Apprentices in B.C. and New Brunswick will now be able to seamlessly work in either province as a result of a memorandum of understanding.
Starting this fall, apprentices in B.C. and New Brunswick will be able to work in either province to achieve their Red Seal certificate, and move freely between the two provinces to take advantage of job opportunities.
“B.C. is entering a time of incredible opportunity, not only for British Columbians, but for all Canadians,” said Christy Clark, B.C. premier.
“In addition to meeting the needs of employers and apprentices in B.C. and New Brunswick, this agreement will complement the work our province is leading with other provinces and territories to improve labour mobility across the country.”
The MOU is meant to address immediate and future demand for skilled labour in both B.C. and N.B., and ideally contribute to the development of a national apprenticeship mobility strategy.
“With new and emerging opportunities in the construction, oil and gas and forestry sectors on the horizon, this important agreement couldn’t have come at a better time,” sad David Alward, N.B. premier.
“It also complements a variety of efforts to support apprentices, create jobs and provide employers with the skilled workers they need for current and future generations.”
Differences in provincial and territorial apprenticeship certification requirements mean that for some Canadian apprentices, gaining the skills training required to achieve their Red Seal certificate can be a challenge if they are unable to move to where the jobs are.
These differences also make it difficult for employers, particularly those who have operations in multiple Canadian jurisdictions, to employ apprentices from other parts of Canada to meet their short-term labour needs.
The MOU between B.C. and N.B will remove these barriers, and benefit both provinces by:
n Supporting B.C.’s labour needs, beyond the supply of its available workforce, during peak labour demands through the mobility of N.B. apprentices.
n Accelerating the certification of N.B. apprentices in their trades through employment with B.C. employers.
The MOU will be fully implemented by the fall 2014. Apprentices will then be able to move freely between B.C. and New Brunswick to take advantage of job opportunities, which support their skills training in the trades.
