BRIEFING REPORT · 2015. 2. 2. · BRIEFING REPORT REVIEW OF JURISDICTIONAL EXPERIENCES RELATED TO HARMONIZATION OF THE RED SEAL PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE HAIRSTYLIST TRADE December

BRIEFING REPORT

REVIEW OF JURISDICTIONAL EXPERIENCES RELATED TO

HARMONIZATION OF THE RED SEAL PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT

FOR THE HAIRSTYLIST TRADE

December 22, 2014

Submitted to APGST by:

North Pacific Inc.

208 – 3855 Henning Drive

Burnaby, B.C. V5C 6N3

(604) 306-7929

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Purpose of the Report 1

2. Project Background 1

3. Practical Assessment for Red Seal Endorsement 2

4. Hairstylist Practical Assessment Harmonization 2

5. Jurisdictional Features – Implementers:

Yukon 4

Alberta 6

Northwest Territories 7

Saskatchewan 8

Manitoba 9

Quebec 11

New Brunswick 13

Nova Scotia 15

Prince Edward Island 17

Newfoundland and Labrador 18

6. Key Considerations - Non-Implementers:

British Columbia 21

Ontario 22

7. Observations and Conclusions 23

8. Recommendations 25

APPENDIX ‘A’ The Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table 26

APPENDIX ‘B’ Respondents 27

APPENDIX ‘C’ Hairstylist Benchmarks 28

Jurisdictional Experiences Related to Harmonization of

Red Seal Practical Assessment for the Hairstylist Trade 1

REVIEW OF JURISDICTIONAL EXPERIENCES RELATED TO HARMONIZATION

OF THE RED SEAL PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE HAIRSTYLIST TRADE

1) PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

This Briefing Report presents the findings of a documentary review of available publications

(hard copy and web-based) and interviews with representatives from various Provincial and

Territorial jurisdictions in Canada, both those offering and currently not offering a Red Seal

Practical Assessment for Hairstylist trade certification. These activities were conducted by North

Pacific Training and Performance Inc. as part of a contract with the Asia Pacific Gateway Skills

Table. This Report’s purpose is to identify common and variable elements of assessments in the

various jurisdictions as well as the challenges and lessons learned across multiple jurisdictions in

harmonizing the Red Seal Practical Assessment for the Hairstylist trade nationally and to identify

recommendations for other trades in moving toward national harmonization.

2) PROJECT BACKGROUND

In February 2014, the Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table (APGST) received funding from

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to develop and pilot a voluntary, national

mobile crane operator (lattice boom friction and hydraulic) demonstration of skills test (DOST)

for Canada.

Harmonization via the DOST will increase mobility for operators, reduce red tape for employers,

lower costs for industry and jurisdictions, and improve workplace safety for all. A harmonized

DOST standard will complement the existing Red Seal National Occupational Analysis (NOA) for

mobile crane operators.

APGST is working closely with the Canadian Hoisting and Rigging Safety Council (CHRSC) to

execute this project. The CHRSC is dedicated to the harmonization of hoisting and rigging

standards across Canada.

North Pacific Training & Performance Inc. (North Pacific) was engaged by APGST to prepare this

briefing report on the implementation of practical assessments for the Red Seal endorsement

for the Hairstylist trade in Canada. Based on the experience of jurisdictions with the Hairstylist

trade, North Pacific will provide recommendations for the mobile crane operator trade (and

other trades) for developing and implementing harmonized practical assessment at the national

level.

North Pacific is a Vancouver-based firm, specializing in competency-based design and

development of industry training and certification standards and systems. North Pacific has



completed several successful projects specifically related to mobile crane operator

apprenticeship training and certification standards in British Columbia and Washington State.

Under contract to the BC Industry Training Authority, North Pacific has also completed a series

of consulting projects related to the development of occupational qualifications and

apprenticeship training standards for the Hairstylist trade in British Columbia.

3) PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT FOR RED SEAL ENDORSEMENT

Since 2010, CCDA has been engaged in an initiative to review and recommend improvements to

the Red Seal Program in Canada. The Strengthening the Red Seal initiative has been exploring

enhanced standards and methods of assessment (additional to multiple-choice, written exams).

Two pilot projects – one for Cook and one for Heavy Duty Equipment Technician – have

demonstrated the value of implementing multiple assessment pathways to better meet both

industry and candidate needs. The piloted assessment methods included Practical Assessments

along with competency interviews and reviewing portfolios of evidence. In general, these

enhanced assessment methods were proven to be effective in differentiating the actual skill

levels of candidates.

In a CCDA survey of over 1,300 subject matter experts (including tradespeople, employers,

educators and labour representatives), Practical Assessment was favoured over all other forms

of assessment as the “single most important” approach to competency evaluation for

apprentices (by 41% of respondents, compared to 31% who preferred a written multiple-choice

examination). Respondents rated Practical Assessment highest for both apprentices and trade

qualifiers (challengers). Overall, there is strong support for the national standardization of

Practical Assessment.

