National Apprenticeship Survey: Canada Overview Report 2015
Appendix B Glossary National Apprenticeship Survey: Canada Overview Report 2015
Appendix B Glossary

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A

Aboriginal Identity

Aboriginal identity refers to whether the person reported identifying with the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. This includes those who reported being an Aboriginal person, that is, First Nations (North American Indian), Métis or Inuk (Inuit) and/or those who reported Registered or Treaty Indian status that is registered under the Indian Act of Canada and/or those who reported membership in a First Nation or Indian band. Aboriginal peoples of Canada are defined in the Constitution Act, 1982, Section 35 (2) as including the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada.

Apprentice

A person who works in a trade, occupation or craft under an agreement or contract and is registered with the Apprenticeship Authority. The apprentice learns the knowledge, skills, tools and materials of the trade, occupation or craft through on-the-job training (required hours of work) and technical instruction (required course work) under the supervision of a certified journeyperson.

Apprenticeship Authorities

Apprenticeship authorities exist in every province and territory. Apprentices and employer sponsors officially register with the apprenticeship authority and, throughout the apprenticeship, the training provided must adhere to the standards set up by the province or territory. In some jurisdictions, the apprenticeship authority is a government appointed industry body.

Apprenticeship Board

A provincial or territorial government appointed Board whose primary function is to advise the Minister responsible for labour market matters on issues related to training and certification of people in designated trades. Board members consist primarily of labour and business representatives.

Apprenticeship Program

A structured system of supervised training leading to certification in a trade/occupation which is governed by regulations under a Provincial or Territorial Apprenticeship Act. It consists of systematic programs of on-the-job training (required hours of work) supplemented by in-school technical instruction (required course work) in which an apprentice gains the knowledge, skills, tools and materials of the trade, occupation or craft. During a typical apprenticeship, an apprentice’s time is divided between the workplace (80% to 90%) and the classroom (10% to 20%).

B

Block release (long and short)

Refers to a training delivery method in which apprentices are released from work by their employers to attend prescribed full time in-school technical training for a specified period (usually three to ten weeks for long block and one or two weeks for short block).

C

Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA)

A national body comprised of the provincial and territorial government officials responsible for managing and directing apprenticeship programs and two federal government representatives. The mission of the Council is to facilitate the mobility of the apprentices and journey-persons in Canada through the establishment of uniform standards in training and examinations as confirmed by a Red Seal endorsement.

CEGEP

The postsecondary system in Quebec is unique in that the colleges (CÉGEPs) provide a program that is a requirement for entry to university. Students who complete high school (normally after 11 years of schooling) must complete two years of the “general program” of the colleges (as opposed to the “vocational” programs) and they then proceed to university for completion of their program, which normally takes three years for a pass bachelor's degree in arts or science.

Certificate of Apprenticeship (CoA)

A document issued to a person who has successfully completed a formalized apprenticeship training program.

Common law status

Common law status refers to whether the person aged 15 or over is living with a person of the opposite sex or of the same sex as a couple but is not legally married to that person. It includes situations where the members of such a couple are living apart temporarily because of illness, work or school.

Community Colleges

Institutions that offer programs at the postsecondary level (university transfer and technical/career programs) and may offer trade-vocational programs, including pre-apprentice pre-employment and in-school technical training for apprentices.

Completer

A respondent who has completed learning their trade, meaning, that they have completed all required hours of work as an apprentice in their trade and have completed the required course work (if applicable) to be considered eligible to attempt the certification exam (if applicable), for the purposes of this survey, this respondent will be considered as a completer, i.e. as someone who has completed their trade’s apprenticeship (apprenticeship program).

Compulsory trade

A trade in which people entering or working must possess a trade certificate or register as apprentices with the provincial or territorial authorities to legally work in that trade. Those working in the trade prior to the compulsory requirement may be exempted by provincial or territorial legislation. (See also Voluntary certification/trade)

Continuer

People who are registered apprentices (i.e., still in program, have not yet earned certification)

Credits received towards apprenticeship

The training courses and programs in high schools, community colleges and technical institutions which are counted towards the standing in an apprenticeship program. The programs are linked to permit the granting of apprenticeship credits for skills and knowledge acquired prior to enrolling in apprenticeship. See also Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR).

