Province Launches Trades Qualification Certificates

Province Launches Trades Qualification Certificates

Skilled Trades Ontario has begun issuing over 17,500 certificates of qualification and more than 200,000 wallet cards to apprentices and certified skilled trades workers across the province.

“This is an exciting milestone for thousands of skilled trades professionals,” said Melissa Young, CEO for Skilled Trades Ontario, an agency of the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.

Over the coming months, skilled trades professionals in compulsory and non-compulsory trades who received their certification after January 1, 2022, will begin receiving their certificates of qualification in the mail. The certificate is an official document that proves that a person is qualified to work in a particular skilled trade in Ontario. To obtain a certificate of qualification, individuals are required to have passed their certification exam and met all requirements to practise their trade here.

“Our government has invested $1.5 billion in the skilled trades to make life-changing careers more accessible to jobseekers and launched Skilled Trades Ontario to bring our province’s system into the 21st century,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Apprenticeship registrations have increased by 24%.”

Beginning this fall, wallet cards will be issued to apprentices and certified compulsory and non-compulsory skilled trades professionals. Wallet cards can be easily carried while working on the job, in the event they are requested by inspectors or clients.

Since launching last year, Skilled Trades Ontario has provided online verification of the status and licence details of compulsory apprentices and journeypersons on its online public register. This service will continue to be publicly available and updated.