4) HAIRSTYLIST PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT HARMONIZATION

In 1986, the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) put in place a policy

statement (Policy 16.10) requiring practical assessment for the certification of two trades:

Hairstylist and Welder. CCDA provided no criteria or standards to clarify this policy. In

response, each Canadian jurisdiction offering the Red Seal Endorsement has offered some form

of Practical Assessment requirement. In the case of the Welding trade certifications, two

national standards organizations (the Canadian Welding Bureau and the American Society of

Mechanical Engineers) offer practical standards definitions and assessments that were adopted

(inconsistently) across the various jurisdictions. For Hairstylist, a variety of formats of practical

skills assessment was put in place in each jurisdiction, varying from assessment by training

providers as a part of technical training, to assessment forms completed by supervising



journeypersons, to assessment as part of licensing requirements by a trade association. While

universal in their implementation and general intent, these assessments have been highly

variable with respect to included competencies, standards of evaluation and overall reliability.

In 2011, the Interprovincial Standards Examination Committee (ISEC) set out to harmonize the

content and processes for Practical Assessment for the Hairstylist trade. Saskatchewan, as the

lead jurisdiction for the Hairstylist trade, facilitated discussions and consultations, over a period

of two years, to examine alternatives and to identify issues and challenges related to

implementing a national Red Seal Practical Assessment.

The prospect of harmonization met with significant resistance across the various jurisdictions for

a several key reasons:

Differing capabilities across various jurisdictions to implement, administer and maintain

the infrastructure for providing Practical Assessments;

For most jurisdictions, harmonization meant significant changes to what they already

had in place and the attendant costs of re-tooling their systems;

Differing industry structure and relationships among key stakeholders in the different

jurisdictions (i.e.: the predominance of industry associations in the Maritime region);

and

Differing requirements for licensing and mandatory trade certification.

The main problem they faced was that the lack of an agreed definition of what Practical

Assessment is and how it should be conducted.

ISEC members ultimately agreed to implement a set of Benchmarks (see Appendix C), tied to the

Hairstylist NOA, that identifies the competencies to be included in Practical Assessment and

includes basic assessment standards. Each jurisdiction must demonstrate that they “meet or

exceed” all of the Benchmarks in conducting their Practical Assessments.

ISEC members acknowledge the concept and development of benchmarks as a breakthrough

solution to their consensus challenges. Given they each had an interest in implementing a

harmonized approach to Practical Assessment, the Benchmarks capture the core and common

competencies and represent a credible standard for certification of newly trained

journeypeople. The Benchmarks have now been adopted and successfully implemented in most

jurisdictions (excepting in B.C. and Ontario). Currently, there are no commitments on a national

level to move any further toward a harmonized Practical Assessment for Hairstylist than what

these Benchmarks represent.



5) IMPLEMENTING JURISDICTIONS – KEY DIFFERENTIATING FEATURES

YUKON

The information presented below was gathered via email correspondence with a representative

of Yukon and via documentary research. No interview was conducted.

The training program and certification standards for the Hairstylist trade in the Yukon are

directly linked to and dependent upon the Alberta Industry and Training program, under the

Alberta Ministry of Innovation and Advanced Education.

Yukon uses the Alberta curriculum and the Alberta exams and practical assessment for

Hairstylist.

YUKON COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration Yukon uses the Alberta practical examination. Most apprentices

complete the practical assessment as a part of their technical training

while in Alberta.

Training providers administer the practical assessment as a part of

technical training.

Apprenticeship Yukon only administers the practical assessment if an

apprentice needs to re-take a test or challenges as a trade qualifier.

Apprenticeship Yukon has also administered the test to a small group

of students for whom Hairstylist training was part of their high school

equivalency in the Independent Learning Centre.

Licensing Not Required.

Hairstylist is not a mandatory trade in Yukon and the trade does not

require certification or licensing.

Assessors When required, Apprenticeship Yukon contacts an assessor who

arranges with the apprentice to set up a time for the assessment.

Apprenticeship Yukon identifies an industry representative to act as

the assessor. The assessor must have at least 5 years of industry

experience and a Red Seal endorsement.

Only one apprentice at a time generally takes the test.

Apprenticeship Yukon pays the assessor an hourly fee for which the

assessors submit an invoice.



YUKON COMPARATIVE FEATURES

Location(s) for PA Training providers administer the exam at the end of technical training

in Alberta.

If necessary, Apprenticeship Yukon uses a salon in Whitehorse (not the

candidate’s work site).

Pre-requisites for PA Apprentices:

Successfully complete technical training - first period (1,400

hours) plus second period (1,400 hours), plus

Required work experience, plus

Pass the Interprovincial Red Seal Exam

For Trade Qualifiers (Challengers):

Application process, plus

Training certificates and/or trade qualification certificates, plus

Required hours of work experience (4,200 hours)

Trade experience validation form signed by employer(s)

Assessment Process Practical Assessment is 5.5 hours, limited to a maximum of 6 hours.

An overall mark of 70% is required to pass.

Within Yukon, the ratio is one assessor per candidate.



ALBERTA

The information presented below was gathered via documentary research. We made contact

with a jurisdictional representative of Alberta. However, they specifically refused to participate

unless and until directed to do so by CCDA.

