Apprenticeship by Postmedia Saskatchewan

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Apprenticeship - You’re hired! Getting the trades working in perfect harmony by Jonathan hamelin

For many years, harmonization in Canada’s skilled trades training has been a challenge. As Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) CEO Jeff Ritter puts it, there have been challenges for apprentice mobility because of differences in the path to the common certification which the provinces and territories have had for years. “Across the country, it seems that each province and territory has come up with what I like to describe as ‘13 different paths to the same destination’,” Ritter said. “Everyone gets to the same finish line, but the process to get there varies a little bit from province to province.” Ritter said all provinces and territories want to produce a steady flow of skilled tradespeople, but collectively the system has often lacked cohesion. He noted that sequencing training is one problem. Technical training course content covered in Level 1 in Saskatchewan, for example, may be offered in Level 2 or even Level 3 in another province. When apprentices move across the country before finishing their apprenticeships, they may experience a gap or repetition in their technical training. Ritter said that the amount of experience required for apprentices to be able to challenge the certification exam differs across the country, as well. Required experience is measured in hours, but there’s not a consensus on how many hours there are in a year of work. Furthermore, an apprentice may have to undergo three years of technical training in their trade in one province or territory, while another location re-

quires four years. Another factor is one that Ritter said sounds funny, but is important nonetheless. “We don’t even call trades the same things across the country,” he said. “An example I like to use is that in Saskatchewan we have a trade called ‘ Mobile Crane Operator’. It’s fairly simple and understood. That same trade in Ontario is called ‘Lifting and Hoisting Engineer’. Somebody who’s moving from Ontario to Saskatchewan and wants to continue their apprenticeship in lifting and hoisting may be surprised to find out that doesn’t technically exist here.” To combat this issue, the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) unveiled a national harmonization initiative in 2013, with the goal of substantively aligning apprenticeship across Canada. Ritter was the CCDA Chair and Chair of the new Harmonization Task Force at the time of its creation. “Saskatchewan very much played a leadership role in this,” Ritter said. “I will say that stakeholders have been calling on provinces and territories to harmonize apprenticeship training for a very long time. I don’t think it would be an exaggeration to say they’ve been asking for this for 50 years.” The goals of the harmonization initiative are to: use the Red Seal trade name; have a consistent number of training levels and consistent total trade hours (typically 1800 hours per level); and ensure more consistent technical training. The process has involved discussions and consultations with industry stakeholders connected to the respective trade. In Saskatchewan, Chris-

The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) is playing a leadership role in the national initiative to harmonize apprenticeship training across the provinces and territories. P hot os: s At CC

topher Stubbs –Project Control Analyst (Interprovincial Harmonization) – heads up the interprovincial harmonization committee. “Industry comes together to develop the occupational standard for their trade,” Stubbs said. “In advance, I collect information from provinces and territories as to what their apprenticeship programs look like. We then develop recommendations based on the new standard and focus on the sequencing of training.” “After that initial recommendation is developed with subject matter experts, we send it out to industry through their apprenticeship authorities and get feedback and start facilitating national webinars to come to a consensus on what this harmon-

ized model looks like.” Ritter said Stubbs has been an “expert facilitator” during the process. “If you have a diverse group of stakeholders who at times have differing and strongly held views, and you’re looking to try to bring them to agreement, Chris is the guy you’d want to assign to that task,” Ritter said. One of the specific task points set out by the CCDA is to harmonize 30 Red Seal trades by 2020, to be implemented over five phases. In Phase One, nine trades were harmonized: Carpenter, Welder, Metal Fabricator (Fitter), Ironworker (Generalist), Ironworker (Structural/Ornamental), Ironworker (Reinforcing), Mobile Crane Operator, Mobile Crane Operator (Hy-

