Skilled trades CV guide
Put licences, trade certificates and safety cards first (e.g. Red Seal, journeyman, CSCS, White Card). List tools, machinery and systems you are competent with.
Build an electrician and trades CVYour first CV is free. The builder applies these rules and checks your CV before you download it.
Sections to include
| Section (in this order) | How important |
|---|---|
| Licences, tickets & cards | Expected |
| Skills, tools & equipment | Expected |
| Experience | Expected |
| Apprenticeship & training | Recommended |
Key facts
- Canada's Red Seal Program sets a common interprovincial standard for skilled trades, including construction electricians. Source: red-seal.ca
Facts checked 2026-10-15.
Tips
- Put licences, trade certificates and safety cards first (e.g. Red Seal, journeyman, CSCS, White Card).
- List tools, machinery and systems you are competent with.
- A driving licence and own tools are worth stating.
- One to two pages; employers read quickly.
Registration by country
Regulated jobs need the local registration or licence on the CV, or a note that the application is in progress. Confirm current requirements with the regulator.
| Country | Profession | Registration or licence |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Electricians | Level 3 qualification, 18th Edition (BS 7671) and ECS card |
| United States | Electricians | State or local journeyman / master electrician licence |
| Canada | Electricians | Provincial certificate of qualification / Red Seal |
| Australia | Electricians | State electrical licence |
| New Zealand | Electricians | EWRB registration and practising licence |
| Ireland | Electricians | Safe Electric registration / Craft certificate |
| Germany | Electricians | Meisterbrief or Gesellenbrief (Handwerkskammer) |
| United Kingdom | Plumbers | NVQ Level 2/3 plumbing; WRAS approval |
| United States | Plumbers | State or local plumbing licence |
| Canada | Plumbers | Red Seal / provincial certificate |
| Australia | Plumbers | State plumbing licence |
| New Zealand | Plumbers | PGDB registration and licence |
| United Kingdom | Gas engineers | Gas Safe registration |
| Australia | Gas engineers | State gas fitting licence |
| New Zealand | Gas engineers | PGDB gasfitter licence |
| Ireland | Gas engineers | RGII registration |
| United Kingdom | HVAC technicians | F-Gas certificate |
| United States | HVAC technicians | EPA Section 608 certification |
| Canada | HVAC technicians | Provincial refrigeration certificate / ODP card |
| Australia | HVAC technicians | ARCtick refrigerant handling licence |
Electrician and trades CVs by country
- Electrician and trades CV for the United Kingdom
- Electrician and trades CV for the United States
- Electrician and trades CV for Canada
- Electrician and trades CV for Australia
- Electrician and trades CV for New Zealand
- Electrician and trades CV for Ireland
- Electrician and trades CV for Germany
- Electrician and trades CV for Austria
- Electrician and trades CV for Switzerland
- Electrician and trades CV for the Netherlands
- Electrician and trades CV for France
- Electrician and trades CV for Sweden
- Electrician and trades CV for Norway
- Electrician and trades CV for the United Arab Emirates
- Electrician and trades CV for Saudi Arabia
- Electrician and trades CV for Qatar
- Electrician and trades CV for Kuwait
- Electrician and trades CV for Oman
- Electrician and trades CV for Singapore
- Electrician and trades CV for Japan
Questions
What should a trades CV include?
A trades CV needs your contact details, experience, licences, tickets and cards and skills, tools and equipment, and usually apprenticeship and training. Lead with what employers in this field check first, and back it up with specific examples. Put licences, trade certificates and safety cards first (e.g. Red Seal, journeyman, CSCS, White Card). The CV Atlas readiness check flags anything this field expects that your CV is missing.
What order should the sections of a trades CV be in?
Use this order for a trades CV: Licences, tickets & cards, Skills, tools & equipment, Experience and Apprenticeship & training. Put the most important evidence for this field near the top, and list entries within each section with the most recent first. Contact details and your name always come first, in the header. Some countries change the order, for example Japan lists history oldest first, and CV Atlas applies that automatically.
How long should a trades CV be?
It depends on the country more than the job. A trades CV in the United States should be 1–2 pages; in the United Kingdom, 2 pages; in Australia, 2–4 pages. Keep recent roles detailed and older ones brief, so your strongest evidence sits on the first page. Pick your target country in CV Atlas and it applies the local length and paper size.
How do I make a trades CV stand out?
List tools, machinery and systems you are competent with. A driving licence and own tools are worth stating. Be specific: name the systems, settings and results, start each bullet with a verb, and keep it to one line where you can. Show the scale of your work with numbers where it helps. Many jobs in this field ask for a driving licence, so add yours if you have one.
Which jobs does the trades CV guide cover?
This guide covers 56 job titles, including Electrician, Plumber, Gas engineer / gas fitter, Carpenter, Joiner, Cabinet maker, Bricklayer / mason and Stonemason. They share the same CV structure and checks. If your exact title is not listed, type it into CV Atlas and pick the closest field. Country rules such as photos, length and references are added on top when you choose where you are applying.
Jobs this guide covers
Electrician · Plumber · Gas engineer / gas fitter · Carpenter · Joiner · Cabinet maker · Bricklayer / mason · Stonemason · Plasterer · Drywall installer · Painter and decorator · Tiler · Roofer · Glazier · Welder · Fabricator · Sheet metal worker · Boilermaker · Pipefitter · Steamfitter · HVAC technician · Refrigeration technician · Locksmith · Scaffolder · Concrete finisher · Steel fixer / ironworker · Heavy equipment operator · Crane operator · Excavator operator · Elevator / lift technician · Solar panel installer · Insulation installer · Flooring installer · Upholsterer · Handyman · Groundworker · General labourer · Demolition worker · Plant mechanic · Millwright · Industrial electrician · Electrical apprentice · Plumbing apprentice · Apprentice (other trade) · Tailor / dressmaker · Shoemaker / cobbler · Potter / ceramicist · Blacksmith · Signwriter · Weaver · Musical instrument maker · Electronics repair technician · Telecommunications line installer · Wind turbine technician · Road worker · Pre-press technician
Country guides
Photo, date of birth, length and paper size change by country. Start with United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, or see all 200 countries.
Open the builderYour first CV is free. The builder applies these rules and checks your CV before you download it.
Guidance checked October 2026; facts checked 2026-10-15. General information for most employers, not legal or immigration advice. A job advert’s own instructions always come first. CV Atlas is not affiliated with any regulator or professional body named.