Certification of Hairstylists in Alberta is governed by Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board

(AITB), under the authority of the Alberta Ministry of Innovation and Advanced Education. The

AITB’s primary responsibility is to establish the standards and requirements for training and

certification for programs under the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act.

Alberta’s apprenticeship and industry training system relies on a network of industry

committees, including local and provincial apprenticeship committees in the designated trades,

and occupational committees in the designated occupations. Standards are developed with

guidance from the local and provincial Hairstylist Apprenticeship Committee members.

ALBERTA COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration AITB staff administer and invigilate the Practical Assessments for

Hairstylists.

Licensing Hairstylist licensing in Alberta is mandatory.

Assessors N/A

Costs of PA Candidates pay $75 for the Practical Assessment.

Subsequent attempts are also $75.

Frequency of PAs In urban centres, the PA is available weekly. In other locations, it is

offered on a demand basis.

Approximately 1,150 candidates attempt the PA each year.

Location(s) for PA The PA is offered in 8 locations across the province.

Pre-requisites for PA Candidates must successfully complete their technical training plus

2800 hours of documented work experience.

Assessment Process The Hairstylist Practical Assessment takes 5.5 hours to complete.

A minimum of 3 trained Assessors is required to conduct a PA, with a

ratio of approximately 1 Assessor for every 6 candidates.



NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

The information presented below was gathered via documentary research. No interview was

conducted with a jurisdictional representative of Northwest Territories.

Certification of Hairstylists in Northwest Territories is governed by the Department of Education,

Culture and Employment (ECE), through the Advanced Education Division. The ECE appoints

members to the Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupation Certification Board (ATOCB).

Standards are developed under the guidance of the ATOCB.

NWT COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration Practical Assessments are administered by the ECE.

Licensing Licensing is voluntary.

Hairstylist is not a mandatory or regulated trade in Northwest

Territories.

Assessors Practical Assessments are conducted by a team of three specially

trained subject matter experts.

Costs of PA Registered Apprentices pay $200 for the Practical Assessment, with the

costs of travel and accommodation being covered by Government of

the Northwest Territories.

The cost for subsequent attempts remains $200, but sponsorship of

expenses is not available.

Frequency of PAs Practical Assessment is available only once or twice per year,

depending on demand.

Location(s) for PA Practical Assessment is available only in Yellowknife.

Pre-requisites for PA Candidates must pass the Red Seal examination before applying for the


Assessment Process The duration of the Practical Assessment is approximately 6 hours.



SASKATCHEWAN

The information presented below was gathered in an interview with a representative of

Saskatchewan, via email correspondence and via documentary research.

Hairstylist certification in Saskatchewan is governed by the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and

Trade Certification Commission (SATC). Standards are developed under the guidance of the

Hairstylist Trade Examination Board, and reviewed and approved by SATC.

SASK COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration The SATC administers and invigilates the PA.

Licensing Hairstylist licensing is mandatory in Saskatchewan.

Assessors The Hairstylist Trade Examination Board provides markers for the

assessment.

Costs of PA The apprenticeship fee is $150 and includes the first attempt at the

written and practical assessment.

Trade Qualifier (Hairstylist) fee us $250 and includes the first attempt

at the written and practical assessment.

Subsequent attempts for both groups are $160.

Frequency of PAs Approximately 25 PA testing sessions are scheduled in a typical year.

Location(s) for PA The PA is offered in five locations around the province: Saskatoon,

Regina, Yorkton, Prince Albert and Estevan.

Pre-requisites for PA Candidates must successfully pass the Red Seal written examination

before applying for the PA.



SASK COMPARATIVE FEATURES

Assessment Process The duration of the PA is 6.25 hours, plus breaks. The morning

segment is 3 hours and 15 minutes, while the afternoon is 3 hours. A

lunch break is provided.

A minimum of 3 Assessors (Certified Hairstylist Markers) participate in

each PA, for each group of minimum 7 candidates.

MANITOBA


conducted with a jurisdictional representative of Manitoba.

Certification of Hairstylists in Manitoba is governed by the Manitoba Apprenticeship and

Certification Board (MACB). The Board is comprised of five Employers, five Employees, one

Apprentice and two members of the public; all of whom are appointed by the Province.

Standards are developed under the guidance of the Provincial Advisory Committee for the

Hairstylist trade, and reviewed and approved by the Manitoba Program Standards Standing

Committee, a committee of the MACB.

MANITOBA COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration The Practical Exams are scheduled and administered by the Private

Vocational Schools and conducted by an Apprenticeship Manitoba

appointed Examiner.

Licensing Mandatory

Assessors There are 17 Practical Examiners trained and certified by

Apprenticeship Manitoba.

The examiners are appointed and paid for by Apprenticeship

Manitoba.



MANITOBA COMPARATIVE FEATURES

Costs of PA The PA is considered as part of the technical training which is entirely

delivered by Training Providers accredited by Apprenticeship Manitoba

(Private Vocational Institutions and public high schools). The cost of

the PA is included in the tuition paid to the school by the candidate.

