Red Seal Occupational Standards Development Process

What are occupational standards?

Who is involved in the development of Red Seal Occupational Standards?

The Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) and its sub-committee, the Interprovincial Standards and Examinations Committee (ISEC) are responsible for planning and collaborating on the development of Red Seal standards and examinations.

The Red Seal Program is administered by each provincial and territorial apprenticeship authority as part of their apprenticeship and trade certification system.  So, they are important partners in the process.

National organizations such as unions and employer associations also take part in development process.

Staff from the Red Seal Program are responsible for organizing all this information, and facilitating the consultations.

The most important people in the process are the qualified tradespeople and apprenticeship technical training providers that take part in development workshops and meetings. Workshop participants are predominantly from industry – they are active, working journeypeople familiar with current practices in the trade.

All of the content that goes into each standard comes from these highly qualified professionals from across Canada.

What are the steps to develop a Red Seal Occupational Standard?

Selection of Participants to Attend National Workshop

Participants are nominated by each provincial/territorial apprenticeship authority in Canada. This ensures good representation from those who work in different regions and with different apprenticeship systems.

In addition, national organizations that are involved with the trade, like unions or employer associations, are invited to nominate a participant.

The participants at the national workshop are well-respected experts in the trade with experience in all aspects of the work.

National Workshop

Once participants are identified, they attend a national workshop. The workshop takes place over several sessions. Participants discuss what they do in the trade, and what skills and knowledge are needed to work in the trade. The objective of this workshop is to develop the first draft of the occupational standard.

Online Survey

Once the first draft of the standard is complete at the workshop, a broader opportunity exists for consultation on its contents. The online survey is conducted over two months with invitations disseminated to stakeholders by apprenticeship authorities and national organizations.

Pan-Canadian Committees Review

Apprenticeship authorities from across Canada convene committees of experts to consider the input received from the online survey and to review the content in the standard thoroughly. Their feedback and comments are incorporated into the completed standard, which is then posted on the Red Seal website.

If you are either a Red Seal tradesperson or an apprenticeship instructor and want to be part of Red Seal Occupational Standards development, please contact your apprenticeship authority.