Qualification Certificate Work Experience Application Guide

Qualification Certificate – Work Experience

Application Guide

Apprenticeship and Industry Training

2015-October-20 Qualification Certificate Program – Work Experience Application Guide Page 1 of 7 This Qualification Certificate Program - Work Experience Application Guide is for experienced tradespeople seeking certification in an Alberta-designated trade.

Additional information and the online application are available at the Apprenticeship and Industry Training website at www.tradesecrets.alberta.ca

Qualification Certificate Program – Work Experience

The Qualification Certificate - Work Experience Program provides experienced tradespeople with an opportunity to have their work experience, skills and knowledge assessed against the standards for certification in an Alberta-designated trade.

To obtain a Qualification Certificate through this program you must: 1. complete the online application form,

2. have the minimum required months and hours of hands-on experience in the trade.

• Apprenticeship and Industry Training will contact the employers you identify in your application to verify your work experience in the trade,

3. successfully complete a competency assessment, and

• Depending upon the trade, this could be a practical exam, an Employer Declaration Letter (EDL) from your Alberta employer, or a Trade Competency Verification (TCV) Book.

4. pass the theory exam(s) for your trade with a minimum mark of 70 per cent.

Eligibility to Apply

You are eligible to apply under the Qualification Certificate Program - Work Experience if you:

• have the required number of hours and months of hands-on work experience in the trade you are applying for. o See the ‘Work Experience Requirements in Hours and Months’ chart at the end of this Guide for the minimum

required months and hours of hands-on experience required in your trade. • hold a certificate in the same trade that is not recognized in Alberta, or

• hold a recognized certificate in the same trade that is no longer valid.

You are not eligible to apply under the Qualification Certificate Program - Work Experience if you: • hold an Alberta trade certificate or a certificate that is recognized in Alberta in the same trade,

• had a Qualification Certificate Program application in the same trade or branch of trade that was cancelled within the past 12 months, or

• have a restriction on your Apprenticeship and Industry Training file based on a conviction or for cheating on an exam. Recognized Credential - To find out if your credential is recognized in Alberta, visit the Apprenticeship and Industry Training website athttp://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/ Click on ‘Experienced Workers’, then on ‘Recognized Credentials’ in the left-side menu. If you hold a valid recognized credential without an Interprovincial Standards Red Seal endorsement on it and you want an Alberta credential with or without the Red Seal endorsement, you may apply through the Qualification Certificate Program - Recognized Credential Application.

Application and Assessment

Once you submit your application online, it will be reviewed and assessed by Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT). If approved, you will be notified about your next steps in the program. You may follow the status of your application through your secure

MyTradesecrets account that you created when you submitted your online application.

If you are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or a temporary foreign worker who has arrived in Canada, once your application is approved, you have one year from the date of approval to complete all requirements of the program. If you are a temporary foreign worker applying from outside of Canada, once your application is approved, you have one year to arrive in Alberta and one year from the date of your arrival to complete all requirements of the program. Once you are eligible to write the theory exam(s), your exam will be requested and scheduled. If you fail the theory exam, and want to re-attempt it, you must pay the $100 CDN re-write fee. You are allowed two attempts to pass the exam(s).

2015-October-20 Qualification Certificate-Work Experience Program Application Guide Page 2 of 7

Fees

• Application fee including one attempt at the theory exam(s) $450 CDN • Practical exam fees vary by trade. Refer to the table at the back of this guide • Theory re-write fee $100 CDN

Applicant Responsibilities

Applicants in the Qualification Certificate - Work Experience Program are responsible for: • accurately and honestly answering questions in the application,

• submitting a complete application, including (where required): o translated documents

o authentic and sufficient evidence to support claims of training and employment o paying the required fee(s)

• responding to any requests for supplemental information within the required time, • completing the required competency assessment,

• preparing for the exam(s), and • completing required exam(s).

Privacy

The Alberta Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act establishes privacy rules regarding the Government’s collection and use personal information. In keeping with the Act, on the Qualification Certificate Program - Work Experience application, Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) requests your permission to collect, use and disclose your personal information.

False or Misleading Information

AIT takes reasonable steps to verify the information you provide in your application. You are responsible for ensuring the accuracy and validity of all information provided in your application.

During the assessment of your application, or at a later date, if AIT determines you supplied false, misleading or incorrect

information, your application will be cancelled. If you were awarded a certificate based on false, misleading or incorrect information, the certificate will be withdrawn.