Candidates who are required to re-take the PA, or any component of it,

pay $75.00.

Trades qualifier candidates or challengers pay $75.00.

Waiting Periods Candidates who fail more than twice are advised to seek upgrading on

the components failed.

Frequency of PAs Generally they are scheduled at the completion of the technical

training. There is at least one a month all year. In 2013, there were

481 full exam candidates and 66 partial exam candidates.

Location(s) for PA Generally the schools handle their own clients. 20 different schools

are accredited.

Pre-requisites for PA Completion of Technical Training Program – 1,400 hours

Assessment Process Candidate provides models (one male, one or two female) and

performs specified tasks in time limited segments. Examiner scores a

maximum of 100 points for each task (section), separated into

weighted performance criteria. All tasks are mandatory. PA duration

is approximately 7 hours.

The ratio is no more than 8 full examination candidates and 2 partial

examination candidates per examiner, assuming that the school has

sufficient equipment stations.

Candidate Results of PA Section scores are averaged for a final percentage mark. Failure of a

section requires retesting of that section only.



QUEBEC


conducted with a jurisdictional representative of Quebec.

The Professional Hairdresser or Barber standard for Quebec is reviewed and approved by the

Sectoral Workforce Committee for personal care services which is named by the Commission of

Labour Market Partners under the Ministry of Employment and Social Solidarity.

Training and certification for Hairstylists is available in Quebec via the Diploma in Hairdressing

(DEP) program.

QUEBEC COMPARATIVE FEATURES


Hairstylist is not a mandatory or regulated trade in Quebec.

Assessors Skills assessment is carried out by an expert assessor or evaluator

designated by the Sectoral Workforce Committee.

Location(s) for PA Practical evaluation is conducted either in the workplace, in a

simulated context, or in a specific production environment.




Pre-requisites for PA There are two programs that qualify Hairstylist candidates for the

Practical Assessment to evaluate or to recognize their skills:

The ALMP (apprenticeship program in the workplace) is

essentially a classic apprenticeship program and is managed by

Emploi-Québec, leading to a Certificate of Qualification.

The RCMO (recognition of workforce skills) is a challenge

program for experienced hairdressers, whether employees or

self-employed.

The eligibility requirements for practical assessment include passing a

theoretical written examination, plus:

Completion of the DEP in a publicly-funded college program

and three years of industry work experience

Completion of a private training provider program and four

years of industry work experience

No degree / training and five years of industry work

experience.

Assessment Process Assessment for certification includes both a theoretical and a practical

examination. Following these reviews, the expert appraiser or

evaluator produces a report confirming the mastered skills and

indicates, if appropriate, those that are missing.

Duration of the practical assessment is approximately a half-day.

The skills assessment rules are established by Sectoral Workforce

Committee for Hairstylist.

Assessment for certification includes the following components:

competency interview;

theoretical knowledge examination;

review and analysis of portfolio of experience;

practical evaluation of competencies.




Candidate Results of PA To pass the practical assessment, the candidate must demonstrate that

they have mastered all the essential skills covered by the professional

standard. Those who have not mastered all the essential skills covered

by the professional standard can receive a certificate of competence

for those they can demonstrate. Subsequently, they can acquire the

missing skills and get the CQP.

NEW BRUNSWICK

The information presented below was gathered in an interview with a representative of New

Brunswick, via email correspondence and via documentary research.

The Hairstylist trade in New Brunswick is governed by the New Brunswick Apprenticeship Board

(NBAB). Licensing of Hairstylists is governed by the Cosmetology Association of New Brunswick

(CANB), a self-governing, regulatory authority. The CANB is the sole licensing and regulatory

body for New Brunswick Hairstylists. Apprenticeship training is not available for the Hairstylist

trade in NB. (Certification only)

NB COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration The Practical Assessment is provided by CANB Examining and Licensing

Committee.

The Committee consists of:

Five licensed cosmetologists elected by the membership of the

Association; and

Four members appointed by the Board of Directors.

The members of the Committee elected by the membership of the

Association may not be owners of schools of cosmetology or

instructors in schools of cosmetology.

NBAB does periodic checks to ensure that all the Benchmarks are being

met.




Licensing Hairstylist is a voluntary designated trade under the NB Apprenticeship

Act.

Apprenticeship training is not available for the Hairstylist trade in NB.

(Certification only)

Under a private member’s bill, licensing by the CANB is mandatory in

New Brunswick. To become a licensed Hairstylist, students must write

the CANB Licensing Exams, including a Practical Assessment.

The NBAB “accredits” the CANB Practical Assessment as meeting the

benchmarks, as required.

Candidates must take training recognized by CANB and pass the CANB

practical and written exams prior to receiving a “license” from the

association. Licensed Hairstylists may then challenge the Red Seal

Endorsement by applying to NBAB to write the Red Seal written

examination. NBAB recognizes the CANB license, together with the

work experience hours required, as a pre-requisite to challenging the

Red Seal.

Costs of PA Candidates pay $100 for the first attempt Practical Assessment.

For subsequent attempts, candidates pay $20 for each element of the

Practical Assessment (to a maximum of $140) they must re-take.

