Atlantic Apprenticeship Harmonization Project (AAHP)
Update to December 31, 2014 (Q3, 2014/2015)
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
AWP Background

AAHP Background

AAHP Objectives

AAHP Work plan

Project Status Update

Next Steps
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Background
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
June 2012, Council of Atlantic Premiers (CAP) - “Agreed a skilled
and stable workforce is key to economic opportunities”

AWP was created as a 3 year initiative lead by Nova Scotia
(ending March 2015).

Secretariat will rotate to New Brunswick effective April 1, 2015 for
next 3 years (ending March 2018).

AWP Secretariat focused on six common issues/initiatives of the
four Atlantic Provinces; address skills deficits
• Attraction and Immigration
• Supports to Business
• Labour Market Agreements
• Labour Market Information
• Apprenticeship Harmonization
• Youth Labour Market
attachment and retention
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
Initial/baseline diagnostic completed for apprenticeship
harmonization (AMEC Consultants, 2013), foundation
document used for harmonization project.

Council of Atlantic Premiers signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (May 2014) supporting the Apprenticeship
Harmonization initiative.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and
Atlantic Provinces Jointing funding AAHP
◦ ESDC $4,363,800 / Provinces $3,536,300(cash and in-kind)
= $7,900,100 total project budget
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Objectives
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
Increase the mobility of apprentices and ease the associated
processes for all stakeholders through elimination of current
complexity of a myriad of rules, standards, names, curriculum
policies, books, etc,…

Improve completion rates and time of completion for apprentices
through greater availability of training to apprentices by
collaborative curriculum development, increased alternative delivery,
and sequenced training that allows maximum utilization of existing
training; and

Increase the number of apprentices and journeypersons through
shared program marketing, improved testing processes for
apprentices and trade qualifiers, better access to holders of foreign
credentials, and support to gender and equity groups
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Objectives:
◦ Enhanced reporting capabilities
◦ Extended functionality to apprentices, training providers and
employers (Self-serve, online forms, payment processing, etc.)
◦ Flexibility to effectively respond to current and emerging labour
market needs and training requirements.
◦ Greater efficiencies
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Common Processes for:
Common Standards for
Administration of Exams
Trade Name
Low Registration Trades
Hours
Fees
Atlantic Curriculum Standards
Compulsory Certification
Exam Data Banks
Marketing/Promotion Strategy
Electronic Log Books
Employer and Apprentice Incentives
Atlantic Trade Advisory Committees
Training Provider Compensation
Curriculum Sequencing
Completion Rates
IT System (common system)
Communication Plan
Select next 6 trades (criteria)
Common Elements of both Process and Standards
Registration/Entry Requirements
Completion Requirements
Recognition of Prior Learning
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Work Plan
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
PHASE 1 – Planning
◦ This phase includes the scoping of the element and detailed planning.

PHASE 2 – Requirements and Design
◦ This phase includes jurisdictional inventories (national), detailed design,
and the jurisdictional impact.

PHASE 3 – Implementation
◦ This phase includes a detailed implementation plan with specificities
relative to each province.

PHASE 4 - Operations
◦ This phase is when the element of harmonization is operational in all four
Atlantic Provinces.
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AAHP Team
•(daily/weekly)
Discipline Teams
•(weekly)
ATAC’s
•(3 times)
Steering
Committee
•Bi-weekly
Apprenticeship
Boards
•As required
Senior Officials
•Monthly
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Composition
1 employer representative
1 employee representative
1 training provider representative
Appointments
Provincial Apprenticeship Board appoint members
Key Activities/Elements of Harmonization
Trade name, Hours, Atlantic Curriculum Standards & Sequencing,
Exam Data Bank, Log Books
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Project Status Update
at December 31, 2014
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
42 month project, 9 months completed (21%)

Overall 25% of the Project Outputs are completed
◦
◦
◦
◦
Phase 1 – 61items for output in total
Phase 2 –128 items for output in total
Phase 3 –36 items for output in total
Phase 4 –26 items for output in total
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TRADE
Lead
Province
ATACs
Target
Implementation
(Phase 3 )
Bricklayer
NL
In Place
September 2015
Cook
PEI
In Place
September 2015
Welder
NB
Recruiting Winter 2015
September 2015
Metal Fabricator
NB
Recruiting Winter 2015
September 2015
Carpenter
PEI
Recruiting Spring 2015
September 2016
Construction Electrician
NS
Recruiting Spring 2015
September 2016
Industrial Electrician
NS
Recruiting Spring 2015
September 2016
Instrumentation & Control Tech.
NS
Recruiting Fall 2015
September 2017
Plumber
NL
Recruiting Fall 2015
September 2017
Steamfitter-Pipefitter
NL
Recruiting Fall 2015
September 2017
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
Completed framework design (including governance)

Developed work plan for 21 key activities (elements of harmonization)

Discipline teams comprised of apprenticeship staff in place for each
key activity

All ten trades to be harmonized have been selected

Consultations completed with all four provincial Apprenticeship
Boards and staff

Stakeholder consultations (ongoing)
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
Trade Names complete (all phases) – same in all 4 provinces

Completion Requirements complete (Phase 1 to 3)

Bricklayer ATAC in place and has completed key activities for;
Atlantic Curriculum Standard and Sequencing, hours for
apprenticeship, trade name, exam data bank specifications (all
being reviewed by jurisdictions)

Cook ATAC in place, first meeting January, 2015, same outputs as
Bricklayer expected

Collaborating with the National Harmonization initiative of the
Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) and
New West Partnership
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
IT Foundational work that has been undertaken;
 Requirements: An IT systems needs assessment and “To-be”
Business Processes analysis
 More similarities than differences
 A configurable system should be able to accommodate most
requirements and provide improvements to all jurisdictions
 Systems Scan: Scan of jurisdictional systems and custom offthe-shelf solutions
 No notable solution found
 Next step is to issue a Request for Information
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
IT Foundational work that has been undertaken;
 Governance: Consultation with jurisdictions on best approach for
governance
 1 system implemented for each jurisdiction
 Provinces will need their own internal governance structure
Manitoba has expressed an interest in participating in the
development of a shared IT system. They currently use the
same system as NS and NB.
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Next Steps
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
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
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


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
Complete Registration and Entry Requirements key activity (Phase 3)
Continue Bricklayer harmonization elements
Continue Cook harmonization elements
Recruit Welder ATAC and commence harmonization elements
Recruit Metal Fabricator ATAC and commence harmonization elements
Commence work on Administration of Exams key activity
Commence work on Exam Data Bank key activity
Continue Stakeholder consultations
Continue collaborative work with National Harmonization Initiative and
the New West Partnership
Work with Training Providers to leverage Call for Proposal for Flexibility
and Innovation in Apprenticeship Technical Training (FIATT) funding
Continue foundational work for shared IT system
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
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


Elizabeth Mills, AWP Executive Director (based in NS)
Melissa Young, Regional Coordinator (based in NB)
Wendy Allen, Policy Analyst (based in NB)
Dean Byrne, Policy Analyst (based in NL)
Jill Johnson, Research & Statistics Officer (based in NS)
Charlett Brine, Executive Secretary (based in NS)
Adam Hall, EY Consultant (based in NS)
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Atlantic Workforce Partnership
c/o Council of Atlantic Premiers Office
5161 George Street, Suite 1006
Halifax, NS B3J 1M7
New Brunswick Office
Chestnut Complex
P.O. Box 6000|470 York Street
Fredericton, N.B. E3B 5H1 Canada
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