Achievement in Business Competencies (Blue Seal) Program
If you have a valid Alberta Journeyman Certificate, Alberta Occupational Certificate or a valid recognized trade certificate you are eligible to apply for a Blue Seal Certificate.
The Blue Seal Certificate is geared to certified tradespeople who want to develop their business skills. A Blue Seal Certificate is evidence that a tradesperson not only meets Alberta’s high industry standards, but has the knowledge and drive to succeed in business. Tradespeople who complete the Blue Seal program may move into leadership, supervisory, entrepreneurial and other roles.
There are 18 business subject areas you may study.
To obtain a Blue Seal Certificate you must:
- complete a program of study approved by the Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board, or
- complete 150 hours of study in one or more of the subject areas provided by an approved training provider, and
- an Alberta Student Number (ASN) is required to apply for programs and services. To find or obtain an ASN, visit www.education.alberta.ca/students/asn.aspx for more information
- pay the $50.00 non-refundable application fee
- submit official transcripts and supporting documentation during the application process
- visit MyTradesecrets to complete and submit the on-line Achievement in Business Competencies (Blue Seal) Application
Ask any questions of your nearest Apprenticeship and Industry Training office.
Alberta Training Institutions for the Blue Seal Program
Business training for the Blue Seal Certificate can be completed at the following Alberta-based training institutions.
- Technical Institutes
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Edmonton, Alberta
- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) Calgary, Alberta
- Public Colleges
- Bow Valley College Calgary, Alberta
- Grande Prairie Regional College Grande Prairie, Alberta
- Keyano College Fort McMurray, Alberta
- Lakeland College Vermilion, Alberta
- Lethbridge College Lethbridge, Alberta
- Medicine Hat College Medicine Hat, Alberta
- NorQuest College Edmonton, Alberta
- Northern Lakes College Lesser Slave Lake, Alberta
- Olds College Olds, Alberta
- Portage College Lac La Biche, Alberta
- Red Deer College Red Deer, Alberta
- Private University Colleges
- Alliance-University-College--Nazarene-University-College Calgary, Alberta
- Burman University College Heights, Alberta
- Columbia College Calgary, Alberta
- Concordia University of Edmonton Edmonton, Alberta
- The King's University Edmonton, Alberta
- Universities
- Athabasca University Athabasca, Alberta
- Grant MacEwan University Edmonton, Alberta
- Mount Royal University Calgary, Alberta
- University of Alberta Edmonton, Alberta
- University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta
- University of Lethbridge Lethbridge, Alberta
- Other
- Banff Centre
- Professional Home Builders Institute Calgary, Alberta
- Merit Contractors Association Edmonton, Alberta
- Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) Edmonton, Alberta
- Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) Edmonton, Alberta
- Construction Labour Relations Association (CLRA) Edmonton, Alberta
- Certified General Accountants Association of Alberta
- Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta
- Alberta Safety Codes Council
- Supply Chain Management Association Alberta
Business training delivered by other providers, such as colleges from other provinces, will be considered. Contact your nearest Apprenticeship and Industry Training office for more information.
Non-Alberta Training Institutions
- Briercrest College and Seminary Saskatchewan
- British Columbia Institute of Technology Burnaby, B.C.
- Cape Breton University Nova Scotia
- CDI College
- Dale Carnegie Courses
- Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Durham College Ontario
- Eastern College Newfoundland
- George Washington University, Washington D.C.
- Georgian College Ontario
- Institute de technologie agroalimentaire Quebec
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University B.C.
- McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario
- Memorial University St. John's Newfoundland
- National Seminars Training
- Red River College Manitoba
- Royal Roads University, BC
- Sir Sandford Fleming College Peterborough, Ontario
- Thompson Rivers University Kamloops, B.C.
