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  • Trades Industry Essentials: What You Need to Know About Careers in the Trades

    Trades Industry Essentials: What You Need to Know About Careers in the Trades

    Are you interested in a career in the trades but don’t know where to begin? Have you ever wondered about the difference between an Apprentice and Journeyperson? What about the terms Red Seal Program, Red Seal Endorsement and RSE? If all this seems confusing, read on to learn more and find out how to prepare for your career.

    What is an Apprentice?
    As an Apprentice, you’re trained to become a Journeyperson through a 1 to 4 year apprenticeship, a post-secondary education program that combines on-the-job and technical training. Approximately 80% of your learning is done on the job, so you need to find an employer who is willing to hire you as an apprentice. The other 20% is through a college or technical training institution.

    Your apprenticeship begins when you register with the apprenticeship authority at your province or territory and sign a Memorandum of Understanding with an employer who is also registered with the apprentice authority.
    Typically, you’re paid 60% of the Journeyperson’s wage rate and the rate increases as you progress through the apprenticeship period until you receive your certification. You may also receive Employment Insurance benefits and federal, provincial or territorial grants.

    What is a Journeyperson?
    Once you satisfy all the requirements of the apprenticeship program, you’re eligible to write the Certificate of Qualification exam, and if successful, you become a certified Journeyperson for your province or territory and receive the wages and benefits associated with that trade.

    As a Journeyperson, you can train and mentor a certified Apprentice, monitor their progress and sign off on whether the apprentice is achieving their key competencies on the job.

    What is the Red Seal Program?
    The Red Seal Program is the national standard of excellence for skilled trades. Its goal is to set common standards in training and certifying tradespersons across Canada.

    You must meet the requirements of your province or territory to attempt the Interprovincial Red Seal exam. The examination determines whether apprentices and experienced tradespersons meet the national standard in a Red Seal trade. Typically, the exam contains 100 to 150 multiple-choice questions and can last up to 4 hours.
    After passing the exam with 70% or higher, you receive a Red Seal Endorsement or RSE on your provincial or territorial Certificate of Qualification. The RSE recognizes the professionalism and the knowledge, skills and experience of tradespeople. With this endorsement, you can practise your trade as a Journeyperson anywhere in Canada, where it is designated, without having to attempt further examination.

    How do I Prepare?
    The first step you should take is to finish high school since the market is very competitive. Take courses related to the trade you’re interested in and participate in an entry-level training program if your high school offers one.

    Need to Learn More?
    Research the trade and speak with potential employers to learn about opportunities and find out what they look for when hiring an apprentice. By taking the steps to prepare, you’re on your way to entering an exciting career.
    ____________
    Giselle Mazurat is a resume writer living in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She also writes technical and business content for government and private companies.

    Bibliography:
    Information on the Red Seal Program
    http://www.red-seal.ca/w.2lc.4m.2-eng.html
    Interprovincial Standards
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interprovincial_Standards
    Journeyperson Definition
    http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-004-x/def/4153355-eng.htm
    Overview of the Red Seal Examination
    http://www.red-seal.ca/resources/.2x.1ms_.1b.4.5t-eng.html
    Red Seal Designated Trades
    http://www.red-seal.ca/trades/tr.1d.2s_l.3st-eng.html
    Red Seal Endorsement (RSE) Acronym
    http://www.red-seal.ca/about/rs.2_msr-eng.html
    Red Seal Exam Preparation Checklist
    http://www.red-seal.ca/resources/pr.2p-ch.2ckl.3st-eng.html

  • Red Seal Trades Certification

    Red Seal Trades Certification

    Red Seal Trades Certification; what does it mean? Obtaining a Red Seal Endorsement is a process in which trade apprentices take the provincial Red Seal exam in order to become certified journeyman. What is a journeyman? For review, a journeyman is described as a person who has completed an apprenticeship program and all its requirements in that specific trade (plumber, welder, electrician, carpenter, etc.) Not all trades have certified apprenticeships, however, and do not acquire the journeyman title.

    The Red Seal endorsement is known nationally in Canada and each test varies from province to province. There is an exam for each listed trade (examine our Trades section for more information). The exams are based on the NOA (National Occupational Analysis). This is a key document that will outline everything about your trade and will include safety information, tasks, names of tools and equipment and technical terms.

    An apprentice is an individual who works alongside a more qualified person (usually called a journeyman, or maybe even a master) to lean a specific skill like plumbing, carpentry or tile setting. Apprenticeships are based strictly on the job training; there is little paper work involved. While students may choose to have in class theory on a trade, it isn’t necessary to become a tradesman. The apprentice is required to keep track of their own hours. You may take the Red Seal Exam after so many hours of on the job training.

    The exam is not only for apprentices, it is also available to trade qualifiers (individuals who have experience, but never took an apprenticeship; or a journey person (someone who has a provincial or territorial certificate of qualification.) Although the Red Seal Certification isn’t essential, it will make you stand out more to employers and customers if you choose to become self-employed. Some say the certification is equivalent to college training. It is definitely worth the time and effort to get a Red Seal Endorsement if you imagine yourself moving up in your career and, eventually gaining a higher salary.

    References:

    http://www.horteducationbc.com/node/37
    http://www.red-seal.ca/resources/wh.1t.3sn.4.1-eng.html
    http://www.red-seal.ca/resources/g.2tr.2.1dy-eng.html

     

  • How and Why Do Apprenticeships Work?

    How and Why Do Apprenticeships Work?

    An apprenticeship is a period of study under a journeyman or master tradesperson in which the apprentice assists the master in their job. In return the master or journeyman will teach and pay the apprentice, readying them for a job in the in-demand field of trades.

    An apprenticeship can last anywhere from a few months to five years, depending on the type of trade you’ve chosen to learn and the availability of work in that field. All tradespeople, with the exception of welders, currently have to pass a Red Seal test before they are approved as a journeyman tradesperson and can begin working independently. Laws are changing, however, and it will soon be necessary to have a Red Seal to practice within any trade in Canada, including welding.

    There is a great deal of variety between trades, apprenticeships and tradespeople. There are plumbers, electricians, pipe fitters, auto mechanics and a large number of other careers. The trades, and tradespeople, are becoming more and more in demand, thus taking a job in the trades can be very financially lucrative. The average entry-level tradesperson makes about $16-$18 an hour in their first year as an apprentice. Master tradespeople easily make salaries that go into the six-digit range.

    Currently, there is a lack of skilled tradespeople in the Canadian economy, making someone who is Red Seal-certified as skilled in their trade of choice greatly in demand. This applies to nearly every trade; going into an apprenticeship can be a very wise choice if you’re interested in making a lot of money.

    The trades are very varied and it takes a separate set of skills to master each one, which is why so much hands-on and on the job experience is key to the success of an aspiring tradesperson. They all involve a degree of math and a lot of work with your hands. They can be dangerous, but also lucrative, and if you’re looking for a stable career tradespeople are almost always in demand.