Offered by Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek, Canada, Heavy Mechanical Trades Foundation Certificate is a foundation in Trades programme. The programme runs for 34 weeks, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 14,987 per total (CAD 3,626 per total for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Foundation
Field:Trades
Duration: 34 weeks
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 3,626 / total
International tuition: CAD 14,987 / total
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Heavy Mechanical Trades Foundation Certificate pairs SkilledTradesBC Heavy Mechanical Trades foundation training with a mandatory two-week work experience placement across 970 hours, approximately 34 weeks. The program introduces the four heavy mechanical career paths - Truck and Transport Mechanic, Heavy Duty Equipment Technician, Diesel Engine Mechanic, and Transport Trailer Technician - with diagnostic and repair work spanning mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic systems. September cohorts run at both the Dawson Creek and Fort St. John campuses.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Applicants must satisfy one of three pathways. Pathway A requires English (BC Language Arts 10, 11, or 12 at a minimum C+, or ENGL 030 or higher at C+, or Academic IELTS 5.5 overall with no band below 5.0) and Math (BC Math 10 at C+, BC Math 11 or 12 at C, or MATH 030 or higher at C+). Pathway B is completion of ESTR 037, Essential Skills for Trades - Intermediate Level, with a minimum final grade of 67%. Pathway C is completion of the People Obtaining Workplace Employment Requirements (POWER) programme. Dawson Creek students over 19 must submit a cleared Schedule 'B' Criminal Records Review Program check at least one month before the September start; Fort St. John students are not subject to this check. The programme runs a September intake at both Dawson Creek and Fort St. John on a cohort basis.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Northern Lights College uses one admissions calendar for domestic and international applicants alike, applying through EducationPlannerBC or in person. Applications open about eleven months before each intake: 1 October for the following Fall, 1 February for the following Winter, and 1 June for the following Spring. For the 2027 cycle the priority deadline is 30 September 2026 for Winter 2027 entry, 31 January 2027 for Spring 2027 entry, and 31 May 2027 for Fall 2027 entry (dual-credit applicants get until 24 October 2026 and 23 June 2027 respectively), with a tuition deposit due about a month after each priority date. NLC states international applicants already in Canada on a valid visa follow the same domestic deadlines; after the priority date, seats remain open, on a rolling basis, until each term's add/drop date. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
