December 10, 2020 – Kelly Keinleitner—chief instructor with B.C.’s Electrical Joint Training Committee (and a motor rewinder/expert to boot)—says that while the decision to de-designate “Electric Motor System Technician” from the Red Seal program is predictable, it is nonetheless worrisome.

“This has always been a small, highly-trained trade,” she says. “Who is going to build, maintain and repair all the switchgear, padmounts, transformers, electric motors and generators?”

“The motors in electric cars will need work… we’re trained to do this,” she adds.

Electric motor system technicians repair and rebuild electrical machines, systems and equipment. The scope of their work includes, but is not limited to, the maintenance, testing and repair of electric motors, transformers, switchgears and other electrical apparatus. In addition, they determine the need, extent and type of repairs required, and they prepare time and cost estimates.

The “Electric Motor System Technician” program attracted only a small number of apprentices, so the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship announced they would de-designate the program from Red Seal.

A lot of electric motors in the market are now disposable, explains Keinleitner, and “Millwrights and Electricians have taken a ton of work that was once solely winders’ work”.

Due to Covid-19, the date of de-designation has been extended to July 31, 2022, to give more time for currently registered apprentices to complete all requirements and challenge the Red Seal examination. After this date, Red Seal endorsements for this trade will no longer be issued.