Apprentice: A trainee who learns a skilled trade by working directly with a certified journeyperson in the trade.

Apprenticeship: A formalized training program which combines on-the-job and in-school training resulting in journeyperson status.

Apprenticeship and Certification Act (ACA): New legislation (1988) applying to the service, motive power, and manufacturing/industrial sectors. All construction trades remain legislated by the older Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act (TQAA) of 1964.

Apprenticeship Office: One of 26 local offices of the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) Apprenticeship Branch.

Certificate of Apprenticeship: This document shows that an apprentice has successfully completed his/her apprenticeship (requirements vary according to the TQAA or the ACA).

Certificate of Qualification: This document is obtained when a written exam is completed and passed with a mark of at least 70%. It identifies a journeyperson.

Compulsory Trades: Compulsory Trades are those governed by the TQAA and require that only registered apprentices and licensed journeypersons practice in the trade.

Contract of Apprenticeship or Registered Training Agreement: The contract of apprenticeship which is signed before the apprenticeship begins, or may be back-dated for OYAP participants. This is the agreement under which the employer or sponsor agrees to train and instruct the apprentice.

Journeyperson: A skilled professional who has completed an apprenticeship program by demonstrating competency in specific skills and has completed the Certificate of Qualification or deemed to be equivalent.

Loans for Tools Program: A program available to first-year apprentices offering a loan to help purchase tools and equipment needed to perform the trade in which the apprentice is registered.

OYAP: The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program allows secondary school students the opportunity to gain experience in the skilled trades.

MTCU – The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities: The Training Consultants of MTCU are responsible for preparing the training agreements between apprentices and their training sponsors or employers. MTCU is also responsible for developing training standards.

Red Seal Program: The Red Seal endorsement on a journeyperson’s Certificate of Qualification confirms that the person has achieved a nationally recognized level of competency in the trade and is licensed to practice his/her trade in any province or territory of Canada.

Restricted Trades: Restricted Trades are those governed by the ACA and require that only registered apprentices and licensed journeypersons practice in the trade.

Skilled trade: A skilled trade is any trade for which apprenticeship training and certification if available.

Trade Designations:  Under the TQAA and the ACA, trades are categorized among Compulsory Trades, Restricted Trades, Voluntary Trades or Non-Restricted Trades.

Trade Sectors: In Ontario, there are over 135 apprenticeship trades which are divided into four sectors: Construction, Industrial, Motive Power and Service.

Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act (TQAA): The 1964 legislation which applied to all trades. In 1988, the Apprenticeship and Certification Act (ACA) was brought into effect and applied to all trades except the Construction sector which remains under the TQAA.

Voluntary Trades or Non-Restricted Trades: Voluntary Trades (TQAA) or Non-Restricted Trades (ACA) do not require registration or licensing for a person to legally work in the trade.