B.C. bringing back mandatory certification system for trades workers
The British Columbia government is launching a compulsory skilled trades certification system that it says will strengthen economic recovery, while supporting higher-paying, more stable jobs.
Premier John Horgan says he recognizes that it will be a big change for workers and employers and the transformation won't happen overnight.
The government says certification will happen in phases starting with 10 initial trades from the electrical, mechanical and automotive disciplines, meaning people will be required to be a certified journeyperson or a registered apprentice to work in those areas.
Once a trade has been designated for certification, the province says workers will have at least one year to either register as an apprentice or challenge an exam.
The government is aiming to introduce legislation next spring to support the implementation of the new certification system, with the first changes expected in the electrical and mechanical trades by 2023 and in automotive by 2025.
Advanced Education Minister Anne Kang says recognizing workers' skill through certification will attract more people to the trades amid labour shortages.
“Certification recognizes the professionalism of tradespeople ... and ensures equity-deserving groups and every person who wants a rewarding career in the trades can access the highest level of education and training,” Kang says in a statement.
About 73,000 job openings are expected in the trades in B.C. through to 2029 with about 77 per cent of those replacing retiring workers.
Certification will help fill those roles and “build prestige” around careers in the trades, the province says.
B.C. removed the requirement that tradespeople be certified in 2003, making it the only jurisdiction in Canada without a system for compulsory credentials.
The decision to re-launch certification was based on recommendations from a stakeholder advisory group that includes representatives from industry associations, labour and post-secondary institutions.
A public engagement process happening now through the fall will seek input on key aspects of the change, including how to help current trades workers get certified.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
It could take years to catch up on child vaccinations in Ontario post-pandemic
Ontario is still playing catch up on routine vaccinations that many children missed during the pandemic and public health officials are warning that it could take years to solve the problem.