draulic), and Tower Crane Operator. Nine more trades were harmonized during Phase Two: Automotive Service Technician, Truck and Transport Mechanic, Agricultural Equipment Technician, Construction Electrician, Heavy Duty Equipment Technician, Industrial Electrician, Industrial Mechanic (Millwright), Plumber, and Steamfitter/ Pipefitter. Currently in Phase Three, the committee is working on harmonizing Boilermaker, Sprinkler Fitter, Concrete Finisher, Landscape Horticulturist, and Sheet Metal Worker. During Phases Four and Five, there will be 10 more trades that are worked on. With the program running successfully in the early

days, the committee was also tasked with advancing the harmonization initiative for two-thirds of Red Seal apprentices by 2017, which has been accomplished. Momentum is clearly growing, though Ritter notes sustaining this momentum will be important. “Keeping in mind that trades are always continually evolving, I’ve always looked at the challenge of harmonization having two parts: the challenge associated with getting in harmony and the challenge associated with staying in harmony,” he said. “The provinces and territories acknowledge that they need to continue working in close collaboration with each other and with industry stakeholders to ensure that they stay in harmony.”

Youth Apprenticeship teaches students the tricks of the trades by Jonathan hamelin

Over 10 years ago, educators in Saskatchewan and leaders in the province’s skilled trade industry came together to talk about recruiting the next generation of workers. They discussed ways to inspire young people to make skilled trades a first choice career opportunity before leaving high school. From this collaboration, the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) program was created. “The Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship program raises awareness of apprenticeship in Saskatchewan schools by helping young people discover what rewards come with being a youth apprentice and working in the skilled trades,” said Paul Blankestijn of the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC), who is Manager of the SYA program. “The program enhances student career development by exploring the world of opportunities skilled trades offer Saskatchewan youth.” When a high school student enrolls in SYA, one of the first tasks is to find a

journeyperson and chat with them about their career. As Blankestijn explains, by asking a journeyperson questions about their career, such as – Why did they choose the career? What does a good/ bad day look like – and also doing further research, the student will get a better idea of whether or not the trade is a good fit for them. The student is then given 12 challenges to work on, some of which mirror the school curriculum. All of the challenges combined will take anywhere between 10 to 15 hours. According to Blankestijn, the whole process helps students plan for their future. “They’ll likely have an understanding of which trade is best for them and they can then look into which employers may be hiring. They certainly make connections with employers by going through the process,” Blankestijn said. “When they leave high school, they’ve likely got that job already lined up and they kind of hit the ground running into their career.” In its early stages, SYA is very much focused on career awareness. For youth who move forward and register

as an apprentice in a designated trade within five years, there are also financial benefits: waiver of their registration fee (currently $175); no charge for Level 1 technical training tuition; and 300 hours of trade time credit. There are also SYA Industry Scholarships, which are awarded to selected, eligible high school graduates throughout the province who have completed the SYA Program and will be pursuing a career in the skilled trades within two years. The scholarships, valued at $1,000 each, are awarded to graduating students nominated by selected provincial high schools each June. There were 99 scholarships presented to graduating Grade 12 SYA students last year. “SYA students are given a tremendous head start,” Blankestijn said. “ They can be 24 years old or even younger with zero debt related to their education in part because of SYA benefits.” Based on statistics from the 2015-16 SATCC annual report, it’s clear that SYA is making an impact. According to the report, there were 3,265 youth apprentices in the province, 303 registered SYA

high schools, 135 SYA graduates who entered apprenticeship, and 83 who achieved journeyperson status last year. Since the program’s inception though, there have been 6,030 SYA graduates. SYA takes pride in the fact that 1,117 graduates went on to became apprentices, and 364 have achieved their journeyperson certification. “We have worked very hard over the years to connect with First Nations schools, rural schools and inner city schools, and the response all seems to be the same. Young people know that there are jobs out there and it’s just a question of how they get them,” Blankestijn said. “It’s clear that the SYA program is a big part in bridging the gap. It’s a great way to transition from going to school full-time to working full-time.” Another positive aspect of SYA, Blankestijn noted, has been female involvement. “Young ladies are very successful in the skilled trades. Many of them have completed SYA and are moving on,” Blankestijn said. “There has also been a growing trend over the past several years when it comes to women

Since the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship program was introduced over 10 years ago, 1,117 students went on to became apprentices, and 364 have achieved their journeyperson certification. P hot os: s At CC

working in traditionally male trades, such as Electrician, Welder, Carpenter, Automotive Service Technician and Machinist.” High school students interested in enrolling in SYA are encouraged to speak with

their career guidance counsellor. For more information on the program, they can also contact the SATCC Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator at (306) 787-2368 or www. youthapprenticeship@gov. sk.ca.