Waiting Periods Candidates must wait 30 days between Practical Assessment attempts.

Frequency of PAs The Practical Assessment is offered on demand, but at least three

times per year. Candidates are given 30 days notice of scheduled

opportunities.

Location(s) for PA The Practical Assessment is offered only at the office of the CANB in

Fredericton.




Pre-requisites for PA Pre-requisites are defined by CANB.

Candidates must complete a recognized training program and apply for

the Practical Assessment by submitting:

Proof of having completed no less than 1600 hours in no less

than 43 weeks in a licensed school under the direct supervision

of a Certified Hairstyling Instructor,

A certified copy of their diploma or certificate from the training

institution,

Proof of employment in the trade,

Birth certificate or driver’s license as proof of identity,

The required fee(s)

NOVA SCOTIA


conducted with a jurisdictional representative of Nova Scotia.

The Hairstylist trade in Nova Scotia is governed by the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency

(NSAA). Licensing of Hairstylists is governed by the Cosmetology Association of Nova Scotia

(CANS), a self-governing, regulatory authority. The Association is the sole licensing and

regulatory body of Nova Scotia Hairstylists.

NOVA SCOTIA COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration The Practical Assessment is administered by CANS.

Licensing Licensing is mandatory. A practicing hairdresser must be licensed with

CANS.



NOVA SCOTIA COMPARATIVE FEATURES

Assessors Assessors are trained and certified by CANS. Assessors must hold a

current Master Cosmetologist or Master Cosmetologist Instructor

License, be currently active in the industry for 5 years and meet any

other requirements as specified by CANS.

Assessor may not be employed at a school. All examiners are required

to evaluate each student completing the examination.

Costs of PA The total cost for the Red Seal Examination and the CANS Practical

Examination is $110.00.

Pre-requisites for PA To obtain a Nova Scotia Cosmetology license, candidates must

complete 1,500 hours of theory and practical instruction, successfully

pass the Red Seal written examination and pay the fees.

Students trained for a minimum number of hours in a registered school or college offering Cosmetology program(s) as outlined in the Act and By-Laws

Out of province or out of country applicants (Not all applicants need to

write the provincial exam.)

Assessment Process The Practical Examination pass mark is 70 per cent. Candidates who

fail any component or phase / service of the examination may apply to

be re-examined on the next available scheduled practical examination

date.

Duration of the Practical Examination is four to five hours.

Candidates have one year from passing the Red Seal Examination to

successfully complete the Practical Examination and a maximum of

three opportunities to pass. During this year, they can obtain a

Temporary Work Permit to allow students to be employed in a salon or

spa after successfully completing the required number of training

hours. A Permit cannot be issued until all documentation has been

filed with CANS.

Candidate Results of PA Candidates receive their Practical Examination results after

approximately four to six weeks. Results are mailed out and will not be

discussed by phone.



PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

The information presented below was gathered in an interview with a representative of Prince

Edward Island, via email correspondence and via documentary research.

Certification of Hairstylists in Prince Edward Island is governed by the Department of Innovation

and Advanced Learning (DIAL) Apprenticeship and Training Section (ATS). Apprenticeship

technical training is not provided by DIAL in PEI.

Standards are developed in consultation with the PEI Hairdressers Association (PEIHDA) and are

reviewed and approved by ATS. The PEIHDA is incorporated under the laws of the Province of

Prince Edward Island. The Association receives its authority from the Hairdressers’ Act. The

Association was incorporated in 1959 and has faithfully served the hairdressing profession since

that time. The primary areas of responsible are: licensing of hairdressers, inspection of salons,

and promotion of the hairdressing profession.

PEI COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning, Apprenticeship and

Training Section

Licensing Hairstylist trade certification is not mandatory in PEI.

However, in order to work in PEI, hairstylists must be licensed by the

P.E.I. Hairdressers Association.

Assessors Assessors are trained and certified by the PEIHDA.

Pre-requisites for PA Candidates must complete in full the Application for Interprovincial

Examination.

Candidates must have the required number of hours to be eligible for

certification as stated on the Application Form.

Candidate and a certified journeyperson must sign the Record of Work

Experience and Competencies Achieved Form.

Each employer listed on the application form must complete in full and

sign the Employer Declaration Form.

Candidate must also be a member in good standing with the PEI

Hairdressers Association.



PEI COMPARATIVE FEATURES

Assessment Process Training for Hairstylist takes approximately three years and is

completed in three stages: student, apprentice and finally, junior

beautician operator.

Students must obtain 1,250 hours of practice either in a school or in a

salon with a licensed operator and pass a PA. Successful students then

become apprentices. Apprenticeship technical training is not

sponsored or provided by DIAL in PEI.

Apprentices must complete 2,000 hours of practice and pass a second

PA.

The final stage of training, junior beautician operator, requires an

additional 2,000 hours of practical experience. Once this stage is

completed, hairstylists may become licensed.

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR

The information presented below was gathered in an interview with a representative of

Newfoundland and Labrador, via email correspondence and via documentary research.

