I would like to make a few comments about the academic requirements for the trades. The standing committee on agencies, boards and commissions struggled with questions related to the basic expectations for pre-trades academic qualification. Members were able to identify from their personal experience many individuals in community settings with excellent technical skills and work ethics who were simply not able to succeed in apprenticeship programs because of the academic requirements for qualification. The standing committee felt that to a significant degree some young Northerners are prevented from accessing trades careers solely as a result of educational disadvantage.

This begs consideration of whether a separate system of technical training standards should be developed. Emphasis might be placed on the development of competency-based workplace training. The process could be modeled after, but not the same as, trades apprenticeship. The prospective trainee's academic record would be de-emphasized at entry and at completion, however. The goal would be to develop northern workers with skills required for the community workplace. Clearly, persons pursuing this process would not be considered tradespeople and would be ineligible for their Interprovincial Red Seal, but it would be a means of providing training and vocational development to those who are limited in their access to apprenticeship.

Certainly, the standing committee was not decided in its deliberations on this matter, as a readjustment of academic standards carries a certain peril itself. However, because of the unique educational and workplace conditions which present themselves in the Northwest Territories, the standing committee believed that this question was worthy of further review.

Motion To Adopt Recommendation 5, Carried

Mr. Chairman, our fifth recommendation: I move that the Department of Education work with the Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Board to prepare, for tabling and debate in the Legislative Assembly, a five-year plan for the development of an alternate system of standards for workplace qualification.