Benefits of Red Seal certification for automotive services technicians

Tradespeople can take many different paths into their professional field. Some of them complete formal education and go through apprenticeship programs. Others start working right away under the guidance of their mentors. There are also people who come to Canada with foreign training and experience. Regardless of the route you’re taking, at some point of your career you may want to consider pursuing Red Seal certification for automotive technicians due to a number of benefits it can give you.   

Red Seal program, the former Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program, sets the national standards in 55 different trades and serves as an official endorsement that your knowledge and skills meet the industry requirements. Red Seal for automotive technicians is not mandatory in most of the provinces and territories in Canada, with the exception of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Ontario. However, obtaining this qualification can benefit your career in many ways.

1.       Red Seal certification offers you flexibility.

If you choose to become an automotive mechanic in a certain province or territory in Canada, you will need to undergo training, complete an apprenticeship and then sit for exams with your local regulatory body or industry training authority. This will enable you to obtain an official professional certification in your trade. This qualification will permit you to work as an automotive services mechanic in a province you got certified in, however, you will not be able to do so in other parts of Canada, since each of them have their own designation process.

The advantage of the Red Seal program is that it is regulated by the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) whose goal is to unify the trade standards all across Canada. As a result, Red Seal for automotive technicians, as well as many other trades, is recognized in all the provinces and territories of the country. This greatly increases your career opportunities and enables you to move all over the country. You can choose the place you’d like to live in based on your personal preferences and you won’t have to worry about being able to work there. Or you can move specifically to a province with more job openings in your filed and better pay.

2.       Red Seal contributes to your career advancement.

Even if you are happy to stay where you are and don’t want to move to another province, Red Seal certification for automotive technicians can still be beneficial for your career. This qualification is the gold standard for the tradespeople and is regarded by the employers as a validation of your qualification. With high competition you may be considered for a job ahead of your rivals. The same goes with promotion and career advancement opportunities. In general, Red Seal endorsement has proven to give access to more senior and lucrative jobs.

If you operate your own garage and don’t really depend on an employer to assess your skills, think about your clients. The title “Red Seal certified” will add more credibility to your business and will lure more customers who would want to entrust their vehicles to a qualified professional. This again can be your competitive advantage over other mechanics who don’t have a Red Seal endorsement. In addition to that you might find other employees and apprentices to help you in response to the training you will be providing to them on the job.

3.       Red Seal can give you a sense of accomplishment.  

Getting Red Seal for automotive technician will serve as a formal recognition of your skills and experience. The Red Seal program has strict guidelines for the prerequisites the candidates should have. You can qualify for the endorsement only after you have accumulated 9,720 documented hours of work experience meaning that only those who have been in the industry for years can obtain it. This is why Red Seal is trusted by trades professionals and employers all over the country.

Another important factor is that Red Seal certification cannot be just provided to you. First, you need to meet certain criteria to qualify for an exam, such as the number of hours of experience mentioned above. Second, you need to challenge the exam and actually prove that you possess the necessary knowledge and skills and can apply them in real-life situations. Obtaining Red Seal certification for automotive technicians will prove your potential employers and/or clients that the vehicles you will deal with are in good hands.