Trades - Apprenticeship in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic is a trades - apprenticeship in Trades programme offered by Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years, delivered in a hybrid format. Tuition is CAD 1,256 per year for local students.
This apprenticeship leads to journeyperson status, an advanced diploma, and Red Seal certification, delivered in person at SAIT's Main Campus over four one-year periods, with blended delivery combining on-campus classes and labs with some online coursework. Each period requires a minimum of 1,560 hours of on-the-job training alongside eight weeks of classroom instruction, and the curriculum builds progressively: year one covers occupational skills, refrigeration, air conditioning, heating fundamentals, and electrical theory; year two covers basic refrigeration, air conditioning, heating, and electrical controls; year three moves into intermediate systems and air-handling theory; and year four covers advanced refrigeration, heating, air systems, and controls. Students must maintain at least 50% per course and a 65% overall average, with provincial exams requiring a 70% pass mark. The program suits candidates who enjoy hands-on work across varied environments, with good coordination and manual dexterity, mechanical aptitude, and a commitment to safe work practices. Graduates work as certified refrigeration technicians maintaining and repairing climate control systems across industrial, commercial, and residential settings. Applicants must verify their prerequisite education credentials through Alberta's Apprenticeship and Industry Training system as part of registration, and the Red Seal endorsement allows certified technicians to work throughout Canada.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Entry runs through Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AAIT) rather than SAIT's own admissions office. The minimum requirement is successful completion of English 30-2, Math 30-3 and Physics 20 or Chemistry 20, or a pass mark on all five Canadian GED or Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) tests, or a pass on AAIT's own entrance exam. AAIT recommends applicants instead hold an Alberta High School Diploma including English 30-2, Math 30-3 and Physics 20 or Chemistry 20, plus related career and technology studies coursework. This is a registered apprenticeship: applicants must first secure an employer and a signed apprenticeship contract before attending SAIT's block-release or online technical training, which they book through MyTradeSecrets. SAIT's page for this trade publishes no English-language test score and no admission GPA; it is a course/exam bar set by AAIT, not a SAIT-competitive process.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ApplyAlberta: for Fall 2027 entry applications opened 7 October 2026 and close 30 June 2027, while Winter 2027 entry (opened 4 March 2026) closes 23 October 2026 and Spring 2027 entry closes 30 April 2027. International applicants apply through SAIT's Virtual Admissions System; the Fall 2027 window opened 4 August 2026 but SAIT lists the international closing date as still to be announced, while the Winter 2027 international deadline is 30 October 2026. Some allied-health programs, including Respiratory Therapy and Medical Laboratory Technology, close earlier to allow time for entrance testing, though the exact 2027-cycle testing dates were not yet posted. Admission is not rolling: SAIT enforces firm published deadlines, though popular programs can close early and some domestic programs reopen after their deadline if seats remain. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
