History of Red Seal Standards

The first National Conference on Apprenticeship in Trades and Industries was held in Ottawa in 1952. At the conference, it was recommended that the provincial, territorial and federal governments work together to prepare analyses of a number of skilled occupations.

To this end, Employment and Social Development Canada sponsors a program to develop the Red Seal occupational standards. The program is overseen by the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA).

Standards for the Red Seal Program have the following objectives:

• to describe and group the tasks performed by skilled workers;
• to identify which tasks are performed in every province and territory;
• to develop instruments for use in the preparation of Interprovincial Red Seal examinations and assessment tools for apprenticeship and certification authorities;
• to facilitate the mobility of apprentices and skilled workers in Canada; and,
• to supply employers, employees, associations, industries, training institutions and governments with analyses of occupations.