D

D.E.P. / DVS

In Québec, many apprentices will have obtained their Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) prior to registering or before becoming an apprentice. The respondent may use the French term for DVS, which is D.E.P. (Diplôme d'études professionnelles du Québec).

Dependants

A dependant is someone for whom the respondent is financially or legally responsible, for example, a child, a parent or a relative.

Disability

Activity limitations experienced by individuals as a result of physical or mental conditions or health problems; the impact these limitations have on day-to-day life; help used or needed as a result of limitations, including specialized equipment and aids.

Discontinuer

An apprentice who terminates involvement in an apprenticeship training program prior to completion (i.e., someone who has discontinued their trade's apprenticeship/apprenticeship program).

E

Employer

A person, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association, or a municipal, provincial or other public authority eligible to sign an Apprenticeship Agreement with an apprentice.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

This is the Federal Department that has responsibility for providing the secretariat services for the Interprovincial Standards (Red Seal) Program including the translation, printing and distribution of interprovincial examinations. The department is also responsible for the development and distribution of National Occupational Analysis.

Essential Skills

Essential skills are the skills needed for work, learning and life. They are the foundation for learning all other skills, used in nearly every job and at different levels of complexity. They help people evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. There are nine essential skills:

• Reading
• Document Use
• Numeracy (Math)
• Writing
• Oral Communication
• Working with Others
• Thinking
• Digital Technology
• Continuous Learning

F

Flexible/Online/Distance Education

Formal training delivery methods that enable registered apprentices and other learners to complete a course of study utilizing current communications technologies and may include some traditional classroom-based instruction. Some examples of current communication technologies being utilized to reduce the periods of formal classroom instruction include the internet, interactive computer-based training and video teleconferencing.

I

Immigrant

This refers to a person who is or has ever been a landed immigrant/permanent resident. This person has been granted the right to live in Canada permanently by immigration authorities. Some immigrants have resided in Canada for a number of years, while others have arrived recently. Some immigrants are Canadian citizens, while others are not. Most immigrants are born outside Canada, but a small number are born in Canada. In the 2011 National Household Survey, 'Immigrants' includes immigrants who landed in Canada prior to May 10, 2011.

Interprovincial Red Seal Examination

Interprovincial (IP) Examination is an examination used to determine whether completing apprentices and experienced journeypersons meet the national standard in a designated 'Red Seal' trade. Examinations are based on the national occupational analysis for that trade.

J

Journeyperson

A formally certified, fully skilled worker whose combined work experience and training satisfy all the requirements demanded of those who practice in a designated trade.

L

Labour Force

Labour force status refers to whether a person was employed, unemployed or not in the labour force during the reference period. The labour force consists of persons who contribute or are available to contribute to the production of goods and services falling within the System of National Accounts production boundary.

Labour Market Information (LMI)

Labour market information (LMI) is information concerning the conditions in, and the operations of, the market for labour.

Long-term continuers

An apprentice who has been an apprentice for some designated period longer than the apprenticeship term.

N

National Occupational Classification (NOC)

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2011 is the nationally accepted reference on occupations in Canada. It organizes over 40,000 job titles into 500 occupational group descriptions. It is used daily by thousands of people to compile, analyze and communicate information about occupations, and to understand the jobs found throughout Canada's labour market.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is an industry classification system developed by the statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico and the United States. Created against the background of the North American Free Trade Agreement, it is designed to provide common definitions of the industrial structure of the three countries and a common statistical framework to facilitate the analysis of the three economies. NAICS is based on supply-side or production-oriented principles, to ensure that industrial data, classified to NAICS, are suitable for the analysis of production-related issues such as industrial performance.

O

On-the-Job Training

The component or portion of an apprenticeship training program where apprentices spend time working on the job site learning the skills of the trade under the supervision of a journeyperson.

P

Pre-apprenticeship training

A program mainly of technical and general education, including a portion of trade practice, offered in high schools, vocational schools, community colleges and technical institutes and linked to an apprenticeship program through the credit system.

