Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT)

What Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) does

Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) is a provincial government department within the Government of Alberta's Ministry of Advanced Education that administers apprenticeship education and designated trade certification across Alberta under the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act (STAEA). It governs more than 50 designated trades spanning mechanical, electrical, automotive, manufacturing, building, and service sectors, and operates the public-facing Tradesecrets portal (tradesecrets.alberta.ca), 12 regional offices across Alberta, and partnerships with major post-secondary institutions including NAIT, SAIT, Bow Valley College, and Lethbridge College for classroom instruction delivery. AIT is overseen by the Alberta Board of Skilled Trades, which advises the Minister on trade designations and certification standards.

The organization delivers its services through three primary product surfaces: (1) the MyTradesecrets online self-service portal handling applications, exam booking, credential management, and document requests; (2) Latch, a proprietary AI-powered NLP chatbot launched in 2024 and trained on Tradesecrets content and AIT data sources, providing 24/7 multilingual support to apprentices, employers, sponsors, staff, and the public; and (3) the Apprenticeship Education Program following an approximately 80:20 on-the-job to classroom instruction ratio, complemented by Trades Qualifier Programs (Work Experience, Recognized Credential, Recognized Training), Red Seal interprovincial endorsement, and the Blue Seal business competencies certification. It also recognizes Department of National Defence / Canadian Forces trade credentials for transitioning military personnel.

AIT's revenue model is primarily government appropriations-funded with nominal user fees layered on top: $150 application fees for most programs, $0 for the Registered Apprenticeship Program, $35-$60 for certificate replacement, $20-$80 for transcripts, and $0-$150 for Prior Learning Assessments. Distribution is multi-channel through direct self-service (MyTradesecrets), physical offices (12 across Alberta), and partner resellers (post-secondary institutions and licensed alternative training providers under the Private Vocational Training Act). Customer segments are highly diversified across individual apprentices, employers, sponsors, military personnel, and interprovincial workers seeking Red Seal mobility.

Name

Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT)

Legal name

Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT)

Website

https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) is a Government of Alberta department administering apprenticeship education and journeyperson certification across 50+ designated trades via the Tradesecrets portal, 12 regional offices, and post-secondary partnerships, serving apprentices, employers, and sponsors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Skilled Trades Certification and Apprenticeship Regulation

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Apprenticeships, Internships & Work-Based Learning Programs (BPACANAK), Education & Training Providers (EDABALAI)

Keywords

• Apprenticeship education programs
• Journeyperson trade certification
• Designated trades regulation
• Red seal endorsement
• Skilled trades training

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Services: AIT operates as a government organization under the Government of Alberta, Ministry of Advanced Education. Services are primarily funded through government appropriations rather than direct user fees. Application and certification fees are charged for specific services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT) is the provincial regulatory body under the Government of Alberta that administers apprenticeship education and certifies tradespeople across 50+ designated trades under the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Education Act (STAEA). It provides multiple pathways to journeyperson certification — including apprenticeship education programs combining on-the-job and classroom instruction, Trades Qualifier Programs (Work Experience, Recognized Credential, Recognized Training), Red Seal interprovincial endorsement, and Blue Seal business competencies certification.