Completing Your Online Application

Documents Translated into English

All supporting documentation to your application (e.g. employment letters, certificates) must be in English or translated into English by a member of a recognized translation organization. In Alberta, authorized translators must be members of the Association of Translators and Interpreters of Alberta (ATIA). To contact ATIA, call 780-434-8384 in Edmonton or toll-free at 1-888-434-2842. Have the translated documents ready when completing your application so you can upload them into the system as part of your

application.

1. Getting Started

Secure Identity & Access Management System (SIAMS)

SIAMS is the online system used by the Alberta Government to ensure the security and privacy of your information. When applying online, you are taken to the SIAMS log-in page to create a personal and secure access account. When the account is created, you will be returned to the MyTradesecretspage to start the application process.

Choose a Trade

Choose the Alberta trade that best describes the trade in which you have experience. Refer to the duties, working conditions, and skills and abilities required for the Alberta trade at http://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/.

Be sure you choose the correct name for the trade in Alberta because several trades share similar names but include different duties. For example, the Heavy Equipment Technician (HET) trade includes the branches of HET-Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic (Off-road), HET-Truck and Transport Mechanic and HET-Transport Trailer Mechanic. Additionally, the Ironworker trade includes the branches of Ironworker-Metal Building Systems Erector, Ironworker-Structural/Ornamental and Ironworker-Reinforcing.

Choose the Correct Program Application

Visit http://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/ and click on ‘Experience Workers’ and then on ‘Qualification Certificates’. Scroll down to

‘Qualification Certificates Based on Work Experience’. Do not select Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program. This program is only available to applicants who already have an Alberta trade certificate but do not yet have the Red Seal endorsement.

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Status in Canada

When completing this section, if you are not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, you are applying as a temporary foreign worker. As a temporary foreign worker you are asked to provide your date of arrival in Alberta. If you have not yet arrived in Alberta, type in 2099/01/01. By providing a date in the future, AIT knows you have not yet arrived.

Recruiter or Immigration Service Provider

If you are using a recruiter to apply for the program, please provide the name of the company. If the name does not appear on the drop-down list, email [email protected] to have the company added.

2. Work History

You are asked to select the country where the majority of your work experience in the trade was obtained. Providing the correct country may help shorten the assessment time for your application. This information is used to assign your application to an assessor to contact the employers listed on your application.

Employer Information

It is important to complete this section with correct employer contact information as Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) will contact these employers to confirm your work experience in your trade. The employer contact person(s) named must be currently employed by the company. Please include the correct country and local area codes with all phone numbers.

Many countries have privacy laws that require employers to have permission from their current or former employees to disclose personal information. Please ensure the employers you identify in your application have the required authority to provide AIT with information about your employment with their company.

If an employer contact person listed in your application does not speak English, please indicate the language the person speaks so we can arrange for an interpreter to assist in verifying your work experience.

Hands-on Work Experience

Hands-on work experience is both the hours and months you spent performing the tasks of the trade. The required months and hours are different for each trade. See the “Work Experience Requirements - Hours and Months” chart at the end of this Guide for the minimum months and hours required in each trade.

Hands-on work experience does not include:

• time you spent on foreman, supervisory or management duties,

o It does include time you were performing the hands-on tasks of the trade while you were in a foreman or supervisory position (e.g. working foreman or working supervisor.),

• time you spent attending training, and • time you spent as an instructor in the trade.

Supplementary Documentation

Documents supporting your employment may be uploaded with your application to help substantiate your work experience in the trade. This could include letters from employers, awards or training completion documents.

If you were self-employed, provide supplementary documentation such as:

• copies of your contracts or invoices with employers you have sub-contracted work,

• company names and contact information (phone numbers/email) for employers for whom you worked for (in the trade) indicating the hours and months, and dates you worked for them,

• business licences, corporate registration, professional association membership(s) etc.,

• invoices or other documents from suppliers providing details on the volume and description of supplies purchased, and • any other documents which show you were working in the trade.

Employer Declaration Letter

If you are applying for a trade that requires an Employer Declaration Letter (EDL), please note the letter must be from an Alberta employer you have worked for within one year prior to the date you submitted your application. If you have the required EDL, click “Yes” and you can upload the letter. If you are applying from outside of Alberta and do not have an EDL, click “No”. You will be expected to obtain an EDL within 30 days of your arrival and/or starting work in Alberta.