- University of Ottawa Ontario
- Universite of Quebec Trois – Rivieres, Quebec
- Baldwin Wallace College/University Ohio USA
- University of New Brunswick St.John's, New Brunswick
- University of Windsor Ontario
- Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology Nepean,Ontario
- Mohawk College Hamilton, Ontario
- San Diego State University California
- Niagara College Canada Iagara, Ontario
- College of the North Atlantic Stephenville, Newfoundland
- Universite du Quebec en Outaouais Gatineau, Quebec
- Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC)
- Lakehead University Thunder Bay/Orillia, Ontario
- Vancouver Community College Vancouver, B.C.
- Queens' University Kingston, Ontario
- Delaware Technical Community College Georgetown, Delaware, USA
- New Brunswick Community College Saint John, New Brunswick
- Fanshawe College London, Ontario
- Holland College Prince Edward Island
- University of British Columbia Vancouver, B.C.
- University of Northern British Columbia Prince George, B.C.
- University of Fraser Valley Abbotsford, B.C.
- Camosun College Victoria, B.C.
- St Francis Xavier University Nova Scotia
- University of Technology Mauritius
- Assiniboine Community College Manitoba
- Confederation College Thunder Bay, Ontario
- Selkirk College Castlegar, B.C.
- Brock University St. Catharines, Ontario
- Lambton College Sarnia, Ontario
- University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
- College of New Caledonia, Prince George B.C.
- Concordia University Montreal Quebec
- University of Victoria B.C.
- Langara College Vancouver B.C.
- Northwest Community College Terrace B.C.
- Okanagan College Kelowna, B.C.
- Manukau Institute of Technology Auckland, New Zealand
- Edinburgh Napier University Edinburgh, Scotland
Board-approved Programs of Study for FULL Credit toward the Blue Seal Certificate
- Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT)
- Applied Management Certificate
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
- Business Management Certificate Program
- Supervisory Development Certificate Program
- Project Management Certificate Program
- Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association of Canada (PEMAC)
- Maintenance Management Professional Certification (MMP)
- University of Ottawa
- Organizational Development Certificate
- Red Deer College
- Business Proficiency Designation Program
- Grande Prairie Regional College
- Business Administration Certificate Program
- University of Lethbridge
- General Management Certificate Program
- Mount Royal University
- Human Resource Management Extension Certificate
- Management Development Extension Certificate
- Strategic Management Certificate
- Marketing and Strategic Communications, Extension Certificate
- Thompson Rivers University
- Certificate in Business Skills Program
- University of Alberta
- Construction Administration Certificate, Faculty of Extension
- University of Ottawa
- Organizational Development Certificate
Board-approved Programs of Study for PARTIAL Credit toward the Blue Seal Certificate
Each of these programs, or two in combination, must be taken with other approved Blue Seal program(s) to accumulate the total of 150 hours of study necessary to apply for the Blue Seal Certificate.
- Merit Contractors Association
- Project Management Program - 65 hours
- Supervisory Training Program - 39 hours
- Advanced Supervisor Training Program - 33 hours
- Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC)
- Supervisor Training - 39 hours
- Construction Labour Relations - An Alberta Association (CLRA)
- Better Supervision Training Program - 54 hours
- Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA)
- Leadership for Safety Excellence - 16 hours
- Mount Royal University
- Entrepreneurship Certificate of Completion - 56 hours
- Pillars of Management Certificate of Completion - 60 hours
- Project Management Program - 90 hours
- Change Management Extension Certificate - 135 hours
- Leadership Development Extension Certificate - 135 hours
- Mechanical Contractors Association of Alberta (Canadian Mechanical Contracting Education Foundation)
- Mechanical Contracting Project Management Course - 70 hours
- Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta
- Professional Electrical Contractor Program - 90 hours
- MacEwan University
- Business Analysis Professional Development Certificate - 119 hours
- Leadership Essentials Professional Development - 56 or 63 hours (depending upon electives)
- Management Essentials Professional Development Certificate - 70 or 77 hours (depending upon electives)
- Managing Conflict Professional Development Certificate - 42 hours
- Project Management Professional Development Certificate - 112 hours
- Supervisory Essentials Professional Development Certificate - 70 or 77 hours (depending upon electives)
- Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)
- Project Leadership Certificate Program - 84 hours
- Red Deer College
- Leadership Development Certifcate Program - 80 hours