Red Seal Endorsement (RSE) Acronym

June 1, 2015

The administrator of the Red Seal Program, the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA), is pleased to announce the official recognition of the “RSE” acronym (Red Seal Endorsement) for qualified skilled journeypersons! Members of prestigious professions and accredited groups are often identified by the use of an official acronym that confirms their certification and/or accreditation.

The CCDA believes that an officially recognized acronym for professionals in the trade industry provides qualified individuals with a way to easily reflect their qualifications while creating prestige for their credentials, in this case, the Red Seal endorsement. In most Canadian jurisdictions, as of today the RSE acronym can be used by journeypersons who have obtained a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial or territorial Certificates of Qualification and Apprenticeship by successfully completing a Red Seal examination. Anyone holding a Red Seal endorsement can begin using RSE on their business cards and promotional materials today.

The implementation of the RSE acronym meets the CCDA’s long-term vision for the Red Seal Program by continuing to raise the image of the skilled trades, to recognize the professionalism of the skilled trades and to recognize the standard of excellence offered by the Red Seal Program.

What is the RSE acronym?

The RSE acronym is an enhancement to a journeyperson’s professional title, representing his/her successful achievement of obtaining the Red Seal endorsement in his/her given Red Seal trade. It recognizes the knowledge, skills and experience of the journeyperson.

Why use the RSE acronym?

The purpose of the RSE acronym is to emphasize the prestige and professionalism of the Red Seal Program and the endorsement itself. This acronym will also solidify the association between professionalism and excellence with tradespeople in the eyes of the general public, effectively offering an employment advantage to individuals who have earned their Red Seal endorsement.

Strengthening the Red Seal is one of several initiatives to which the CCDA is fully dedicated, ensuring that Canadian tradespeople see their hard work and commitment not only reflected in their endorsement, but recognized nation-wide.

Who may use the RSE acronym?

The Red Seal Endorsement acronym should only be used by journeypersons who have obtained a Red Seal endorsement on their provincial or territorial Certificates of Qualification and Apprenticeship by successfully completing a Red Seal examination. Any individual who makes use of the RSE acronym should correspondingly have a Red Seal endorsement available for verification purposes, be it by employers or clients.

How do I use the RSE acronym?

Simply place RSE after your name. A journeyperson who has obtained a Red Seal endorsement on his/her provincial or territorial Certificates of Qualification and Apprenticeship would write: “First Name Last Name, RSE”.

For more information, please contact the Red Seal Secretariat.

Look for the Canadian standard of excellence for skilled trades; look for the RSE.

A rectangular banner with small Red Seal trade names spread throughout the background. The center of the banner exhibits the Red Seal logo saying “Interprovincial Standard. Canada. Norme Interprovinciale”. To the left of the banner is an English statement of the RSE acronym that says “RSE. New Official Acronym: Red Seal Endorsement. A valuable accomplishment and a professional advantage. Add RSE after your name starting June 1st, 2015” and to the right is a French statement saying « MSR. Nouvel acronyme official: Mention Sceau Rouge. Un gage de réussite et un avantage professionnel. Dès le 1er juin 2015, ajoutez MSR après votre nom ».