About the Red Seal Occupational Standard (RSOS)

The RSOS standard includes a number of new features in addition to those found in the NOA. Descriptions of the performance and evidence of attainment help to better define the skill requirements for the trade. Setting specific learning outcomes and learning objectives necessary to acquire the knowledge behind the trade is also an improvement. These additions will help employers deliver on-the-job training and apprenticeship training providers to develop technical training programs.

The new elements that are collected as part of RSOS development can also be used to generate a number of different tools that are geared to a variety of users. These products can be used to learn about the trade, to support apprenticeship program development, and to help candidates prepare themselves to write the Red Seal examination.

Structure of RSOS

For the entire occupational standard, the information in an RSOS is organized in the following categories:

The analysis also provides the following information:

Each RSOS also contains these appendices:

Development and Validation of RSOS

Development of RSOS

A draft RSOS is developed by a committee of industry experts in the field led by a team of facilitators. This draft analysis breaks down all the tasks performed in the trade, describes the skills and knowledge required for a tradesperson to demonstrate proficiency in the trade.

Draft Review

The draft RSOS and its translation is reviewed by industry stakeholders. The review is organized by provincial and territorial apprenticeship authorities and national stakeholder organizations. The recommendations received are assessed and incorporated into the analysis.

Validation and Weighting

Industry from each province and territory is also asked to validate and weight the trade activities identified in the RSOS. Participating jurisdictions’ apprenticeship authorities consult with industry to indicate whether or not an activity is performed in their jurisdiction (validation) and if so, they are asked to identify the relative importance it should be given for certification purposes (weighting), in terms of a percentage.

The results of this exercise are submitted to the standards development team who then analyzes the data and incorporates it into the document. The RSOS provides the individual jurisdictional validation results as well as the national averages of all responses. The national averages guide the Interprovincial Red Seal Examination plan for the trade.

Validation of the RSOS identifies common core sub-tasks across Canada for the occupation. If industry in at least 70% of the responding jurisdictions performs a sub-task, it shall be considered common core. Interprovincial Red Seal Examinations are based on the common core sub-tasks identified through this validation process.

Definitions for Validation and Weighting

Yes:
sub-task performed by qualified workers in the occupation in a specific jurisdiction
No:
sub-task not performed by qualified workers in the occupation in a specific jurisdiction
NV:
RSOS Not Validated by a province/territory
ND:
trade Not Designated in a province/territory
Not Common Core (NCC):
sub-task, task or MWA performed by less than 70% of responding jurisdictions; these will not be tested by the Interprovincial Red Seal Examination for the trade
National Average %:
average percentage of questions assigned to each MWA and task in Interprovincial Red Seal Examination for the trade