

In 2015, the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship ( CCDA) announced the official recognition of the “RSE” acronym (Red Seal Endorsement) for qualified skilled journeypersons. All provinces and territories and the federal government participate as members of the CCDA.Įmployment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) sponsors a Red Seal Secretariat to provide strategic and secretariat support to the CCDA and the Red Seal program.įor a list of current Red Seal trades click here. The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) is responsible for the Red Seal Program. Most provinces and territories use the Red Seal examination as the final certification exam in designated Red Seal trades.

Provinces and territories are responsible for apprenticeship training and trade certification in their respective jurisdictions, including the administration of the Red Seal Program in their jurisdictions (for example, Red Seal examinations).

Participants recommended that the provinces and territories ask the federal government to work with their apprenticeship committees and officials to prepare standards for the skilled trades. The Red Seal Program was created following the first National Conference on Apprenticeship in Trades and Industries, which was held in Ottawa in 1952. Certification and Red Seal endorsement of a tradesperson can be confirmed with the provincial or territorial apprenticeship authority that issued the Red Seal. The Red Seal endorsement promotes excellence to employers, instills pride in skilled workers, and facilitates labour mobility. The Red Seal, when affixed to a provincial or territorial trade certificate, indicates that a tradesperson has demonstrated the knowledge required for the national standard in that trade. Tradespersons who have successfully passed the Red Seal examination receive a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial/territorial trade certificate. It is a partnership between the federal government and provinces and territories, which are responsible for apprenticeship training and trade certification in their jurisdictions. Industry is heavily involved in developing the national standard for each trade. The Red Seal Program, formally known as the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program, is a program that sets common standards to assess the skills of tradespeople across Canada.
