Red Seal trades training offered in Surrey

UP to 36 eligible British Columbians will get skills training and certification courses to prepare them for jobs as automotive service technicians, millwrights and welders.

“There’s a need for skilled tradespeople in B.C. and across the country,” said Nicholas Simons, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, on Saturday. “This Red Seal certification project supports participants to improve their skills, broaden their work experience and maximize their earning potential.”

This is a new Community and Employer Partnership (CEP) project from the Government of British Columbia. Participant recruitment is focused on immigrants with previous trades experience abroad or in Canada.

The Province is providing more than $600,000 to Ace Trades and Technical Institute in Surrey to deliver skills and certification courses in three separate streams of its Industrial Trades Training for Red Seal Certification project.

“It can be challenging for immigrants and newcomers to find and keep good-paying jobs, even when they have experience from their home countries,” said Rachna Singh, MLA for Surrey-Green Timbers. “This new CEP project is an excellent opportunity for the participants, and I wish them all the best of luck in their studies.”

During the project, participants will receive 10 weeks of occupational, employability and life-skills training, four weeks of on-the-job work experience and one week of followup support to assist in their job search. They will also receive instruction in Industry Training Authority BC documentation and certification courses in Electrical Safety Training Systems for Non-Electrical Workers, Occupational First Aid Level 1, Hazard Recognition, Personal Protective Equipment and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS).

At the conclusion of their intake, participants will be prepared to complete the interprovincial Red Seal challenge exams in either the automotive service, millwright or welding trades.

“ACE Trades and Technical Institute is excited to be able to provide participants with training that leads to technical skills, certifications and practical experience sought out by employers in the trades sector,” said Supneet Chawla, Founder and CEO, ACE Trades and Technical Institute. “In this unprecedented time, many people are evaluating their career goals. This program supports tradespersons to achieve their certification goals, while gaining practical skills favoured for working as a journeyperson and getting the dream jobs they deserve.”

Funding for this project is provided through the Project Based Labour Market Training stream of WorkBC’s CEP. CEP’s aim is to increase employment and work experience opportunities for unemployed British Columbians through leveraging local community partnerships, shared information, technology and innovative practices.

Full-time, classroom learning for the first intake of this project, automotive technician training, starts on Tuesday, February 16. Project activities run through to May 21.

The second intake, millwright training, starts May 31, while the third intake focused on welder training starts Sept. 6. Anyone interested in finding out more about this project or other CEP projects can contact their local WorkBC centre.

Quick Facts

• Red Seal is the interprovincial standard of excellence in the skilled trades. Individuals with this certification can work interprovincially and expect to receive a higher rate of pay.
• More than $15 million will be invested in CEP projects around B.C. in 2020-21.