Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship combines practical on-the-job training and technical classroom
instruction. For hundreds of years this method of learning has proven the best way to pass on skills from one generation to the next. To help you chose the craft that best fits your interests and ability our website gives a description of the job duties you can expect as a journey-level worker in each of the construction trades. After looking at our website, if you still want more details about any particular trade, you may also want to view the descriptions provided at
www.workfutures.bc.ca
The Building and Construction Trade unions have been involved in skills training since our early history as Guilds, over 500 years ago. Apprenticeship is the tried and proved method to maintain quality and safety standards through the development of journey-level ticketed workers. A worker with a journey-level ticket can travel from one construction project to the next, across provinces and outside of the country. In Canada, journey-level standards are set by the Red Seal program
(www.red-seal.ca). The Red Seal program is overseen by Human Resources and Development Canada, a department of the Federal Government.
In April, 2003 the BC provincial government passed legislation that allows for the certification of partially trained workers. The full scope, Red Seal, apprentice training system is now optional in BC. The provincial government went ahead with these changes in spite of protests from over 70% of BC contractors and businesses (union and non-union alike) who wanted to keep the Red Seal standard mandatory. The Building Trades have outlined our concerns about the new apprenticeship model in BC in a submission available on our website at:
www.bcbuildingtrades.org/pages/submissions.asp
Under the new system, workers can be certified to perform specific construction components (e.g. residential framing, etc…). These partially trained workers will not have the inter-provincial mobility and flexibility available to Red Seal certified workers.
To protect workers' safety and dignity and pride in product quality the Building Trades unions will only invest in full scope trades training. We will not certify workers to standards less than Red Seal. Many Building Trades unions have their own training schools, instructors, facilities and programs. For complete details on how to register, requirements, curriculums, etc… please contact the apprenticeship
co-ordinator or administrator for each specific trade listed below.
For information about the provincial government's apprenticeship program go to:
www.itabc.ca
Other websites with apprenticeship information are:
www.caf-fca.org
www.skillscanada.com
www.careersintrades.ca
www.bced.gov.bc.ca/careers/planning/educate/apprent.htm
Essential Skills
Construction Industry Training Institute
www.careersinconstruction.ca
Electrical Workers Local Union 1003 - Nelson
Electrical Workers Local Union 213 - Vancouver
Electrical Workers Local Union 230 - Victoria
Electrical Workers Local Union 993 - Kamloops
Hotel & Restaurant Employees UNITE HERE Local 40
Insulators & Allied Workers Local Union 118
Labourers Construction and Specialized Workers Union Local 1611
Operating Engineers Local Union 115
Plasterers and Cement Masons Local Union 919
Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 276 - Victoria
Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 280 - Vancouver
