Business Competencies
Achievement in Business Competencies (Blue Seal) Program
If you have a valid Alberta Journeyman Certificate, Alberta Occupational Certificate or a valid recognized trade certificate you are eligible to apply for a Blue Seal Certificate.
The Blue Seal Certificate is geared to certified tradespeople who want to develop their business skills. A Blue Seal Certificate is evidence that a tradesperson not only meets Alberta’s high industry standards, but has the knowledge and drive to succeed in business. Tradespeople who complete the Blue Seal program may move into leadership, supervisory, entrepreneurial and other roles.
There are 18 business subject areas you may study.
To obtain a Blue Seal Certificate you must:
- complete one or more programs of study approved by the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board that total at least 150 hours of study, or
- complete 150 hours of study in one or more of the approved subject areas through a recognized training provider, or
- complete a combination of programs of study approved by the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board and courses of study in one or more of the approved subject areas through a recognized training provider to equal at least 150 hours of study, and
have, or apply for, an Alberta Student Number (ASN) and
- pay the $50.00 non-refundable application fee,
- during the application process, submit official transcripts and supporting documentation which clearly demonstrate the approved subject area(s) and the hours of study you have completed (Apprenticeship and Industry Training may contact the training provider to confirm), and
- complete and submit the online Achievement in Business Competencies (Blue Seal) Application.
For training providers or programs of study not listed below, or for more information, call the Apprenticeship toll-free line at 1-800-248-4823 or visit your nearest Apprenticeship and Industry Training office.
Recognized Training Providers for the Blue Seal - Alberta
Business training for the Blue Seal Certificate can be completed at the following Alberta-based training institutions.
- Public Colleges
- Bow Valley College Calgary, AB
- Grande Prairie Regional College Grande Prairie, AB
- Keyano College Fort McMurray, AB
- Lakeland College Vermilion, AB
- Lethbridge College Lethbridge, AB
- Medicine Hat College Medicine Hat, AB
- NorQuest College Edmonton, AB
- Northern Lakes College Lesser Slave Lake, AB
- Olds College Olds, AB
- Portage College Lac La Biche, AB
- Red Deer College Red Deer, AB
- Private University Colleges
Business training delivered by other providers, such as colleges from other provinces, will be considered. For more information call the Apprenticeship toll-free line at 1-800-248-4823 or visit your nearest Apprenticeship and Industry Training office.
Recognized Training Providers for the Blue Seal – Non-Alberta
- Briercrest College and Seminary SK
- British Columbia Institute of Technology Burnaby, BC
- Cape Breton University NS
- CDI College
- Dale Carnegie Courses
- Dalhousie University Halifax, NS
- Durham College ON
- Eastern College NL
- George Washington University Washington, DC, USA
- Georgian College Ontario
- Institute de technologie agroalimentaire QC
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University BC
- McMaster University Hamilton, ON
- Memorial University St. John's NL
- National Seminars Training
- Red River College MB
- Royal Roads University BC
- Sir Sandford Fleming College Peterborough, ON
- Thompson Rivers University Kamloops, BC
- University of Ottawa ON
- Universite of Quebec Trois–Rivieres, QC
- Baldwin Wallace College/University Ohio, USA
- University of New Brunswick St. John, NB
- University of Windsor ON
- Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology Nepean, ON
- Mohawk College Hamilton, ON
- San Diego State University California, USA
- Niagara College Canada Niagara, ON
- College of the North Atlantic Stephenville, NL
- Universite du Quebec en Outaouais Gatineau, QC
- Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)
- Lakehead University Thunder Bay/Orillia, ON
- Vancouver Community College Vancouver, BC
- Queens' University Kingston, ON
- Delaware Technical Community College Georgetown, Delaware, USA
- New Brunswick Community College Saint John, NB
- Fanshawe College London, ON
- Holland College Prince Edward Island
- University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC
- University of Northern British Columbia Prince George, BC
- University of Fraser Valley Abbotsford, BC
- Camosun College Victoria, BC
- St Francis Xavier University NS
- University of Technology Mauritius
- Assiniboine Community College MB
- Confederation College Thunder Bay, ON
- Selkirk College Castlegar, BC
- Brock University St. Catharines, ON
- Lambton College Sarnia, ON
- University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, SK
- College of New Caledonia Prince George, BC
- Concordia University Montreal QC
- University of Victoria BC
- Langara College Vancouver BC
- Northwest Community College Terrace, BC
- Okanagan College Kelowna, BC
- Manukau Institute of Technology Auckland, New Zealand
- Edinburgh Napier University Edinburgh, Scotland
- Federation University Australia Australia
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic SK
- Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology Durban, South Africa
- Acadia University NS
- Laval University QC
- Douglas College New Westminster, BC
- The Chair Academy Arizona, USA
- Bishop’s University Sherbrooke, QC
- Vancouver Island University BC
- Quinnipiac University Connecticut, USA
- I.K Gujral Punjab Technical University (formerly Punjab Technical University) India
- Robert Kennedy College Switzerland
- Robertson College Winnipeg
- Robertson College Edmonton
- Robertson College Calgary
- Université de Moncton NB
- Columbia University New York, USA
- Université de Sherbrooke Sherbrooke QC
- Capilano University Vancouver BC
- Project Management Institute Pennsylvania USA
- Gallup Washington DC
- Centennial College ON
- Kurukshetra University India
Board-approved Programs of Study for FULL Credit toward the Blue Seal Certificate
Although these Programs of Study have been approved by the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board for credit towards the Achievement in Business Competencies (Blue Seal) program, the amount of credit may vary due to changes made to the Program of Study by the training provider. All applicants must meet the required minimum of 150 hours of study in one or more of the 18 approved areas of study.
- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)
- Applied Management Certificate of Achievement
- Construction Planning Certificate of Achievement
- Operational Excellence Certificate of Achievement
- Applied Project Management Certificate of Achievement*
* “Applied Project Management Certificate of Achievement” awards a certificate to the student for study hours equal to more or less than the 150 hours required for the Blue Seal Certificate, depending on the courses successfully completed by the student. As a result, this program falls into both categories of credit; partial credit programs and full credit programs.
Board-approved Programs of Study for PARTIAL Credit toward the Blue Seal Certificate
Although these Programs of Study have been approved by the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board for credit towards the Achievement in Business Competencies (Blue Seal) program, the amount of credit may vary due to changes made to the Program of Study by the training provider. All applicants must meet the required minimum of 150 hours of study in one or more of the 18 approved areas of study.
Each of these programs, or two in combination, must be taken with other approved Blue Seal program(s) to accumulate the total of 150 hours of study necessary to apply for the Blue Seal Certificate.
- Merit Contractors Association
- Project Management Program - 65 hours
- Supervisory Training Program - 39 hours
- Leadership Development for Supervisors Program - 33 hours
- (previously the Advanced Supervisor Training Program)
- Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC)
- Supervisor Training - 39 hours
- Construction Labour Relations - An Alberta Association (CLRA)
- Better Supervision Training Program - 54 hours
- Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA)
- Leadership for Safety Excellence - 16 hours
- Mount Royal University
- Entrepreneurship Certificate of Completion - 56 hours
- Pillars of Management Certificate of Completion - 60 hours
- Project Management Extension Certificate (before 2014) - 90 hours
- Change Management Extension Certificate - 135 hours
- Leadership Development Extension Certificate (before September 2015) - 135 hours
- Leadership Development Extension Certificate (after September 2015) – 60 hours
- Marketing and Strategic Communications Extension Certificate (after September 2016) – 102 hours
- Organizational Change Management Extension Certificate (before September 2015) – 135 hours
- Organizational Change Management Extension Certificate (after September 2015) – 75 hours
- Mechanical Contractors Association of Alberta (Canadian Mechanical Contracting Education Foundation)
- Mechanical Contracting Project Management Course - 70 hours
- Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta
- Professional Electrical Contractor Program - 90 hours
- MacEwan University
- Business Analysis Professional Development Certificate - 119 hours
- Leadership Essentials Professional Development - 56 or 63 hours (depending on electives)
- Management Essentials Professional Development Certificate - 70 or 77 hours (depending on electives)
- Managing Conflict Professional Development Certificate - 42 hours
- Project Management Professional Development Certificate - 112 hours
- Supervisory Essentials Professional Development Certificate - 70 or 77 hours (depending on electives)
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
- Project Leadership Certificate - 84 hours
- Red Deer College
- Leadership Development Certifcate - 80 hours
- Grande Prairie Regional College
- Business Foundations of Leadership Certificate - 72 hours
- Business Basic Bookkeeping Certificate - 78 hours
- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)
- Employment Law Certificate of Completion (40 hours)
- Lean Management Certificate of Completion (77 to 147 hours)
- Project Management Certificate of Completion (70 hours)
- Sales for Technical Professionals Certificate of Completion (77 hours)
- Train the Trainer Certificate of Completion (63 to 70 hours)
- Applied Project Management Certificate of Achievement (144 to 149 hours)*
* “Applied Project Management Certificate of Achievement” will award a certificate to the student for study hours equivalent to as little as 144 hours to more than 150 hours. As a result, this program falls into both categories of credit; partial credit programs and full credit programs.
