College Certificate - Heavy Mechanical Trades Foundation

Enroll in the Heavy Mechanical Trades Foundation at Northern Lights College. Gain hands-on experience and career support. International students welcome!

The Heavy Mechanical Trades Foundation Certificate program consists of the SkilledTrades - Heavy Mechanical Trades - Foundation training and a 2 week, mandatory work experience placement. There are four mechanical trades paths introduced in this program: Truck and Transport Mechanics diagnose, repair and service highway buses and trucks. They work for commercial transport vehicle dealers, garages and service stations. A Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic is designated as a Truck and Transport Mechanic under the Interprovincial Red Seal program. These mechanics work on the mechanical, electrical and electronic components of vehicles. This includes the fuel, brake, steering and suspension, transmission, emission control and exhaust, and cooling and climate control systems. Some mechanics specialize in one or more of these systems. Heavy Duty Equipment Technicians overhaul, repair and service equipment such as graders, loaders, shovels, tractors, trucks, forklifts, drills, and wheeled and tracked vehicles. Working from manufacturers’ specifications, they identify and repair problems in structural, mechanical, or hydraulic systems. Heavy Duty Equipment Technicians also work on industrial and construction vehicles, such as mining trucks and bulldozers; on heavy equipment used in construction, forestry, materials handling, landscaping, and land clearing; as well as on buses and large trucks. Diesel Engine Mechanics install, repair, and maintain all internal combustion diesel engines and components as used in transport, construction, and marine industries. Transport Trailer Technicians maintain, rebuild, overhaul, recondition and perform diagnostic troubleshooting and repair of commercial truck trailers.