Regina Trades & Skills Centre

What Regina Trades & Skills Centre does

Regina Trades & Skills Centre (RTSC) is a Canadian not-for-profit organization founded in 2007 and headquartered at 1275 Albert Street in Regina, Saskatchewan. It provides short-term (7-10 week) entry-level skills training programs across multiple trades and service sectors, including construction, electrical, plumbing, roofing, drywall, painting, powerline technician, tire and lube, child care education, personal support, and instructional assistance. All programs are delivered free of tuition, with students paid minimum wage during classroom hours and trained by Red Seal-certified instructors under a curriculum that mandates a minimum of 70% hands-on practical learning. Students earn industry safety certifications (WHMIS, Fall Protection, SCOT, AWP) and, through a partnership with the Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission, can accumulate apprenticeship hours via the SYA Passport.

RTSC's core technology is operational rather than software-based: it consists of five on-site shops, classrooms, and a structured 2-week paid work placement where RTSC covers wages and WCB, allowing employers to trial graduates before hiring. The go-to-market combines direct student recruitment (information sessions, skills assessments, interviews) with an Industry Advisory Council and free employer membership that creates a placement funnel. RTSC also operates the "12 to Trades" program, a 6-week summer employment pathway for recent high school graduates that funnels youth into trades apprenticeships.

RTSC is funded primarily through government grants (the Government of Saskatchewan committed CAD $1.75M to RTSC as part of a $3.5M combined Regina-Saskatoon investment in 2026) and reports a 98% program attendance rate and 91% post-completion employment rate. The organization operates as a non-revenue-generating training intermediary in commercial terms, monetizing only through public funding while providing subsidized labour-matching services to local employers.

Name

Regina Trades & Skills Centre

Legal name

Regina Trades & Skills Centre

Website

https://rtsc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Regina Trades & Skills Centre is a Regina, Saskatchewan not-for-profit, founded in 2007, that provides free, short-term (7-10 week) entry-level trades and service-sector training programs to young adults and recent high school graduates, placing graduates into local employer work placements funded by Saskatchewan government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Trades Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Skilled Trades, Safety & Compliance Certification Prep (OSHA, HAZMAT, welding, electrical, HVAC) (EDANAIAM)

Keywords

• Vocational skills training
• Trades apprenticeship programs
• Entry-level workforce training
• Technical certification courses
• Career skills education

Headquarters

HQ city

Regina

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: RTSC receives government funding to operate as a not-for-profit training organization. Saskatchewan government invested $3.5 million in Regina and Saskatoon Trades and Skills Centres combined in 2026.
2. Employer Membership: Free membership for employers provides access to trained entry-level workers, with membership approval required from Board of Directors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Regina Trades & Skills Centre (RTSC) is a not-for-profit organization that delivers free, short-term entry-level trades and skills training programs (7-10 weeks) at its Regina facility. Programs combine hands-on shop training, classroom instruction, and a 2-week employer work placement where RTSC covers wages and WCB. Students earn industry safety certifications (WHMIS, Fall Protection, SCOT, AWP), apprenticeship hours, and direct pathways to employment with employer members.

Product overview

Regina Trades & Skills Centre is a not-for-profit organization established in 2007 providing short-term entry-level trades and skills training programs. The organization operates a portfolio of training courses including 12 To Trades (6-week employment program for recent high school graduates), Adult Training (short-term skills training for various trades), and specialized courses such as Instructional Assistant, Tire & Lube Technician, Electrical, Plumbing, Powerline Technician, Roofing, Glazier, Painting, Steel Studs & Drywall, Child Care Educator, Personal Support Assistant, and General Construction. All courses combine practical shop training (minimum 70%), classroom instruction, and 2-week employer work placements. Programs are led by Red Seal Instructors and include industry certifications. Students receive safety training certifications (WHMIS, Fall Protection, SCOT, etc.) and earn apprenticeship hours. The organization prioritizes connecting graduates directly to employers through a work placement program where RTSC pays wages and covers WCB during the placement period.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 12 To Trades

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% employment rate upon completion
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SATCC allows RTSC students to earn apprenticeship hours through the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) program. Students completing their SYA Passport earn 300 additional hours and have their registration fee and level 1 tuition waived for apprenticeship.
• Regina Catholic School DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRTSC provides Instructional Assistant training specifically for employment within Regina Catholic School Division. Students must email resumes directly to RCSD careers portal and be willing to work in a faith-based environment aligned with Catholic mission and values.
• Alliance EnergyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance Energy recruits entry-level electrical tradespeople from RTSC program graduates. Representative John A noted that their staff got their start through the program and view RTSC as a quality organization to recruit from.
• FHQ DevelopmentsminorOthersFHQ Developments provides scholarships to deserving Indigenous students who demonstrate excellence and commitment to their training and employment at RTSC.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Red River College Polytechnic: Manitoba-based polytechnic with a significant trades and apprenticeship portfolio. Operates in the same prairie labor market as RTSC and overlaps on entry-to-trade pathways, though at a much larger institutional scale.
• BCIT (British Columbia Institute of Technology): British Columbia's primary trades and technical training institution, offering full-time and short-format trade programs. Broadly comparable on training categories (electrical, plumbing, construction) though tuition-based and far larger than RTSC.
• Conestoga College: Ontario college with a strong skilled trades and apprenticeship portfolio serving southwestern Ontario employers. Overlaps with RTSC on trades training outcomes, though structured as a public tuition-funded college.
• George Brown College: Toronto-based college offering trades, construction, and pre-apprenticeship programs. Comparable training categories (electrical, plumbing, construction) but tuition-based and oriented to the Ontario labor market rather than Saskatchewan.
• SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology): Major Canadian polytechnic offering extensive trades, apprenticeship, and pre-employment certificate programs. Operates at much larger scale than RTSC and charges tuition, but overlaps heavily on skilled-trades training content for Western Canada.
• NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology): Alberta polytechnic with strong trades and apprenticeship programs across construction, electrical, plumbing, and automotive disciplines. Comparable training categories to RTSC but at a larger, tuition-based institutional scale.

Direct peers

• JVS Toronto: Non-profit vocational training and employment services organization that, like RTSC, delivers short-term skills training and placement support to underemployed and career-transitioning adults. Closely comparable mission and funding profile (grants + employer partnerships).
• The Centre for Skills Development: Burlington, Ontario-based non-profit delivering trades and employment-readiness training with employer partnerships. Similar non-profit, short-format, employer-connected training model to RTSC, but serving the Ontario/GTA labor market.
• CAREERS Next Generation: Canadian non-profit focused on youth workforce development and trades exposure. Comparable mission of connecting young adults to trades careers through employer partnerships, though more limited to Alberta and more career-counseling oriented than hands-on shop training.
• Saskatoon Trades & Skills Centre: Sister training organization sharing the same $3.5M joint Saskatchewan funding envelope with RTSC. Operates the same free, paid, work-placement model for entry-level trades in Saskatoon, making it the closest functional and structural peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Xx.com/RTSC1275
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/regina-trades-and-skills-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Regina Trades & Skills Centre