Background materials

We know that introducing certification requirements for trades has far reaching impacts on workers and businesses. That is why we took a thorough, evidence-based approach to fully explore the opportunities and implications of implementing skilled trades certification.

We worked with an industry-led Stakeholder Advisory Working Group comprised of 16 members representing various viewpoints and expertise including: industry associations; labour; post-secondary institutions; Indigenous Skills Trainers; and the Industry Training Authority.

The results of this approach were summarized in a business case which was informed by two in-depth research studies on the socio and economic impacts of potential impacts on business, economic, workers and the public (Price Waterhouse Coopers) and on whether certified workers have higher levels of skill than uncertified workers to support the need for improving overall trades workforce skills (BCIT).

Read the reports:

• Skilled Trades Certification business case
• Impact of Certification on Trades Skills in BC (BCIT)
• The Impact of Skilled Trades Certification in BC (Price Waterhouse Coopers)