Programs
transCDA has responsibility for twenty-six transportation industry training programs within the road, rail, marine and aerospace sectors, including four Inter-Provincial (Red Seal) occupations and a number of high-participation BC Recognized occupations. It manages up to eight programs for each occupation: Apprenticeship; Foundation; Challenge; Equivalency; ACE-IT; SSA; Endorsement and Assessor.
These include large and long-established programs such as the Heavy Duty Equipment Technician and Truck and Transport Mechanic as well as recently introduced programs such as Heavy Equipment Operator and Road Builder Foundation, and very recently approved programs, namely Deckhand and Professional Truck Driver.
Labour market demand and pressures across many of the transportation industry assigned programs are anticipated to be very strong in the years ahead. In particular, dramatic levels of retirement-driven turnover are projected. There is also intense competition among industries and jurisdictions for qualified labour.
APPRENTICESHIP
Apprenticeship is a system of training to acquire a new skill and apprentices build their careers from apprenticeships. Most of the training is done on the job while working for an employer/sponsor who helps the apprentice learn a trade. There is usually an agreement in place for the apprentice to remain working for the employer for an agreed time after he / she becomes certified. The apprentice also attends in-school training while still being paid by the employer.
In British Columbia (BC) apprenticeship programs combine on the job training and (technical) in-school training leading to a BC Certificate of Qualification or an Inter-Provincial (Red Seal) endorsement. On the job training accounts for about eighty to eighty-five percent of an apprenticeship while the in-school portion takes up fifteen to twenty percent of the time. An apprentice program can take anywhere from two to four years to complete. transCDA has been assigned responsibility for the following ITA industry training programs as of July 2009:
Accredited
Recognized
Foundation
Youth