Scott Crabbe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 04/00) - Diamond polishers, security officers and warehouse technicians have been designated for certification in the NWT by the Apprenticeship Trade and Occupation Certification Board.

Announced this week by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Jake Ootes, the department hopes by formalizing the certification of these trades the level of professionalism will rise.

"Training employees to meet industry standards will result in a professional Northern labour force with transferable skills to meet the needs of an evolving labour market in the Northwest Territories," Ootes said.

Falling under the occupational certification program, these trades are different than the ones under the apprenticeship training program.

"Under the Apprenticeship Act, things such as supervision and ratio of apprentices to journey persons is regulated," Bryan Johnson said.

"For occupational training it's not as strict."

While the apprenticeship program is a lot more 'hands on' with the board monitoring the job site training, it's the industry that monitors the progress of the trainee for the occupational certification program.

Occupations become designated for certification once the board gives approval on the recommendation of industry.