Government Credentials and Industry Certifications

Apprentice educational credentials 

You can now achieve an educational credential in addition to a journeyperson certificate once you successfully complete your apprenticeship program. These credentials, approved by the Government of Alberta, represent the completion of both on-the-job learning and classroom instruction required to complete your program. The trade you're working towards will determine which of the following credentials you will receive. 

• Advanced diploma
• Diploma
• Certificate
• Certificate of Achievement

Review your program page to find the credentials for your trade. 

Red Seal certification

The Red Seal Certificate, also known as a Red Seal endorsement, is a seal on your provincial or territorial trade certificate. It shows you have the knowledge and skills to practice your trade across Canada. 

To achieve a Red Seal endorsement, apprentices must complete their apprenticeship and be awarded journeyperson status. This means completing all working hours of on-the-job training, apprenticeship education and passing marks on all provincial trade exams. 

Achieving a Red Seal endorsement will allow journeypersons to work across Canada without additional training, allowing for career mobility. Having a Red Seal endorsement is often the top credential a tradesperson can possess in the industry.

Blue Seal certification

Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training’s (AIT) Achievement in Business Competencies (Blue Seal) Program is a great way for certified tradespersons to develop business skills and obtain industry-recognized certification to support personal and professional career goals.

Visit Tradesecrets.Alberta.ca to learn more about program eligibility, training requirements and how to apply for the AIT-issued Blue Seal Certificate.

Why earn a Blue Seal?

A Blue Seal Certificate demonstrates you meet Alberta’s high industry standards and have acquired business education and competencies to succeed in managerial, supervisory, entrepreneurial or other leadership roles.

How to earn your Blue Seal

SAIT is a recognized training provider for the Blue Seal program. Our Centre for Continuing Education and Professional Studies offers specific non-credit programs and courses to help you quickly meet the minimum 150-training-hour requirement for the Blue Seal Certificate.

Gold Seal certification

The Canadian Construction Association’s (CCA) Gold Seal Certification program certifies Canadian construction management professionals and establishes, administers, and continuously improves national professional certification standards.

These certification standards apply to construction management professionals in the industrial, commercial, institutional and civil infrastructure sectors. The Gold Seal Certification program also promotes accredited education and training for construction management professionals.

Why earn your Gold Seal?

The Gold Seal Certification program certifies estimators, foremen, owners, construction managers, project managers, safety practitioners and superintendents working in or with Canada’s non-residential construction industry.

Applicants require a combination of industry experience, education and training to take the Gold Seal exam and, if successful, become Gold Seal Certified (GSC).

Individuals who have achieved their Gold Seal Certification and are interested in pursuing the highest level of certification can apply for the Professional Gold Seal Certification (P.GSC). This is a renewable certification (every two years), which requires the P.GSC to demonstrate having earned a minimum 30 Gold Seal credits while working a minimum of 2000 hours in their certified designation. 

How to earn your Gold Seal

Applicants must first enroll in the Gold Seal Certification program and be approved as a Gold Seal Intern (GSI).

As a GSI, applicants have up to five years to meet the requirements, submit their GSC application and be approved to challenge the Gold Seal exam.

Before submitting your program enrolment, go to the CCA website and sign up for the Gold Seal monthly webinar or listen to last month’s recording and read the Gold Seal application guide, How to Apply and Gold Seal Exam.

Contact a Gold Seal program advisor for any questions about the certification process.