chart ellischart.ca/eng/trades/truck-transport-mech/ellis-chart.shtml · fetched October 9, 2026
- Thinking about a Career in the Trades? | Education, Culture and Employment ece.gov.nt.ca/en/career-in-trades · fetched October 9, 2026
Frequently asked questions
2
Do you need a licence to work as a heavy duty equipment technician in Northwest Territories?
Yes. Certification, or registration as an apprentice, is required to work in the trade in Northwest Territories. Certification is managed by Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations.
Which exams are required?
entrance examination, Written Level Examinations.
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