Regulation and Policy

With the input of industry, the Alberta Board of Skilled Trades will be responsible for:

• Designing and implementing flexible industry engagement mechanisms that allow subject matter experts to contribute to the evolution of skilled trades in Alberta.
• Providing advice to the Minister on designation of trades, restricted activities, and who may perform them.
• Establishing requirements for trade certification.
• Advising the Registrar on competencies for education programs that are also designated trades.
• Providing strategic and policy advice to the Minister and department regarding the continued evolution of skills trades in Alberta.
• Recognizing trade certificates from other jurisdictions.

• Academic credentials will be issued upon completion of an apprenticeship education program. These credentials signal the level of knowledge and skills obtained in the particular program and opens new educational pathways beyond apprenticeship.
• Journeyperson certificates will be issued when an individual meets the certification standards of a designated trade – this signals that an individual is qualified to work.

• Restricted activities are the specific tasks and activities within a trade that can only be performed by an individual who meets specified criteria, such as the former criteria for working in compulsory or optional trades.
• The compliance and enforcement of currently designated trades will remain the same under the STAE Act.
• All tasks and activities currently designated in compulsory trades will become restricted activities with no changes.
• The people who can perform restricted activities will remain limited to certified journeyperson or registered apprentices.
• Any future changes to restricted activities will be made by the Minister based on recommendations made by the Alberta Board of Skilled Trades and in consultation with industry.
• Restricted activities are not micro-credentials. There is no ability for apprentices to learn one activity outside of a trade and be certified to perform it.
• Compliance and enforcement activities performed by Advanced Education staff remain the same. However, compliance has been strengthened to include progressive fines.
• Authorizations and exceptions will continue to be options for industry members that have special circumstances.

AIT Officers will continue to have responsibilities for both compliance and education.  This includes:

• Educating sponsors, mentors, and apprentices about Alberta’s apprenticeship system to ensure their responsibilities are met
• Visiting work locations with active apprentices
• Addressing compliance concerns
• Promoting apprenticeship in Alberta by educating students and youth about the skilled trades, and helping them discover opportunities in high school through Career and Technology Studies and the Registered Apprenticeship Program 

• In consultation with industry, the Minister will set wage rates, as a percentage of journeyperson’s wage, for apprentices in each apprenticeship education program in regulation.
• Apprentices will continue to fall under the Employment Standards Code, including the minimum wage provisions.

• In consultation with industry, the Minister will set apprentice-to-mentor ratios for each apprenticeship education program in regulation.