Trades - Apprenticeship in Refrigeration: Apprenticeship Levels 2 & 3 at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, Canada is a trades - apprenticeship in Mechanical Engineering programme. The programme runs for 17 weeks, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 118 per total for local students.
At a glance
Degree:Trades - Apprenticeship
Field:Mechanical Engineering
Duration: 17 weeks
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 118 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This program delivers Levels 2 and 3 technical training of the Refrigeration Mechanic apprenticeship for students registered with SkilledTradesBC and sponsored by an employer, offered at VIU's Nanaimo campus (all apprenticeship levels starting after September 2026 are consolidated there). Level 2 runs 7 weeks (210 hours) and covers refrigeration codes, air-measurement tools, single- and three-phase motors, heat transfer, multi-temperature systems, food preservation, air-conditioning fundamentals, and an introduction to gas theory. Level 3 runs 10 weeks (300 hours) and covers computer applications, codes and regulations, electronics and building automation, variable refrigerant flow systems, psychrometric calculations, contractual documents and quotes, troubleshooting, and gas appliances and safety. VIU delivers Levels 1 through 3; Level 4 is completed through another institution. On finishing all four levels and passing the Red Seal exam, apprentices earn journeyperson certification, qualifying them to service refrigeration needs across residential, commercial, food, pharmaceutical, and chemical sectors. The program is intended for registered, employer-sponsored apprentices, not students seeking initial entry to the trade.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Entry to these apprenticeship levels requires successful completion of the previous apprenticeship level, registration as an apprentice with SkilledTradesBC, and an employer sponsor; register through the SkilledTradesBC portal. The programme page states no separate academic prerequisites or English-language proficiency standard for enrolment. Applicants should contact VIU's Apprenticeship Admissions and Registration office ([email protected], 250.740.6227) to confirm seat availability, as classes fill on a first-come, first-registered basis with waitlists common for many trades levels. No minimum GPA or English-test score is published for these apprenticeship levels.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic (Canadian) applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC; Vancouver Island University sets no institution-wide equal-consideration date, and its admissions FAQ states deadlines vary by programme, with applications for most academic programmes opening 1 October in the year before a September start. VIU publishes no general closing date for that window; applicants are directed to each programme's own page for its own deadline. International applicants use the same portal; VIU publishes no international-specific institution-wide date either, and several health programmes (Practical Nursing, Nursing Unit Assistant) are stated as not currently open to international students. Each programme's own page carries its own Start Date, Deadlines, and Additional Application Details table for the 2026-27 cycle, and admission for programmes without a stated window is treated as ongoing/rolling until the intake fills. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