Certification of Hairstylists in Newfoundland and Labrador is governed by the Apprenticeship

and Trade Certification Division (ATCD) of the Provincial Department of Advanced Education and

Skills. Standards are developed under the guidance of the Provincial Training Advisory

Committee (PTAC) for the Hairstylist trade. Members of the PTAC are appointed by the ATCD

and include two representatives from training institutions (1 public, 1 private), two employee-

representatives (journeypersons), and two employers.

NFLD COMPARATIVE FEATURES

PA Administration Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Division (ATCD) administers the



Hairstylist is not a mandatory or regulated trade in Newfoundland and

Labrador.




Assessors Assessors are selected, trained and certified by the ATCD. Assessors

may be members of the PTAC.

Assessors are certified journeypersons with at least three years of

experience working in the field, with a broad knowledge of their trade.

As part of their Assessor training, they shadow senior assessors during

actual assessments. Coaching / mentoring by more experienced

Assessors is available.

Costs of PA For a registered apprentices who meet all eligibility requirements,

there is no cost for Practical Assessment conducted immediately

following completion of classroom training program. Otherwise, the

fee varies and is established by the institution delivering the practical

examination.

For trade qualifiers, a $150 administration fee is charged by the

Province. This fee is in addition to the variable fees established by the

institution delivering the practical examination. Trade qualifiers must

pass the Practical Assessment before writing the Red Seal Examination.

Waiting Periods For an unsuccessful candidate, there is a mandatory 30-day waiting

period before any subsequent attempt.

If a candidate is unsuccessful more than once, additional training is

mandatory, as prescribed.

Location(s) for PA The Practical Assessment is administered at a college location in a

salon-type environment. There are three Practical Assessment sites in

the Province, one each in Greater St. John’s Region, Gander, and

Corner Brook.

No Practical Assessment is provided in any particular assessment

center or at a candidate’s work site.




Pre-requisites for PA For Apprentices: Completion of all criteria to be eligible for Red Seal

Examination and payment of fees. The apprentice must pass the

Practical Assessment to become eligible to write the Red Seal Theory

Examination.

For Trade Qualifier: After approval of required work experience hours,

Trade Qualifiers must pass the Practical Assessment to become eligible

to write the Red Seal Theory Examination. If successful in the

certification examination, a Certificate of Qualification is issued to the

Trade Qualifier.

Assessment Process An ATCD Program Development Officer schedules and completes

logistical requirements for the day of Practical Assessments, which is

scheduled to coincide with the end of training at each training provider

site.

The duration of the Assessment is 6 hours. The ratio of assessors to

candidates is approximately 2 to 10, and as many as 3 to 15. All

assessors will assess each candidate. Assessors independently mark a

scoresheet for each candidate for each component of the exam.

A facilitator appointed by the ATCD (usually a staff member from the

Division) averages the scoresheets for each candidate and produces

the result.

There are seven components/parts in the practical exam to cover each

benchmark. If the candidate is unable to pass one component, they

will be given one more attempts to complete the component. This will

be done outside the 6-hour window. However, if they fail three parts,

they will not be allowed a reattempt the same day.

Candidate Results of PA Each component is individually scored with a pass mark of 70% - some

are timed with penalties for excessive time taken.

Comments are recorded to provide constructive feedback to

candidates, particularly if a candidate is unsuccessful on one or more

sections of the Assessment. All comments are recorded on file and

candidates are allowed to have access to their file.

Candidates are notified of their results immediately at end of exam.

Most candidates attempt the written exam within a week of passing

the practical exam.



6) NON-IMPLEMENTING JURISDICTIONS – KEY CONSIDERATIONS

BRITISH COLUMBIA

The information presented for British Columbia is provided by Dan McFaull, a consultant with

North Pacific who has been actively working on standards development for the Hairstylist trade

in British Columbia since 2010.

British Columbia has not offered the Red Seal Endorsement for Hairstylist since 2003, when the

former Industry Training and Apprenticeship Commission (ITAC) was dissolved and eventually

replaced by the Industry Training Authority (ITA). Until 2003, Hairstylist had been an occupation

for which trade certification was mandatory. Since 2003, certification has been voluntary for

B.C. Hairstylists.

Since 2010, ITA has been working actively toward re-instating the Red Seal Endorsement for the

Hairstylist trade. To date, a committee of industry representative subject matter experts has

agreed to a new set of program competency standards that are in alignment with the National

Occupational Analysis for Hairstylist. Also, an Advisory Committee of training providers has

agreed on a Credentialing Model for the trade that includes a Practical Assessment for achieve a

Certificate of Qualification for the trade

These standards revisions have been presented to the Standards Review Committee of the ITA

and are currently under review for possible approval. There are several considerations that

influence the ITA’s decision specifically regarding implementation of the Practical Assessment,

including:

The costs and logistics of effectively and efficiently offering opportunities for Practical

Assessments that will be accessible to all candidates across the breadth of the province,

in both urban and smaller centres;

The challenges of recruiting, selecting, training and providing oversight of Assessors to

ensure the reliability, consistency and integrity of assessments across the province;

The urgent priorities of other occupational and trades certification program

opportunities, given a fixed program development budget; and

The historically poor completion rate for apprentices registered in the Hairstylist

program in B.C. raises the question of whether there will significant demand for Red

Seal certification;

Currently, the ITA has postponed any further decision on implementing standards revisions for

Hairstylist until the fiscal year beginning in April 2015. Any decisions made early in the new

fiscal year to implement program changes (including a Practical Assessment) would not likely be

fully implemented any sooner than 2016.



