TRAINING UPDATE

Certification: Occasionally Asked Questions

 In the December, 2005 Training Update I attempted to clarify what having a Certificate of Qualification as Construction Craft Worker means. There are still a number of questions about the certificate and how to obtain it, which we can hopefully clear up here.

Who issues the certificate?

The certificate is issued by the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities of Ontario. It is not issued by LIUNA or Local 506 or Ambercroft Training Centre. Individuals have expected to pick up their certificate at the Training Centre like any other training certificate. It doesn’t work like that.

One problem is that the Ministry does not have access to Local 506 or Training Centre records: some certificates have been issued with misspelled names because the printing on the application is not clear. Ministry staff can’t just check the Social Insurance Number and make sure of the name.

What is the basis for issuing the certificate?

Simply, work experience and possession of the requisite skills. So, the Local Apprenticeship Committee asks for 3,000 hours construction experience in the last 5 years and a signed Attestation of Competencies. (On occasion, it is necessary to provide a verification of the Attestation of Competencies – training records or a signed verification from a qualified construction supervisor.)

We can use work history from Local 506, or sometimes the pension fund, because we know the contractors and the kind of work they do. We can’t use pay stubs, or records from other jurisdictions. In these situations, the work history has to be documented by letters on company letterhead. And we cannot, and the Ministry will not, use educational certificates or training certificates – there must be proof of work experience.

Is the certificate recognized elsewhere?

Good question – no certain answer. Some employers in Alberta give holders of the certificate the same $1.75 per hour they give holders of the Alberta certificate for Construction Craft Labourer. The Alberta government considers Construction Craft Worker to be a similar trade to Construction Craft Labourer, but does not consider the certificate equivalent if obtained by grandparenting. If it’s obtained by writing the trade examination they would consider it equivalent. In fact, they would accept the Ontario CCW certificate as proof of eligibility to write the Alberta CCL trade exam. A point to make is that if there is ever an inter-provincial (Red Seal) certificate, it will only be issued on the basis of passing a trade exam.