Registered Apprenticeship Information System (RAIS)

Detailed information for 2011

Status:

Active

Frequency:

Annual

Record number:

3154

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 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 - June 11, 2013

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 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 an individual who received training within a trade where apprenticeship training is voluntary and did not register for the apprenticeship training but succeeded in obtaining their certification within that trade.

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

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.

Data are collected for all units of the target population, therefore, no sampling is done.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: 2012-03-28 to 2012-04-06

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 e-mail that occurs each year usually in February or March 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 and trade qualifier (challenger). The information obtained for each record consists of several data elements which are described in the document "Registered Apprenticeship Information System Data Elements" located at the bottom of this page. Information for the survey is obtained from the apprenticeship branch of each province and territory across Canada.

Error detection

Statistics Canada performs a series of data quality controls, which include:

(1) Checking for internal consistencies, e.g., missing and invalid codes, data element inconsistencies, executing frequency tables and examining outliers for certain data elements. The software used in providing these edits include utility programs and statistical analysis programs which are applied at the individual record level.

(2) Comparing the most recent data year with past data years to detect any unusual or unexpected changes. Comparisons of tabulated data are made with the data published by the provinces and territories, where available.

Imputation

The Registered Apprenticeship Information System (RAIS) uses methodologies, systems, applications, tools and processing procedures allowing manual and automated editing and imputation of microdata. An historical, deterministic and donor imputation method is used.

Estimation

This is a total census survey and estimation does not apply.

Quality evaluation

Reports, such as frequencies, crosstabulations and comparison tables showing several years of data, including the current year and previous years, are used for historical trend and data quality analysis. As well, trends comparison with other data sources is performed.

Once the data are finalized, the availability of registered apprenticeship information is announced in The Daily.

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 survey 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 rounded to the nearest 3.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

Historical revisions do occasionally occur. After analysis of the historical trend, in common agreement between Statistics Canada and the survey respondents, previous year's data can be revised. In order to perform such modifications, new historical data has to be submitted by the survey respondents and reprocessed by Statistics Canada.

Data accuracy

With the redesign of the survey, there has been some improvement in the response of previously low response data elements, especially the in-school credits and on-the-job credits. However, with the redesign, and the addition of new data elements, some of these with a low response rate are aboriginal identity, disability or activity limitations, highest education level and business number (BN).

Documentation

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