ONTARIO

The information presented below was gathered in an interview with a representative of Ontario

and via email correspondence.

Hairstylists must be certified to work in Ontario and be a member of the Ontario College of

Trades (OCOT). The Ontario government regulates this trade via the Apprenticeship and

Certification Act (1998).

Ontario has in place a Practical Assessment that is required for candidates who wish to

challenge the program standards without participating in an apprenticeship (trade qualifiers).

The Hairstylist Trade Board of OCOT has reviewed this assessment in light of the competencies

included in the CCDA Hairstylist Benchmarks and determined that all benchmarks are

adequately covered. The Trade Board has recommended that the existing assessment be

adopted as mandatory to gain a Certificate of Qualification in Ontario, and that apprentices be

required to pass the Red Seal written examination before attempting the Practical Assessment.

Currently, OCOT is planning to implement a Red Seal Practical Assessment at some point in

2015. Their considerations are similar to those of B.C. in planning for implementation of a new

assessment requirement.

The costs and logistics of effectively and efficiently offering opportunities for Practical

Assessments that will be accessible to all candidates across the breadth of the province,

in both urban and smaller centres;

The challenges of recruiting, selecting, training and providing oversight of Assessors to

ensure the reliability, consistency and integrity of assessments across the province;

The urgent priorities of other occupational and trades certification program

opportunities, given a fixed program development budget; and

Unlike B.C. where trade certification is voluntary and the apprenticeship completion

rate is low, OCOT is concerned about meeting the demand for Practical Assessments,

given the high number of apprentices that will want to complete their trade

qualifications.



7) OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS:

Based on the experiences shared by key jurisdictional representatives who were involved in the

harmonization of Practical Assessment for the Hairstylist trade, and on a comparison of features

of current Practical Assessment components and protocols across the various jurisdictions, we

make the following observations and draw these initial conclusions:

The variable capability, among jurisdictions, for implementing and maintaining a harmonized form of Practical Assessment was a key challenge for the Hairstylist trade.

The needs and interests of industry vary across the jurisdictions. These were effectively brought to light through consultations with key stakeholders and were invaluable in ultimately agreeing on the Benchmarks. Industry was given a strong voice in consultations related to harmonizing a Practical Assessment for the Hairstylist trade.

ISEC maintains an open and transparent process for consensus building with stakeholders in each of the jurisdictions, with checklists and assessment criteria shared publicly for candidates and employers to review.

Industry associations, many well entrenched within their jurisdiction, proved to be powerful and able to play an effective role in training and certification, as well as licensing. Where present, the opportunity exists to effectively engage them in supporting (and even providing) Practical Assessment.

The development of Benchmarks, allowing each jurisdiction a degree of freedom in implementing their own form of Practical Assessment, provided the ultimate basis for harmonization.

While the Benchmarks represent the common core of Practical Assessment in each jurisdiction, the latitude allowed has produced considerable variation in other features, including:

o competency challenges (assessment elements added),

o duration (from 3.0 to 6.5 hours),

o administrative mechanisms (industry associations, training providers, government),

o assessor selection criteria (generally a Red Seal journeyperson, but may be employer or instructor),

o assessor training and support provided,

o validation of practical assessment standards across assessors (from none at all reported to cross-validation at the conclusion of each practical assessment session),

o assessor to candidate ratios (from 1:3 to 1:7),

o pre-requisites (including passing the Red Seal written examination), and

o fees for first attempt (from no cost to $200)



The NOA and the practical competencies it describes appears to have provided significant common ground for agreeing on the Benchmarks. Currently, the structure of the NOA is under review, based partly on CCDA’s desire to provide a better basis for developing competency-based and practical assessment in the Red Seal Program.



8) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOBILE CRANE PA HARMONIZATION:

Reviewing the experiences shared by key jurisdictional representatives involved in the

harmonization of Practical Assessment for the Hairstylist trade, together with the industry

experience of North Pacific consultants, we developed the following recommendations for the

harmonization of a Demonstration of Skills Test (DOST) for the Mobile Crane trade:

1. Use agreement on Benchmarks, at least initially, as the basis for implementing a harmonized DOST. Benchmarks most effectively represent a workable minimum threshold of agreement while allowing ample ‘freedom of equivalency’ for each jurisdiction to adapt the standard to meet their necessities.

2. Develop the Benchmarks to be a creditable and respected standard, representing the required confidence level for recognizing the equivalency of competency for those certified in other jurisdictions. In other words, avoid agreeing to the lowest common denominator. Set high standards and require each jurisdiction to meet or exceed the standard represented by the Benchmarks.