For the steamfitter-pipefitter, automotive service technician and electrician trades, competency is demonstrated by completing a Trades Competency Verification (TCV) Book (see below). Answer “No” to the question about submitting an EDL at this time.

Qualification Certificate – Work Experience

Application Guide

Apprenticeship and Industry Training

2015-October-20 Qualification Certificate Program – Work Experience Application Guide Page 4 of 7

Trades Competency Verification Book

• The Trades Competency Verification (TCV) Book is a pilot project in the steamfitter-pipefitter, automotive service technician and electrician trades. It was developed to expand the options used in evaluating the practical skills of Qualification Certificate applicants. Through the TCV, you must demonstrate your competency in each of the core competencies for the trade. The TCV is mailed to your mailing address with your arrival/approval letter.

3. Personal information

Aboriginal Status

If you are an Aboriginal person, you have the option of identifying your status.

Special Needs

If you have a medical condition (physical, communicational or cognitive/intellectual), you may be eligible to receive additional services to help you challenge the exams. For more information, contact your nearest Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) office.

Translators for Exams

If the language you speak, read and write best is not English, you may be eligible to have a translator for your exam(s). If you wish to use a translator, check the appropriate box. It is your responsibility to provide a translator who meets the requirements and

standards set by AIT. For more information, contact your nearest AIT office.

Application Name & Address

The name and address you write on your application is the name and address AIT will use on all correspondence with you. This is also the name that will appear on your trade certificate. If you are applying as a temporary foreign worker, it is important this name be the same one that appears on your passport.

4. Educational History

The education section asks you to check all the levels of education that apply to you. This information may be used to support your application and work experience in the trade. In this section, you are asked to name and upload any trade or occupation credential you hold.

5. Declaration, Agreement and Consent

Read this section of the application carefully as you are confirming, acknowledging and agreeing that:

• the information you provide in the application and in any documents attached to the application are true and complete, • you will notify AIT if any information you provide changes,

• you will notify AIT within seven days of changes to your employment situation in Alberta,

• if you are a temporary foreign worker, you will provide AIT with your Alberta mailing address and Alberta employer within seven days of arriving in Alberta,

• if you make false or misleading statements in your application, you could be denied a Qualification Certificate or have a certificate that was already granted to you cancelled or suspended,

• you are giving AIT permission to verify and/or disclose the personal information in your application to your current and past employers, and educational institutions you have listed on your application, and

• AIT may disclose any information you provide in your application, the results of any exams you take in the program, the status of your application and your eligibility to work in the trade with governments, boards, agencies and credentialing bodies to verify the information you provided, determine your eligibility to participate in the program and your eligibility to enter or remain in Canada and work in the trade.

If you do not check that you agree, you will be unable to proceed with the submission of your application. 6. Payment

The application fee is $450 CDN and is non-refundable. You are asked for your method of payment. You may pay online with a credit card or submit your application and make a payment (credit or debit card only) at one of our AIT Client Service offices.

2015-October-20 Qualification Certificate-Work Experience Program Application Guide Page 5 of 7

W

E

R

-

H

M

Optional Certification Trades Hours Months Compulsory Certification Trades Hours Months Agricultural Equipment Technician 9000 72 Appliance Service Technician 7200 54

Baker 7020 54 Appliance Service Technician – Commercial

Appliance Service Technician 7200 54

Bricklayer 7200 54 Auto Body Technician 9300 72

Cabinetmaker 8160 72 Auto Body Technician – Auto Body Prepper 5100 36

Carpenter 9360 72 Auto Body Technician – Auto Body Refinisher 4800 36

Communication Technician 9000 72 Auto Body Technician – Auto Body Repairer 6900 54

Concrete Finisher 5400 54 Automotive Service Technician 9000 72

Cook 7020 54 Boilermaker 6750 54

Electric Motor Systems Technician 9000 72 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator –

Boom Truck 1800 18

Floorcovering Installer 4500 36 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator –

Conventional Mobile Crane 6750 54

Glazier 9720 72 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator –

Hydraulic Mobile Crane 6750 54

Glazier – Auto Glass Technician 4860 36 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator –

Mobile Crane 6750 54

Instrument Technician 8775 72 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator –

Tower Crane 3000 36

Insulator 6827 54 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator –

Wellhead Boom Truck 150 12

Landscape Gardener 7200 72 Electrician 8775 72

Lather-Interior Systems Mechanic 7020 54 Elevator Constructor 10800 72

Locksmith 9360 72 Gasfitter (A) 6750 54

Machinist 9360 72 Gasfitter (B) 4500 36

Millwright 9360 72 Hairstylist 4200 36

Natural Gas Compression Technician 9000 72 Heavy Equipment Technician 9000 72 Outdoor Power Equipment Technician – Power