Product overview

AIT operates Tradesecrets, a government portal for Alberta's apprenticeship and skilled trades system. The platform offers the Latch AI assistant for navigation, MyTradesecrets online portal for apprenticeship management, and multiple certification pathways including Apprenticeship Education Programs (combining on-the-job and classroom instruction), Industry Training Programs, and Trades Qualifier Programs (Work Experience, Recognized Credential, and Recognized Training). The system also supports Red Seal and Blue Seal endorsements for interprovincial mobility and business competencies. Classroom instruction is delivered through Alberta post-secondary institutions, with exams administered by AIT for certification assessment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Education Program Post-secondary education program combining paid on-the-job training with period-based classroom instruction, following the 80:20 on-the-job to classroom ratio model. Available to individuals registering as apprentices in one of 50+ designated trades in Alberta.
• Trades Qualifier - Work Experience Program Certification pathway for experienced tradespeople without a recognized trade certificate. Verifies on-the-job work experience, demonstrates skills and knowledge, and qualifies candidates for an Alberta Journeyperson Certificate. Application fee: $450.
• Trades Qualifier - Recognized Credential Program Certification pathway for experienced tradespeople who hold a recognized trade certificate from another jurisdiction. Candidates write exams to qualify for an Alberta Journeyperson Certificate. Application fee: $150-$350.
• Trades Qualifier - Recognized Training Program Certification pathway for designated trades without apprenticeship programs. Candidates complete industry training and on-the-job experience to earn an Alberta Journeyperson Certificate. Application fee: $150.
• Red Seal Endorsement Interprovincial Red Seal endorsement that allows Alberta journeypersons to work in any Canadian province or territory by meeting harmonized national standards. Application fee: $150.
• Blue Seal Program Achievement in Business Competencies program recognizing completion of supplemental business education for journeypersons seeking managerial or entrepreneurial skills. Application fee: $150.
• Classroom Instruction Period-based classroom instruction component of apprenticeship education programs, delivered through Alberta post-secondary institutions (colleges and polytechnics including NAIT, SAIT, Bow Valley College) and licensed alternative training providers under the Private Vocational Training Act.
• Trades Qualifier Exams Theory and practical exams administered by AIT for Trades Qualifier Programs. Minimum pass mark of 70%; accommodation options including interpreter services are available.
• Industry Training Programs Standardized on-the-job training programs that may include theoretical learning components, providing trainees with the skills required by employers for trades not covered by full apprenticeship programs.
• MyTradesecrets Online Portal Self-service online portal where apprentices apply for programs, track apprenticeship progress, register for classroom classes, book exams, and request credential documents. PCI DSS-compliant payment processing.
• Latch AI Assistant AI-powered chatbot trained on Tradesecrets website content and AIT data sources. Helps apprentices, employers, sponsors, staff, and the public find and understand information about apprenticeship and industry training, including programs, applications, exams, classes, apprenticeship pathways, and sponsor & employer information. Available 24/7 in multiple languages with plain-language explanations and follow-up question capability.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Skilled Trades and ProfessionscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 April 2023AIT collaborates with the Ministry of Skilled Trades and Professions (led by Minister Kaycee Madu) on industry roundtables and policy development for Alberta's skilled trades transformation under STAEA.
• Post-Secondary Institutions (Colleges and Polytechnics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIT partners with Alberta's publicly funded post-secondary institutions including NAIT, SAIT, Bow Valley College, Lethbridge College, and others to deliver classroom instruction for apprenticeship programs. These institutions provide the educational infrastructure and expert instructors for the classroom component of apprenticeship training.
• Alberta Board of Skilled TradescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Alberta Board of Skilled Trades works with AIT to set standards for journeyperson certification, recommend new trade designations, and engage with industry to develop and maintain trade standards.
• Industry Associations and EmployerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry drives the establishment of new apprenticeship programs and trade designations. Industry advisory groups develop scope of trades and certification standards. Employers provide on-the-job training and mentorship.
• Canadian Provinces and Territories (Interprovincial)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Red Seal program, AIT coordinates with other Canadian provinces and territories to ensure harmonized apprenticeship standards and interprovincial mobility for certified tradespeople.
• Department of National Defence - Canadian ForcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIT recognizes military trade qualifications from the Canadian Forces. DND credentials are verified through Canadian Forces personnel records, allowing military members to transition to civilian trades careers in Alberta.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT): Alberta's largest polytechnic and AIT's primary classroom-delivery partner for apprenticeship education. Comparable because it delivers the practical training component, but it is a downstream partner rather than a competing regulator.
• Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT): Alberta's other major polytechnic and a key AIT partner for classroom instruction across trades. Functions as a delivery partner in AIT's apprenticeship model rather than a competing certification body.
• Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (Red Seal Program): National interprovincial body that AIT coordinates with through the Red Seal program. Not a peer in the operational sense — it sets harmonized national standards rather than delivering services — but is the closest ecosystem-level counterpart to AIT's interprovincial mobility function.

Regional players

• Emploi-Québec: Quebec government body overseeing apprenticeship programs outside the CCQ's construction mandate. Provides the same apprenticeship administration function as AIT but within Quebec's distinct regulatory and linguistic environment.
• Commission de la construction du Québec (CCQ): Quebec's construction-industry-specific apprenticeship, certification, and labor mobility body. Comparable in mandate but narrower in scope (construction trades only) and Quebec-specific in regulatory regime.

Direct peers

• Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency: Nova Scotia's dedicated agency for apprenticeship and trades certification. Directly comparable mandate of registering apprentices, administering exams, and issuing credentials for designated trades under provincial legislation.
• Skilled Trades Ontario: Ontario's crown agency responsible for skilled trades certification and apprenticeship, replacing the former Ontario College of Trades. Direct peer given the same apprenticeship/certification mandate, multi-trade scope, and government-body structure as AIT.
• Manitoba Apprenticeship and Certification Board: Manitoba's body for designating trades, registering apprentices, and issuing trade credentials. Shares AIT's structure (government board, apprenticeship and trade qualifier pathways, Red Seal alignment).
• SkilledTradesBC: Provincial apprenticeship and trades certification authority for British Columbia. Operates under parallel legislation (Industry Training Authority Act) with the same mandate — designating trades, registering apprentices, issuing credentials — making it the closest functional peer to AIT in another province.
• Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC): Provincial commission administering apprenticeship, trade certification, and journeyperson exams in Saskatchewan. Functionally equivalent to AIT, operating Red Seal-aligned programs and administering ~50 designated trades in a similar prairie economy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apprenticeship-and-industry-training-ait-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Apprenticeship and Industry Training (AIT)