3. Actively engage the various jurisdictions, and their stakeholders, in the development of Practical Assessment standards. Maintain an open and transparent process from the outset. Active communication with all parties to be effected needs to be a key strategic priority for the initiative.

4. Regard ISEC and CCDA as stakeholders in the process. ISEC represents the practicalities of implementation in each jurisdiction, while CCDA represents a national policy base for supporting harmonization. Both groups look for a ‘business case’ in their own terms in order to bring their considerable influence to the discussions.

5. Standards for the selection, training and certification of Assessors need to be included as part of the Benchmark agreement. Assessors will be the face of Practical Assessment in each of the jurisdictions. Maintaining consistency across Assessors within each jurisdiction is vital to the reliability of the certification testing. Coordinating standards for Assessors across the jurisdictions will support the validity and equivalency of the certification.

Program Feasibility Report and Development Recommendations

Crane Operator Certification in the Asia Pacific Gateway 26

APPENDIX ‘A’

The Asia Pacific Gateway Skills Table

The Skills Table is a regional partnership between labour, business and education / training

institutions. The Skills Table was incorporated in March 2008 with the mandate “to coordinate

decision-making and action to address overall concerns regarding labour shortages and skills

gaps in the Gateway, and build appropriate capacity in labour resources in innovative ways.”

The key objectives of the Skills Table are to establish and maintain an industry-driven cross-

sectoral partnership to:

Target pressing skills issues related specifically to the Gateway;

Establish priority projects and oversee their successful completion;

Lever investments in skills and human resource development projects;

Broker and support partnering work among industry stakeholders; and

Advance solutions and strategies adopted by the Skills Table and tailored to industry

needs.

For more information on the Skills Table visit www.apgst.ca.



APPENDIX ‘B’

Listing of Respondents:

Respondent Position / Jurisdiction

John Poirier Program Standards Manager Ontario College of the Trades

Christopher Stubbs Director of Program Development Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission Former ISEC Chair (during harmonization)

Dean Frey Program Development Officer Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission Responsible for Crane Operator Programs

Fraser Cocks Executive Director BC Association for Crane Safety and Canadian Hoisting and Rigging Safety Council

Roger MacInnis Apprenticeship Section - Department of Innovation and Advanced Learning, Prince Edward Island Current ISEC Chair

Stephen McCarthy Manager Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Standards Development (Section) New Brunswick

Laura Cowan Manager Standards and Curriculum Unit Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Division Department of Advanced Education and Skills Newfoundland

Lorraine Coulombe Program Development Officer Apprenticeship Training Nova Scotia

Eric Hubbard Judy Trower

Program Development Officers Apprenticeship Yukon Yukon

http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/contacts/dept_renderer.145.html

http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/contacts/dept_renderer.145.8603.3190.3194.html



APPENDIX ‘C’

CCDA Hairstylist Practical Assessment Benchmarks (2013)

- Based on the Hairstylist NOA (2011)

Block

Required (R) or

Not Tested (NT) Benchmarks / Comments Notes and Clarifications

A Occupational

Skills R

Maintaining a safe and hygienic work

environment is important.

Jurisdictions will observe

Occupational Health and Safety

throughout the assessment.

Occupational Skills will

also remain on the written

examination.

B

Hair and Scalp

Care

R

Draping and Shampoo/Conditioning

Services will not be a standalone

mark, but rather used as appropriate

with the service being assessed.

Jurisdictions wishing to

have a standalone mark in

this area will “exceed” the

minimum benchmark.

C Cutting Hair R

Two (2) haircuts that remove a

minimum of 2.5 cm of hair using at

least two (2) tools.

1. A clipper cut (clipper over comb)

2. A haircut with elevation (shear(s)

No notes

D

Styling Hair

R

Minimum benchmark – A

combination of at least two design

methods to complete a finished look

that contains some “C” shapings

and/ or movement. Examples may

include:

1. Rollers/Dryer/Combout 2. Blow dry/Hot

Rollers/Combout 3. Blow dry/Curling

Iron/Combout 4. Thermal tool(s) and

Combout

No notes

E

Chemically

Waving and

Relaxing Hair R

Minimum benchmark – The

mechanics of a traditional perm must

be assessed including sectioning,

sub-sectioning and wrapping.

Jurisdictions require that

the mechanics of both

colouring and perming are

to be assessed.



Block

Required (R) or

Not Tested (NT) Benchmarks / Comments Notes and Clarifications

F Colouring Hair R

Minimum benchmark – The

mechanics of controlled colour

application must be assessed

including sectioning, appropriate

application, and saturation.

G Specialized

Services NT No change.

Assessed adequately on

the written Interprovincial

examination for the target

audience.

H Sales and

Marketing NT No change.

Assessed adequately on

the written Interprovincial

examination for the target

audience.

*jurisdictional assessments must be completed by impartial assessors

Documents

BRIEFING REPORT · 2015. 2. 2. · BRIEFING REPORT REVIEW OF JURISDICTIONAL EXPERIENCES RELATED TO HARMONIZATION OF THE RED SEAL PRACTICAL ASSESSMENT FOR THE HAIRSTYLIST TRADE December