BC TradesRouteCareer Planning Suite

The words everyone uses

Trades terms, in plain language

Schools, employers and unions throw around a lot of jargon. This is a short glossary of the terms that matter most for BC parents trying to understand how the trade pathway works.

Apprentice
A paid worker who is learning a skilled trade under the guidance of a certified tradesperson. In BC, apprentices register with SkilledTradesBC and their hours count toward a formal credential.Roles
Apprentice ID / Blue Book
The identification number SkilledTradesBC gives to a registered apprentice. Some people still call it the Blue Book because it used to be a physical record of hours and training.Programs
Journeyperson
A tradesperson who has finished an apprenticeship and passed the required exams. They are the experienced worker who trains the next apprentice on the job.Roles
Red Seal
A national trade qualification that lets a certified tradesperson work anywhere in Canada without re-taking exams. The Red Seal is often worth university credit too.Pathways
SkilledTradesBC
The BC agency that registers apprentices, tracks hours, approves training and grants provincial credentials. It was formerly called the Industry Training Authority, or ITA.Programs
Dual credit
A high school program where a student earns graduation credits and post-secondary credits at the same time, usually through a college-level trades course.Pathways
Youth TRAIN in Trades
A district-level program that lets a student take Level 1 technical training at a college while still in high school, earning graduation credits at the same time.Programs
Youth WORK in Trades
A high school program that gives graduation credits for paid work hours in a skilled trade. After 900 hours, the student may also apply for the Youth WORK in Trades scholarship.Programs
Sponsor
The employer or organization that agrees to hire, supervise and sign off on an apprentice's hours. A good sponsor makes sure the work is varied and the training is documented.Money
Union sponsor / Union hall
A union that signs and supports apprentices through a dispatch system. Instead of depending on one employer, the union places the apprentice on different jobsites and keeps the apprenticeship moving.Money
Dispatch
The union system that sends members to jobs based on a priority list. For apprentices, it means a more reliable flow of work and a sponsor that does not disappear if one company slows down.Money
Wage schedule
A set pay scale, often in a union collective agreement, that shows exactly what an apprentice earns at each level of training. It removes the need to negotiate pay shift by shift.Money
Collective agreement
A written contract between a union and an employer that sets wages, benefits, training contributions and working conditions. It is legally binding once ratified by the members.Money
Co-op / Work experience
A short, school-supervised placement that gives a student a taste of a trade. It may be unpaid and is usually for exploration, not for registering an apprenticeship.Programs
Hours bank
The total number of verified work hours an apprentice has earned. SkilledTradesBC uses these hours to decide when the apprentice is ready for the next level or the final exam.Programs
Level 1, 2, 3, 4
The stages of apprenticeship technical training. Each level is a block of classroom or shop instruction that follows a set number of on-the-job hours.Pathways
Technical training
The classroom or shop portion of an apprenticeship where the student learns the theory, codes and calculations behind the trade. Apprentices are usually paid EI while attending.Pathways
OHS / Occupational Health and Safety
The provincial rules that require employers to keep workers safe, train them for the job, and protect them from hazards. In BC, the rules are enforced by WorkSafeBC.Safety
Section 3.22
A specific BC OHS rule that says every young or new worker must receive safety orientation before starting work, and the employer must write it down.Safety
WorkSafeBC
The provincial agency that administers workers' compensation, safety inspections and injury claims in British Columbia. If a worker is hurt on the job, this is who covers the claim.Safety
Three Rights
Every worker in BC has the right to know about hazards, the right to participate in safety discussions, and the right to refuse work they reasonably believe is unsafe.Safety
WHMIS
Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System. It is the standard for labelling dangerous chemicals and explaining how to handle them safely.Safety
PPE
Personal protective equipment: the clothing and gear a worker wears to avoid injury. Common examples are steel-toe boots, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection and hard hats.Safety
CSA
Canadian Standards Association. CSA marks on boots, helmets and eyewear mean the equipment has been tested and meets Canadian safety standards.Safety
Hazardous work
Work that is too dangerous for young workers because of the risk of serious injury or death. BC sets minimum ages for many kinds of hazardous work.Safety
Age gate
The minimum age a worker must be to do certain hazardous jobs. For example, most construction work is allowed at 16, but some high-risk tasks require 18.Safety
Employment Standards
The provincial law that sets rules for hours, overtime, breaks, statutory holidays and minimum wage for workers in BC. It is separate from OHS but covers many of the same workplaces.Safety
Tool deduction / Tool tax credit
A federal tax deduction that lets apprentices claim the cost of tools they had to buy for work. The parent should keep receipts for anything the employer did not provide.Money
Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (ended)
A federal cash grant for apprentices that closed on 31 March 2025. Older web pages still describe it. In BC the replacement is an extra $500 per level inside the provincial training tax credit.Money
Youth WORK in Trades scholarship
A provincial scholarship for high school students who reach 900 paid work hours in a Youth WORK in Trades placement and graduate with a C+ average. It is competitive, and students must apply.Money
BC Transfer Guide
An online tool that shows how credits from one BC college or university transfer to another. It is useful for checking how a Red Seal or technical diploma might shorten a degree.Pathways
Foundation program
A short, full-time entry program at a college that teaches the basics of a trade before a student finds an employer sponsor. It is not the same as a registered apprenticeship.Pathways
Adult upgrading / Math upgrading
Free or low-cost courses for adults who need to finish prerequisites like Math 12 or English 12. Many BC colleges offer them online or in the evening.Pathways
TQT / Total Qualification Time
The estimated number of work hours and technical training hours needed to complete a trade in BC. SkilledTradesBC uses this as the target for each apprenticeship.Programs
IP / Interprovincial exam
The final exam that qualifies a tradesperson for a Red Seal. It is written across Canada, so the credential is recognized in every province and territory.Pathways

Where this comes from

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from one of these. Rules and dollar amounts change, so check the original before you act on it.

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Where to look next

The stuff nobody tells you

Registration, double credit and when to buy tools.

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From a Red Seal to a degree

How a Red Seal converts into university credit at TRU, BCIT and UFV.

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Safety on the job

Orientation duties, the Three Rights and age-gate law.

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The money, and why a union helps

The WRK scholarship, tax credits and union sponsorship.

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