Toronto, ON — Skilled trades are making a comeback in Canada, but new research shows careers in fire safety — including sprinkler fitters and fire alarm technicians — remain largely invisible to most Canadians.
The 2025 Measuring Up the Trades survey, commissioned by Classic Fire + Life Safety and conducted by Leger, highlights both progress and gaps in Canadians’ perceptions of skilled trades. While 18% of Canadians say they’ve strongly considered a career in the trades — up from 15% in 2024 — only 30% are familiar with fire alarm technicians as a career, and just 22% know about sprinkler fitters. Even fewer, 11%, said they would know how to start pursuing such a path.
Lucy Machado, Vice President of Human Resources at Classic Fire + Life Safety, said the findings reveal an urgent need for awareness:
“This survey highlights some of the very real challenges we face, but we remain committed to raising awareness and working to ensure fire protection careers are recognized as a valued skilled trade with high pay, job security, and pride in the work we do to protect Canadians.”
Progress in Skilled Trades
The 2025 survey suggests Canadians’ views of trades overall are improving:
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Job security is increasingly valued (38% in 2025 vs. 29% in 2024).
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Hands-on work and earning potential remain key benefits, cited by 50% and 48% of respondents respectively.
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More Canadians now see trades as a secure career path, with 76% saying they would encourage their children or others to pursue a skilled trade.
Despite this progress, fire protection careers remain under-recognized. Stanley Owah, Talent Acquisition Specialist at Classic Fire + Life Safety, noted:
“We hear a lot about in-demand skilled trades across Canada — cooks, welders, electricians, carpenters, plumbers — but rarely see our industry listed. Raising awareness is not only key to our success as a business, it’s key to our end goal of protecting lives and property.”
Building Awareness for Fire Safety Careers
Classic Fire + Life Safety has responded by expanding outreach efforts. The company has attended career fairs at Seneca College, Fanshawe College, and other institutions, while also offering internships, co-op programs, and training partnerships to attract new talent.
CEO Mike Farren emphasized that the annual survey is central to the company’s mission:
“Staying on top of perceptions and trends in the skilled trades helps us to better promote the industry, highlight the benefits of a career in fire safety, and attract new talent to join our teams across Canada.”
The company plans to commission this research annually, with the aim of strengthening workforce pipelines in an industry critical to public safety.
About the Survey
The survey was conducted online between August 8–11, 2025, with 1,508 Canadians aged 18 and older participating. A probability sample of the same size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5%, 19 times out of 20.
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