Enter your email below to receive weekly updates from the Ashton College blog straight to your inbox.
Over the last few years, Canada has experienced a labour shortage in the skilled trades. Therefore, experienced and knowledgeable tradespeople are highly sought after. While most people have at least heard of designations such as Journeyperson or the Red Seal Certificate, the Blue Seal Certificate is less well-known, and there is often confusion around the term. This article will dive into the Red Seal and Blue Seal programs, explore their differences and commonalities and clear up any confusion.
The Red Seal Program evaluates the skills of tradespeople across Canada by setting national standards. It covers 56 trades and operates as a partnership between the federal government and provinces and territories.
Tradespeople who receive a Red Seal Endorsement have proven their knowledge and skills in their trade. Its benefits include:
In order to obtain the Red Seal Certification, candidates must pass the Red Seal Exam. They must have considerable experience in their trade through formal schooling, an apprenticeship, standard work experience, or a combination. The detailed eligibility requirements vary by province.
The Red Seal Exam is considered the final test for many trades and assesses a tradesperson's factual knowledge, problem-solving skills, knowledge of procedures, calculation skills and more. The exam has a multiple-choice format with four answer choices and one correct answer. There is a time limit of 4 hours and a minimum passing score of 70%. To prepare for the test, candidates should review their trade’s Red Seal Occupational Standard (RSOS) as it outlines all necessary knowledge, and every exam question is directly related to it. Other beneficial resources, such as sample questions, can also be found on the Red Seal website.
At Ashton College, we offer Red Seal Exam Prep Courses for 13 different groups of tradespeople, including bakers, carpenters, and electricians. Our courses are designed for experienced individuals with the necessary theoretical and practical knowledge to write the exam. We offer part-time courses and multiple start dates throughout the year, allowing students to continue working full-time or take care of their busy schedules while pursuing their education. The courses are online and led by a live instructor who provides interactive, real-time feedback. All courses cover the trade’s RSOS and the exam format. They also intensively review all trade-specific concepts and theories, identify knowledge gaps, and help develop a strategic personal study plan.
The Blue Seal Program is a learning recognition program that was established by Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) and is only available in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories. Holding a Blue Seal demonstrates a reasonable level of business education and knowledge. It showcases someone’s motivation and competence to excel in managerial, supervisory, entrepreneurial, or other leadership roles.
The program aims to motivate journeypersons to continue their education and consider entrepreneurship. Earning a Blue Seal Certificate is a worthwhile career investment, and tradespeople will gain valuable business and management skills that will help them supervise a team, manage finances, or start their own businesses. There is a wide range of eligible subject areas to choose from, including Accounting, Business Law, Communications, Marketing, and Project Management. This allows tradespeople to customize their studies to fit their career objectives and combine their newly gained knowledge with their trade expertise.
All three provinces that recognize the Blue Seal Certificate require an individual to have completed at least 150 credit hours in an approved area of study, such as a study program, individual courses, or a combination of both. Applicants also must hold a journeyperson certificate from Alberta, NWT or Saskatchewan, an Occupational Certificate or another recognized and valid trade certificate. If these requirements are met, individuals may apply to obtain their certification by filling out an online application form and adding copies of their transcripts and supporting documentation.
Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories each have their own application portal, but the processes are similar and include a non-refundable application fee.
Although the Blue Seal is only recognized in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, its training can be completed across Canada. Examples of training institutions are:
And many more
The Red Seal and Blue Seal Programs are both excellent options for tradespeople in Canada to showcase their expertise. While the Red Seal Program is recognized nationally, the Blue Seal is only used in three Canadian provinces and territories. Tradespeople who are considering starting their own business can benefit from obtaining the Blue Seal Certificate. Finally, both designations can be held simultaneously, demonstrating excellence to employers and customers, and boosting a tradesperson’s confidence.
The information contained in this post is considered true and accurate as of the publication date. However, the accuracy of this information may be impacted by changes in circumstances that occur after the time of publication. Ashton College assumes no liability for any error or omissions in the information contained in this post or any other post in our blog.
