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From application to career, step by step
Every CUTI program follows the same path. Learn the theory, prove it in the field, then get paid to practice. Step into a job arranged before you started.
Four phases, one outcome
Admission
Apply through our website. Sponsored seats have no fees.
In-class / in-field
Lectures plus field practice with your instructor mirror your future career, paid fully or partially.
Paid practicum
Practice everything you've learned on real projects. Your practicum manager evaluates you and pays you for it.
Job opportunity
Complete the practicum and move into full-time work at higher pay.
A typical program, week by week
Based on our Utility Locating & Damage Prevention certification. Weeks vary by program.
Training is paid
For sponsored students, training pay starts around week two, near the practicum rate. Without sponsorship, training is unpaid.
- W1–2
In-class learning
Theory and the knowledge needed for field exercises.
- W2–3
Written exams
Written exams test your knowledge before field training. You need 80% to advance.
- W3–4
Supervised field training
Apply your in-class knowledge in the field with a senior trainer. A pass–fail exam concludes this stage.
- W5–6
Unsupervised field training
You complete independent field work that shows what you've learned. Results determine certification.
- W7+
Paid practicum / co-op
A 3-month (12-week) paid practicum that CUTI arranges with our clients.
What these careers pay in the US
How pay works during the program
- Training pay starts about two weeks in for sponsored students
- The 3-month practicum is paid throughout by your partner employer
- Full-time employment follows at a higher rate
- Most partner employers run bonus systems on top: extra work, extra pay
Market figures above are US medians and averages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025) and industry salary data. Your exact rate is set with your sponsoring employer.
Tuition & fees
Choose sponsorship, complete the practicum and 3-month work commitment, and courses cost nothing. Otherwise, you pay for the course yourself.
For sponsored students, your employer covers the in-class and in-field components in full.
Financial hardship: Without sponsorship, we can discuss accommodations with proof of hardship.
Choose your path
Sponsored by a vetted employer
Your employer covers all costs and offers a job right after you finish.
- Complete 3 months of paid practicum
- Complete 3 months of full-time employment
- After the 6 months: keep working there, or pursue any opportunity
Fund the program yourself
You cover all program costs. You're free to pursue any career, with no work commitment.
- Same training, same certification
- No work commitment after graduating
- Financial-hardship accommodations may be available
Admission requirements
CUTI requires no prior experience. We lower the barrier of entry for all trainees.
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalentincluding Grade 12 English
- Must be age 18+ and able to work within Canada
- Valid driver's licence with a clean driver's abstractfull G preferred; G2 accepted with plans to get your full G by training's end
- Intermediate computer skillsif yours are basic, we help
- Ability to distinguish between colours for marked utilitieswhen in-field and using mapping tools
- Ability to carry up to 15 lbs
- Ability to work outside in different conditions
- Some employers request additional requirements before paid practicumscriminal background check, drug testing, and other physical standards
Ready to start earning while learning?
Pick your program, apply, and let us arrange the rest.