Registered Apprenticeship Information System (RAIS)

Detailed information for 2017

Status:

Active

Frequency:

Annual

Record number:

3154

The survey compiles data on the number of registered apprentices taking in-class and/or on-the-job training in trades that are either Red Seal or non-Red Seal and where apprenticeship training is either compulsory or voluntary. It also compiles data on the number of provincial and interprovincial certificates granted to apprentices or trade qualifiers (challengers).

Data release - December 5, 2018 (Registered apprenticeship training programs); March 16, 2020 (Mobility, earnings, and pathway indicators for journeypersons in Canada)

Description

The purpose of the survey is to gather information on individuals who receive training and those who obtain certification within a trade where apprenticeship training is being offered. Specifically, the survey compiles data on the number of registered apprentices taking in-class and/or on-the-job training in trades that are either Red Seal or non-Red Seal and where apprenticeship training is either compulsory or voluntary. It also compiles data on the number of provincial and interprovincial certificates granted to apprentices or trade qualifiers (challengers). In the context of this survey, a trade qualifier (challenger) is a tradesperson who, according to the assessment authority of the province or territory, has enough experience to pass the final exam to obtain certification without previously following an apprenticeship program.

The survey is sponsored by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), who is the main user of the information in the analysis of labour force supply. The information is also made available to other federal and provincial departments and agencies, associations, non-government agencies and researchers.


The survey collected aggregate data by trade programs from 1980 to 1990. It included information on the number of new registrations, total registrations, leavers, completions and certificates granted. In 1991 individual record information on the apprentice began to be requested and additional information on gender and age was obtained.

In 2008, the survey went through a redesign and a number of new data elements have been added and requested from the jurisdictions. Some of the new data elements being requested relate to the number of technical and on-the-job hours completed by apprentices during their training.

Reference period: Calendar year

Collection period: January through May of the year after the reference period

Subjects

  • Adult education and training
  • Education, training and learning
  • Fields of study

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The RAIS covers registered apprentices taking in-class and/or on-the-job training in trades that are either Red Seal or non-Red Seal and where apprenticeship training is either compulsory or voluntary. It also covers apprentices or trade qualifiers (challengers) who are granted provincial and interprovincial certificates. In the context of the RAIS, a trade qualifier (challenger) is a tradesperson who, according to the assessment authority of the province or territory, has enough experience to pass the final exam to obtain certification without previously following an apprenticeship program.

Instrument design

Information using questionnaires is no longer being requested.

Sampling

This survey is a census with a cross-sectional design.

The RAIS is conducted on an annual basis for all registered apprentices and trade qualifiers (challenger) in Canada.

Sampling unit:
Provincial and territorial jurisdictions provide administrative records where each record represents either a registered apprentice or trade qualifier (challenger). For the RAIS, these administrative records are the units of analysis.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: 2018-01-12 to 2018-05-03

Responding to this survey is mandatory.

Data are extracted from administrative files.

Data collection from 1980 to 1990 was obtained entirely by questionnaire. Starting in 1991, electronic reporting of individual record information was introduced and obtained from some of the major provinces. Throughout the 1990s, the remainder of the provinces and territories also began to report in individual record format and have all been doing so since 2001.

The survey initial contact consists of a written data request by email that occurs each year, usually in January, and requests information for the entire previous calendar year, January 1 to December 31. The e-mail, requesting survey information, is sent to the Directors of Apprenticeship for each province and territory with a follow-up via telephone or e-mail occurring on a periodic basis starting approximately three months after the initial e-mail. The collection method used is electronic and consists of sending electronic flat files to Statistics Canada.

Currently the information is requested in individual record format with each record representing a registered apprentice or trade qualifier (challenger). The information obtained for each record consists of several data elements which are described in the document "Registered Apprenticeship Information Systems (RAIS) Data Element Manual" located at the bottom of this page. Information for the survey is obtained from the apprenticeship branch of each province or territory across Canada.

Data for the Registered Apprenticeship Information System is collected annually based on information from the administrative databases of the provincial and territorial ministries responsible for apprenticeship. These databases are maintained for their own purposes. Data are obtained under Section 13 of the Statistics Act and is supplied according to our data element manual and record layout which are appended to this document. These data are used to create a national database of individuals currently enrolled in an apprenticeship program, those who have completed their apprenticeship training and those who have received their certificates of qualification as apprentices or trade qualifiers.

Error detection

Consistency and validity edits are applied to the microdata during data processing. These edits are the primary form of error detection for the RAIS and are used to identify and correct missing, invalid, or inconsistent data. Methods used to resolve errors include deterministic corrections, historical imputation, and consultations with data providers.

Imputation

Whenever possible, historical imputation is used to correct invalid entries for sex, date of birth, and registration date.

Estimation

The RAIS is produced from administrative data and is not subject to non-response. As such, estimation weights are not used to produce estimates from the RAIS. Estimation for the RAIS consists of producing counts and frequencies of apprentices and trade qualifiers (challengers) by various domains of interest.

Quality evaluation

The results of the current year's data are compared against past year's data to detect any unusual or unexpected changes. The aggregated results of the current year's processing are sent in tabular format back to the province or territory that provided them for certification.

Comparisons of tabulated data are also made with the data published by the provinces and territories, where possible.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

Several measures are taken to ensure that the RAIS does not release confidential data. Any release of the data to the public is done through the Common Data Repository (CDR), where no identifiers are stored and only aggregate information is available. For tabular data, the numbers are randomly rounded to base 3.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

This methodology does not apply to this survey.

Data accuracy

Typically, there are two types of errors that can impact the accuracy of statistical products. These are sampling and non-sampling errors.

The RAIS is produced from administrative data and, as such, is not subject to sampling error. The RAIS is however subject to non-sampling errors. More specifically, the RAIS is subject to coverage errors, measurement errors, and processing errors.

With respect to coverage errors, it is important to note that the RAIS covers registered apprentices and trade qualifiers (challengers) in Canada. It is not an accurate measure of all skilled workers in Canada as some skilled occupations may not require apprenticeship training or certification.

The apprenticeship programs and trade certifications are provincially and territorially administered programs. Many definitions governing these programs vary across provinces.

With respect to measurement errors, the RAIS is compiled from administrative data which are created for purposes other than producing statistics. As a result, administrative practices such as changes in policy can cause changes in the RAIS data from one year to the next.

As with any statistical product, processing errors are a possibility. These are errors that arise from any handling of the data. To mitigate this risk, data validation occurred after each step of data processing.

Documentation

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