Prince Edward Island’s trades sector has seen a significant year of growth, with 406 registered apprentices completing training programs in 2014-15, says Innovation and Advanced Learning Minister Allen Roach.

“This year our government has supported on-Island training for 14 different trades, including carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and welding,” said Minister Roach. “I want to congratulate our dedicated Island tradespeople and the companies who support the apprenticeship program while providing mentorship and on the job skills acquisition.”

Apprenticeship is an industry-led initiative and a partnership with employers, apprentices and training institutions. On an annual basis the province provides an approximate $1.3 million investment in apprenticeship through SkillsPEI.

The province supports Red Seal Certification testing for 57 recognized national trades. In 2014-15 there were 95 apprentices and 44 trade qualifiers who successfully obtained their Certificate of Qualification as a Red Seal Certified Journeyperson. Of those who participated in the exam, over 90 per cent successfully completed the requirements and testing. This is a strong indicator of the quality of training being provided by the primary training partner in the province, Holland College.

“We are pleased to see the continued dedication to training and skill development of our over 1,100 registered apprentices in the province, who dedicate themselves to achieving Canada’s Red Seal Certification status for their particular trade,” said Minister Roach. “Skilled trades play an important role in our economy and our society. Trades workers touch almost every aspect of our lives; they build and maintain the homes we live in and the cars we drive, they work in manufacturing, oil and gas, hospitality and tourism. We depend on the work of skilled tradespeople working in the designated trades to keep our province working.”

The province has also seen positive growth in the number of new entrants to the apprenticeship system, with 265 newly registered apprentices representing 21 trades in the province in 2014/15.

Prince Edward Island continues to take a leadership role in collaboration with the neighbouring provinces in Atlantic Canada with a commitment to harmonize our apprenticeship systems. With an increasingly mobile workforce this will enable easier recognitions of apprenticeship and certification between jurisdictions both in Atlantic Canada and across the country.

For more information on apprenticeship in Prince Edward Island, visit www.gov.pe.ca/ial/apprenticeship.