Hi,

Does anybody have any information on the Interprovincial red seal red seal scheme and how I would transfer my apprentiship papers from the uk into a canadian Interprovincial red seal? I have had contact with a company who said if i manage to convert my quals into a Interprovincial red seal then they would be interested in taking me on.

I have looked on the red-seal.ca web site and cannot find info on what is involved in transfering my quals. I have also searched this site and cannot find what I am after.

for info I was a time served apprentice at British Rail and then went to college and did an HND in mechanical engineering...

Many thanks

The Red Seal website has a page called Provincial & Territorial Contacts. This gives you the name and contact details for the apprenticeship program in each province.

You have to look up the website of the apprenticeship program for the province to which you want to move. I happen to be relatively familiar with the website of Trade Secrets, which oversees apprenticeships in Alberta.

I then go to the page of the Trade Secrets website that lists Trades and Occupations. The trades and occupations are listed alphabetically. Click on the one in which you're interested. Scroll down the screen till you reach the section entitled Equivalency Program. It tells you what you have to do to qualify for Equivalency if you trained outside of Canada.

In the case of an Automotive Service Technician (Mechanic), for example, the applicant has to have completed an apprenticeship and qualified as a journeyman. He/she also has to have 9,000 hours (or 6 years) of experience as an Automotive Service Technician, at the journeyman level. If that is the case, he/she is allowed to write the Red Seal exam.

If you only did an apprenticeship, but didn't actually work in your trade after you'd qualified as a journeyman, I have a feeling that may be problematic. On the other hand, I don't work in the skilled trades myself, and I don't know enough about the topic to give you a definitive answer.

It would help if you clarified what your trade had been prior to your studies towards your HND. It also would help if you clarified the province in which your prospective employer is located.

In the meantime, I suggest you go to the apprenticeship website for your destination province, and see what you can find, using the methodology that I employed for Alberta.

Hope that helps.
x

HI!

A difficult one!!

I'm an Electrician with my own business here in the UK, after extensive research and a recce to Canada I had come to the conclusion with regard to the 'Red Seal' qualification that I'm studying the Canadian regulations here in the UK then off to Canada to sit the 'Red Seal' exam. Whilst there will search the employment market, also I have found these options open to me or you:

1. Proof of 9000 hrs in my trade for the 'Red Seal' exam (competency) required to sit exam, can only do this in Canada!
2. Convert UK qualification to Canadian using IQAS
http://employment.alberta.ca/cps/rde....xsl/4849.html
3. If you enquire at SAIT (south Alberta institute of Technology)they should be able to give you loads of info, found them helpful!!
4. Maybe consider using your Mech bias (HND) to apply for PR and re-train once there. Flexibility will be an asset, LOL
5. Take time out, do a recce because there's more opportunity starring you in the face once there, found five positions in a week!! But have to have 'Red Seal' to be able to work unsupervised and pull permits.
6. Consider going in under a different trade and check out the labour market for the qualifying trades, go through the CIC site.


Hope this is of help!!

Rob

I think I might have problems then, I did an Advanced Modern Apprentiship and spent my 1st year of it at the training school learning basic skills. Then after that I spent 3 years doing 6 month secondments in different areas of the company (British rail tech center) doing technical roles. As such I do not have a trade, even though I have my nvq's in welding, machining, fitting and fabrication I have never used the skills since I left the training school. After I came out of my time I worked analising track geometry data, then after that I moved into Aerospace and became an engine inspector.

I was hoping I could get it saying I am a fitter, but if you need to provide proof of 9k hours then I will have no chance.

...kinda puts pay to the idea of a red seal I think.

Has anybody else done an advanced modern apprentiship? If so what did you do?

Hi!

Unfortunately without the experience its going to difficult, unless you do an apprentice there and then do 'Red Seal' later. I know, back to basics!!

What a shame, you have loads of exams but no practical skills to show in those trades! I'm afraid you will have to work under someone elses ticket for a while, maybe only for 6 months or so?

I think you should ring up SAIT and ask!!

It's not like the UK is it?

Even I can only take one 'Red Seal' exam in one area, showing 9000hrs either in Domestic & Commercial, Construction or Industrial. crazy hey???

Rob & Angela

Hi!

Thought you would like to know, there is a Canada Expo at London & Leeds.

London Olympia 28th - 29th June & 21st - 22nd June @ £12.50 each adult.

It may be worth you going and check things out!!

www.expo-canada.com

Were going London either 28th or 29th June, anyone else going?

Angela

Aye, ta. Already making plans to go there ta