Pre-employment Training

Courses providing intensive instruction for entrance into employment in a specific occupation. Depending on the jurisdiction, these courses may not necessarily be linked to apprenticeship training. In some jurisdictions, however, this term refers to all training leading to employment, including pre-apprenticeship training courses.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

A process under which recognition is extended towards completion of an apprenticeship for skills, knowledge or competencies that have been acquired experientially through work experience, previous education and training or self-studies. The prior learning should articulate with the formal technical training or on-the-job training requirements for the trade or occupation in which the apprenticeship is to be served.

R

Red Seal Program/Red Seal Endorsement/Red Seal Designated Trade

The Red Seal Program is an industry-driven program delivered in partnership with the provinces and territories, which are responsible for apprenticeship training and certification.  Since the early 1950s, the Red Seal Program has developed common standards and examinations for the Red Seal trades in close collaboration with industry. Trades approved for Red Seal status are called “designated Red Seal trades.” The Red Seal Program and the designation of trades as Red Seal is the responsibility of the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA). Tradespersons who meet the Red Seal standards receive a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial/territorial trade certificates.

Registered Apprentice

A trainee who has met all the requirements for entrance into an apprenticeship program and who has signed an apprenticeship contract or agreement with an employer, sponsor or joint apprenticeship training committee.

Registered Apprenticeship Information System (RAIS)

The purpose of the survey is to gather information on individuals who receive training and those who obtain certification within a trade where apprenticeship training is being offered. Specifically, the survey compiles data on the number of registered apprentices taking in-class and on-the-job training in trades that are either Red Seal or non-Red Seal and where apprenticeship training is either compulsory or voluntary. It also compiles data on the number of provincial and interprovincial certificates granted to apprentices or trade qualifiers (challengers).

Releasing apprentices process

Refers to a process by which apprentices are released from work by their employers to attend in-school technical training for a specified period.

S

Self-Paced Learning/course work

The acquiring of knowledge and skills at a pace suitable to the individual learner.

Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) plan

A program which allows employers to register SUB plans that meet the requirements of subsection 37(2) of the Employment Insurance Regulations.  The purpose of a SUB plan is to provide supplemental payments to Employment Insurance (EI) benefits during a period of unemployment due to:

• temporary stoppage of work;
• training;
• illness, injury or quarantine.

The employer chooses which of the above-mentioned types of unemployment to supplement.

T

Task

A work activity that is distinct, observable, performed within a limited period of time, and which leads to a product, service or decision.

Tax credits

The Government of Canada offers a range of tax credits and incentives apprentices can benefit from.  These include:

• Tradesperson’s Tools deduction
• Tuition Tax Credit and licensing examination fees
• Education amount
• Textbook amount

Technical Training/in-school Training (required course work)

The part of an apprenticeship training program that includes theoretical aspects of the trade designed to supplement the skills acquired during on-the-job training. It is typically delivered in school (classroom or other methods, such as online or distance education) and makes up approximately 10-15 percent of the total apprenticeship training program.

Temporary or seasonal jobs

A temporary job has a predetermined end date or will end as soon as a specific project is completed. Temporary jobs are sub-classified into four groups: seasonal; term or contract, including work done through a temporary help agency; casual; and other temporary work. In this article, full-time and part-time temporary employees are combined, the variable of full or part time being considered a characteristic and serving to explain the earnings gaps between permanent and temporary employees.

Top 10 Red Seal trades

The trades with the largest numbers of workers and also with large numbers of apprentices. For most sections of this report the Top 10 trades are: automotive service Technicians, carpenters, cooks, electricians, hairstylists/barbers, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, millwrights, machinists, plumbers/pipefitters/ steamfitters, welders. This varies slightly depending on the classifications available in the various data sources.

Trade Qualifier

A Trade Qualifier is an individual who has amassed sufficient practical work experience to meet the established criteria to attempt the certification journey level (provincial or interprovincial) examination. The criteria require relevant on-the-job experience of at least one year in excess of the apprenticeship term.

Training Allowances

Funding received while the apprentice is on technical training.

V

Voluntary trade

A designated trade in which apprenticeship training and certification are available, but there is no legislated requirement that apprentices in that trade should be registered, or that workers engaged in the trade should be certified journeypersons. (see also Compulsory Trade)

Y

Youth Apprenticeship Program

A Youth Apprenticeship Program (YAP) allows high school students to explore and gain experience in apprenticeship occupations (similar to a co-op placement) and, potentially, transfer that experience into apprenticeship program credits.

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