This secTion was creaTed by conTenT works, PosTmedia’s commercial conTenT sTudio.

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Apprenticeship - You’re hired!

Red Seal Program helps tradespeople achieve a higher standard by Jonathan hamelin

For a skilled tradesperson, one of the highest achievements is to receive the Red Seal of approval. The Red Seal Program, formally known as the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program, was established in 1959 to set common standards to assess the skills of tradespersons across Canada. By mee ting the high standards and receiving a Red Seal endorsement, tradespeople are qualified to work in any province or territory without having to worry about recertifica-

tion. And, as Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) CEO Jeff Ritter explains, these workers also gain confidence. “Employees get a designation that is recognized as the standard of excellence across Canada,” he said. “It’s a credential that recognizes they have honed the necessary skills in their designated trades. The Red Seal mark is pretty widely recognized across Canada and, in fact, around the world. It lets employers know at a glance that the tradesperson they’re looking into hiring has been assessed with the same tools

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as trades people within their own province.” The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship administers the Red Seal Program. At a provincial and territorial level, exams are administered by apprenticeship and certification authorities. There are over 40 designated trades and sub-trades in Saskatchewan, many of which are Red Seal. There are two types of tradespeople who can apply to challenge the Red Seal examination. The most common group is apprentices who have completed their final level of technical training and have achieved the required number of hours on a job site. The next step is to take a multiple choice exam, which averages 125 questions. Applicants are given four hours to take the test and must score 70 per cent or higher. There are also a few trades that require an additional practical assessment, such as the fields of welding, auto body mechanics and hair styling. There is also the option for trade qualifiers in noncompulsor y trades who haven’t taken part in an apprenticeship program and received technical training to challenge the exam. They will have to work at least one and a half times the number of hours on the job as an apprentice. However, to work in one of the four compulsory trades – plumber, electrician, sheet metal worker, and refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic – you

The Red Seal Program is the Canadian standard of excellence for skilled trades. The endorsement is widely recognized by the trades industry across Canada and internationally, and is advantageous in opening doors to job opportunities. Phot o: S At CC

must be a journeyperson or an apprentice. “We understand and recognize that it is possible to get the experience and the knowledge without the benefit of being under the guidance of a journeyperson,” Ritter said. “If a trade qualifier applies for the exam, we do an assessment of the trade time. We’ll need to see some documentation that outlines the experience they have and, if that experience is sufficient, we’ll give them an opportunity to challenge an exam.” Challenging the Red Seal isn’t an easy process, though there are resources available through www.red-seal.ca to help applicants prepare for

the exam. As Ritter notes, the hard work is well worth it for those who successfully undertake the challenge. “Once a tradesperson gains that experience, they can pass along their knowledge to the next generation of workers. Employers report to us that they see a new sense of purpose coming out from these employees and a bump in productivity,” Ritter said. “It also makes tradespeople more attractive to potential employers. It enhances a company’s reputation if it employs certified journeypersons. Clients will often inquire about how many journeypersons are on staff or even demand that a journeyperson be on site

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Young Saskatchewan tradespeople set to showcase their skills by Pat RedigeR

when the work is being performed.” Ritter said that the Red Seal program is constantly evolving to meet the needs of the industry. In Saskatchewan, Ritter said the process is very much industry-led, as 12 of the 20 SATCC Board members come directly from the industry. As Ritter puts it, “Skilled trades don’t stand still.” With an increased degree of technical innovation involved in skilled trades, Ritter said the goal is to ensure that young tradespeople from across Canada are all learning the necessary skills. “When you look at Saskatchewan and think about the equipment farmers use to do their work – combines that are in the field today, the tractors that are pulling the seeding equipment, the sprayer technology – it’s clear that all of these things are not the same as they were 50 years ago. Therefore, it is critical that the skilled tradespersons who work on this equipment have up-to-date knowledge and skills that keep pace with advances in technology,” Ritter said. “Skilled trades are evolving almost continually. For each of designated trades, we have trade boards that give us advice around what should be included in the apprenticeship training, how that training should be taught and what the focus should be on both within the on-the-job education component and the classroom component.”

