These are the questions BC trades employers ask us most often, answered as directly as we can. The answers above cover cost, contracts, timelines and the limits of what we do. The sections below add context on the three topics that come up in almost every first call.
Frequently asked questions
What does BC.Works actually do?
We plan and run recruiting and employer-branding marketing for BC trades companies: employer brand, apprenticeship and Red Seal pathway material, regional hiring campaigns, crew content and applicant follow-up. You run interviews and make every hiring decision.
Are you a staffing agency?
No. We don't supply workers, represent candidates or put anyone on your payroll. Every applicant goes straight to you.
Are you a contractor?
No. We are a marketing and business consulting service. We don't install, repair or service anything, and we don't compete with you for jobs or workers.
How much does it cost?
The Growth plan is $1,999 a month on month-to-month terms or $1,499 a month on annual billing, with 5% GST added for BC employers. Ad spend and job-board fees are separate and paid to the platforms.
Is there a contract?
Plans are month-to-month with no long-term contract and 30 days' notice to cancel. Annual billing is optional and lowers the monthly price.
How soon will we see applicants?
Campaigns usually start producing applicants within the first couple of weeks of launch, and most owners can judge a channel after six to eight weeks. Quality and volume depend on the role, the region and the offer.
We tried a recruiter or agency before and it didn't work. Why would this be different?
Often the earlier effort bought reach without fixing the message or the follow-up. We start by finding where candidates actually drop out, show you the numbers monthly, and say plainly if the problem is the offer rather than the marketing.
Will you tell us what to pay?
No. We don't publish or suggest wage figures. BC's job-posting pay guidance expects your range in public job ads, so we lay it out clearly and link the Province's guidance; the numbers are yours.
Can you promise us a hire?
No, and you should be cautious of anyone who promises one. We promise a written plan, honest reporting and quick changes when a channel isn't working.
Do we own the accounts and content?
Job-board, ad and careers-page accounts should be in your name, so you keep them if you leave. Exact ownership and usage terms for content are confirmed in writing in your proposal.
What reports do we get?
A monthly report per role and region: applicants, qualified applicants, interviews and hires, plus cost per qualified applicant and cost per hire by channel, as far as you share outcomes with us.
Do you advise on Skilled Trades Certification or employment law?
No. We summarise and link the official sources, such as SkilledTradesBC, and build hiring plans that account for them. For compliance or legal questions, contact SkilledTradesBC, the Province or a qualified professional.
Do you work with HVAC companies?
This site focuses on other trades by default. Heating and cooling companies can still contact us, though their marketing usually runs through HVAC.Agency.
"Is the problem our marketing or our offer?"
The direct answer: sometimes it's the offer, and we'll tell you if we think so. Marketing can make a good job visible and believable. It can't make a weaker job win against a stronger one for long.
Here's a quick self-check before you spend anything:
- Would a good journeyperson currently working elsewhere see a clear reason to switch?
- Does your ad describe the actual work, crew, schedule and path, or just "competitive pay, great team"?
- Do applicants hear from a person within a working day?
- When candidates search your company name, do they find a current website and careers page?
If the answer to the first question is no, start with your own review of the offer. If the other answers are no, that's where our services help most.
"How does the Red Seal fit into recruiting?"
For many candidates, especially apprentices, a credible route to certification is the strongest reason to choose an employer. The Red Seal Program is an endorsement earned by passing the Red Seal exam, and it is recognised across Canada.
In BC, Skilled Trades Certification adds a further layer for seven electrical and mechanical trades as of October 2026, including a two-to-one apprentice-to-journeyperson supervision ratio. We explain how that affects your hiring plan in the Skilled Trades Certification guide, and how to talk about the Red Seal honestly in the Red Seal recruiting guide. Always confirm current rules with SkilledTradesBC.
"What happens if we stop?"
You keep what's yours. Ads, careers-page copy and accounts in your name stay with you, and plans are month-to-month with 30 days' notice. Exact terms are in your proposal, so read that section before you sign. We'd rather you stayed because the numbers work than because leaving is hard.
"Where do we start?"
Most employers start with one of two things: employer brand if few people apply, or applicant response if people apply but disappear. A short conversation is usually enough to tell which. The contact page explains what to send so that first call is useful, and the pricing page shows the plans.
"What should we prepare before the first call?"
Nothing elaborate. Three items make the conversation much more useful:
- Your last two or three job ads, exactly as they ran, plus a rough count of applicants for each.
- A list of roles you expect to hire in the next twelve months, by trade, level and region.
- An honest estimate of reply time: how long an applicant usually waits before a real person contacts them.
With those in hand, we can usually tell you in the first half-hour whether your biggest leak is the message, the reach or the follow-up, and roughly what a sensible first quarter would look like. If we don't think recruiting marketing is the right fix, we'll tell you that too.
"How is this different from posting on a job board ourselves?"
A job board is one channel. Posting there yourself is often a good idea, and many of our clients keep doing it. What we add is everything around the post: a message that gives a tradesperson a reason to pick you, a careers page that backs it up, reach into the regions and audiences a single board misses, a quick reply process, and tracking that tells you which source actually produced each hire. Owners who already post well usually find the biggest gains in the last two.