Nathan Munro: Building a Career in Heavy Duty 

Like many high school students, Nathan wasn’t  sure what career path he wanted to take. What he did know was that he didn't want a traditional office job. He dreamed of a career  where he could work with his hands, solve problems and continue learning something new every day.

Nathan had always been fascinated with heavy equipment and how big machines worked. After graduating, he decided to explore that curiousity by taking an entry-level position at Wacor  Holdings Ltd., a local heavy-duty mechanic shop in Campbell River, B.C.  

Nathan's first job at the shop gave him an opportunity to learn the basics and get a closer look at the trade. He started by sweeping floors, pressure washing equipment and helping wherever he was needed. He approached every task as an opportunity to learn and ask questions. Within a few months, the team at Wacor recognized his potential and offered him an apprenticeship.  

"The qualities that stood out and ultimately led us to offer Nathan an apprenticeship were his strong work ethic, willingness to learn and natural ability with mechanical work," said Bryan Clark Foreman at Wacor and Nathan's mentor. "He was quick to learn new tasks, took direction well and approached every job with a positive attitude. Right from the start, he showed us he had the potential to succeed in the trade."

Today, at 21, Nathan is a Level 2 Heavy Duty Equipment Technician apprentice with Wacor and is taking his technical training at North Island College (NIC).

For Nathan, one of the best parts of the trade is the variety of work. No two days look the same: one day he might be working on an excavator, and the next he could be troubleshooting a completely different piece of equipment. He is constantly building new skills, from using a torch and impact tools to removing wheels and replacing engines and transmissions. Every day brings something different and another opportunity to learn.  

This spring, Nathan had the opportunity to take that learning even further when he competed at the Skills Canada BC provincial competition, an annual event where students and apprentices from across the province test their skills in more than 60 trades and technology categories. 

Coming from a small town on Vancouver Island and representing one of the smaller companies in the competition, Nathan described himself as “a small fish in a big sea.”  He saw it is a great opportunity to test his skills, meet other apprentices in his trade and learn from others who shared the same passion.

Nathan won gold in Heavy Duty Technologies at the provincial competition, earning a place at the Skills Canada National Competition in Toronto. There, he brought home gold again — an incredible achievement for an apprentice still early in his career. Hear Nathan share his Skills Canada BC experience and journey to nationals.

Nathan is the first to say he didn't get here on his own. Behind every early morning, new challenge and hard-earned milestone have been a group of people who believed in him. His instructors and classmates helped him learn in the classroom. His mentors, coworkers and foreman showed him what it means to grow in the trade. And through it all, his friends and family have been there in the background, encouraging him, celebrating his wins and reminding him that he has a community behind him every step of the way.

Looking ahead, Nathan is excited to keep building his future in the trade. His next steps are completing his apprenticeship and earning his Red Seal certification. Down the road, he hopes to open his own business and run a service truck with his brother, who is also a mechanic.  

For students or anyone interested in the trades, Nathan’s advice is simple: go for it. “It provides so many opportunities and there are so many different directions you can go with it.”

Nathan’s story shows what can happen when curiosity meets opportunity. Through apprenticeship, you can build skills through paid, on-the-job training and classroom learning while working toward certification and a meaningful, in-demand career. For anyone interested in the skilled trades, there are nearly 90 trades to explore — more than half of them Red Seal trades — offering strong opportunities and a path to take pride in. You just need to take the first step.

Ready to explore your options?