This year, the Skills Canada Saskatchewan Provincial Competition is bringing its competitive events, instructional activities and leadership workshops under one roof. The skilled trades and technologies competition is usually set up in a format where events are held in several different areas of the host city. For this year’s event, which runs April 6-7, the majority of events are being held at the CNH Training Centre in Saskatoon, with a select few taking place at Saskatchewan Polytechnic – Saskatoon Campus. “It will be nice to have everything in one building and truly showcase everything that is happening,” said Al Gabert, executive director of Skills Canada Saskatchewan. Skills Canada Saskatchewan, affiliated with the Canadian Skills Program, is a not-for-profit organization that promotes skilled trades and technology to young people in Saskatchewan. The annual provincial competition brings together a number of the best high school and post-secondary students, apprentices and youth from other training programs to showcase their skills and knowledge. For this year’s competition, close to 500 students will take part in around 30 secondary and 28 post-secondary events, such as aerospace technology, auto body repair, baking, cabinetmaking, fashion technology, graphic design, robotics and website development. The entrants compete for medals and a chance to move on to the Skills Canada National Competition from May 31 to June 3, 2017 in Winnipeg. If students perform well at nationals, they can earn a spot on the Canadian team that competes in the World Skills Competition. At the 44th WorldSkills Competition in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, in October 2017, there will be five com-

However, this year Skills Canada Saskatchewan was able to host a Northern Regional Skills Competition in La Loche in advance of provincials. “We’re especially trying to build interest in northern Saskatchewan, with a strong emphasis on First Na-

tion schools,” Gabert said. “There were 50 kids that took part in 12 different competition areas. The competition ran a few hours shorter than provincials. It helps increase their exposure to the trades and helps them determine what area they’d like to focus on.”

The Skills Canada Saskatchewan Provincial Competition, taking place on April 6 and 7 at the CNH Training Centre, brings together a number of the best high school and post-secondary students, apprentices and youth from other training programs to showcase their skills and knowledge. Ph o t o S: PAt R ed i geR

petitors from Saskatchewan: Daniel Nelson (electrical installations), Kyla Henry (graphic design technology), Jun Zheng (web design) and Sean Furber and Brock Chiasson (mobile robotics). But as Gabert explained, winning medals is only one of the benefits of Skills Canada competitions. “It’s an excellent program and a great way to promote skilled trades to young people. It can help them determine what they’re going to do with their careers,” he said. “The event definitely opens a lot of doors for kids because they get to showcase their skills to potential employers and government officials. A company representative might come to the event looking for the best welder, hair stylist or plumber, for example.” During the Saskatchewan provincials, there will also be a Try-A-Trade and Career Expo, where Gabert said students will have the opportunity to “test drive” a career, trying their hands at some basic activities such as building a brick wall, wiring a circuit board, welding, or colouring someone’s hair. The students will also have the opportunity to tour the

competition site and take in all the action. “Try-A-Trade and Career Expo brings together the excitement and energy of a youthful emerging workforce and the proactive organizations who understand that engaging youth is one of the best strategies for addressing labour challenges,” Gabert said. At the event, there will also be a Women in Trades and Technologies event, which will consist of a presentation by the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission and a series of interactive try-a-trade stations where female participants can spend time exploring various skilled trades in a hands-on manner. “It’s a great opportunity to build young women up and let them have an opportunity to learn more about skilled trades and technologies,” Gabert said. “They get to spend the day with Saskatchewan-based female tradespeople/journeypersons that are great role models.” Currently, there aren’t many regional competitions leading up to provincials in Saskatchewan.

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