Equipment 4500 54

Heavy Equipment Technician – Heavy Duty

Equipment Mechanic (Off Road) 6750 54 Outdoor Power Equipment Technician –

Recreational Equipment 4500 54

Heavy Equipment Technician – Transport

Trailer Mechanic 4950 36

Painter and Decorator 5850 54 Heavy Equipment Technician – Truck and

Transport Mechanic 6750 54

Parts Technician 6750 54 Ironworker 9000 72

Parts Technician – Materials Technician 6750 54 Ironworker – Metal Building Systems Erector 4500 36

Powerline Technician 9563 72 Ironworker – Reinforcing 4500 36

Power System Electrician 8775 72 Ironworker – Structural/Ornamental 6750 54

Roofer 8790 72 Motorcycle Mechanic 8340 72

Sprinkler Systems Installer 9900 72 Plumber 9000 72

Structural Steel and Plate Fitter 6750 54 Recreation Vehicle Service Technician 7200 54

Tilesetter 7200 54 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Mechanic 9000 72

Transport Refrigeration Technician 8100 63 Rig Technician – Level One

* including 1000 hours in Level 1 (Motorhand) 2250 18

Water Well Driller 5400 36 Rig Technician – Level Two

** including 1000 hours in Level 2 (Derrickhand) 4500 36 Water Well Driller – Earth Loop Technician 5400 36

End

Rig Technician – Level Three

*** including 1000 hours in Level 3 (Driller) 6750 54

Sheet Metal Worker 8550 72

Steamfitter-Pipefitter 6750 54

Welder 7020 54

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T

RADES WITH

P

RACTICAL

E

XAMS AND

F

EES

Trade Practical Exam

Fees1

Auto Body Technician Exam A - $78.00

Exam B - $108.00

Auto Body Technician – Auto Body Repairer Exam A - $78.00 Exam B - $108.00

Boilermaker $300.00

Bricklayer $210.00

Cabinetmaker $160.00

Carpenter $205.00

Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator – Boom Truck $310.00 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator – Conventional Mobile Crane $310.00 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator – Hydraulic Mobile Crane $310.00 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator – Mobile Crane 2 @ $310.00 each Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator – Tower Crane $310.00 Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator – Wellhead Boom Truck $310.00

Floorcovering Installer $130.00 Glazier $230.00 Hairstylist $75.00 Insulator $475.00 Locksmith $195.00 Machinist $115.00

Sheet Metal Worker 2 @ $110.00 each

Structural Steel and Plate Fitter $350.00

Welder $160.00

Welder – Wire Process Operator $160.00

**

Fees are subject to change. Check the Apprenticeship and Industry Training website at

2015-October-20

Qualification Certificate-Work Experience Program Application Guide Page 7 of 7

Sample text

“EMPLOYER DECLARATION LETTER”

(To be prepared on company or business letterhead, completed and signed by the owner or a senior official of an Alberta employer (see page 2) and provided to the individual named in the letter or submitted directly to the nearest

Apprenticeship and Industry Training office)

I, [name of person signing letter, and title/position of person signing the letter

] hereby declare that [

], born [

], referred to in this letter as “the Applicant”, has been employed by [

], or provided services to [

], in the trade of [

] , hereafter referred to in this letter

as “the Trade” from [

] to [

].

AND - Select ONE of the following statements to fit your situation

I have made inquiries of the Applicant’s journeyperson supervisor(s) [name(s) and certificate number(s) below

] and I am

satisfied that the Applicant is/was functioning at the journeyperson level in the Trade and carries/carried out the tasks of that trade at the skill level the supervisor expects/expected of an Alberta-certified journeyperson in that trade.

OR

I am the supervising journeyperson [certificate number and issuing jurisdiction

] of the Applicant and I am satisfied that

the Applicant is/was functioning at the journeyperson level in the Trade and carries/carried out the tasks of that trade at the skill level that I expect(ed) of an Alberta-certified journeyperson in that trade.

Signature and date

Include the contact information of the person signing the letter: Address

Municipality Postal Code Phone number Email address

Include information about the Applicant’s supervising journeyperson(s): Name, certificate number and jurisdiction that issued the certificate