Educational Requirement
The educational requirements to start work as a heat and frost insulator vary depending on where you live. In most provinces and territories, the minimum requirements to become a heat and frost insulator are:
- a high school diploma (or equivalent)
- a minimum age of 18 years
For more information on specific requirements, contact your provincial or territorial government office of apprenticeship and training. For a list of contacts, visit the Apprenticeship Opportunities section of this Web site.
It's also recommended that you have taken high school or college courses in math, science and English. Those subjects will come in handy on the job.
Heat and frost insulators need to be able to interpret documents and blueprints, and to make calculations to determine measurements and specifications for the materials they apply. It also helps if they have a solid understanding of how the insulation materials react with heat, cold, steam and sound. Science courses provide general knowledge that helps heat and frost insulators understand the work they do, including information about heat retention, heat transfer and condensation points.
Knowledge of algebra and geometry is important for heat and frost insulators working in the field. They will work regularly with geometric formulas to calculate the volume and surface area of the structures they insulate.
In addition to knowledge of algebra and geometry, English courses are also important for people interested in advancing to supervisory roles. A heat and frost insulator foreman must be able to interpret documents and drawings to give instructions to the journeypersons and apprentice heat and frost insulators with whom they work.
For more information on starting a career in the industry, check out Getting Started.
