2015 Red Seal Award of Excellence Award Bestowed on Mark Douglas

Red Seal Douglas

The former Executive Director of Apprenticeship and Industry Training, Alberta received the award during the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA)’s fall meeting in Ottawa.

Photo: L-R: CCDA Chair Doug Ritter and award recipient Mark Douglas

The award was established by CCDA to recognize the contribution and the leadership of staff working in the field of apprenticeship and trade certification. It is awarded biannually to an individual providing outstanding achievement in the development and promotion of apprenticeship training in Canada.

Douglas’ career includes work as a Red Seal journeyperson electrician, post-secondary instructor, and 25 years with Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training. Douglas is considered a prime example of a professional engaging in a successful career through trade certification, says CCDA Chair Jeff Ritter. Douglas

• mentored staff through his commitment to lifelong learning and encouraged ongoing education and professional development
• was instrumental in the creation of Alberta’s Blue Seal Program, which supports tradespeople in developing business skills to facilitate their transition into leadership, supervisory and entrepreneurial roles
• has been a strong advocate of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s Trades to Degrees program, allowing trades professionals to utilize their trades credential to move into the third year of the Bachelor of Business Administration degree program

On the interprovincial file, Mark provided strong leadership and unwavering support for both the CCDA’s Foreign Qualification Recognition (FQR) and Harmonization initiatives. He championed efforts to substantively align apprenticeship training across Canada in response to long-standing requests from Canadian industry.

Related Articles


Latest Articles


Changing Scene

  • ABB Among TIME’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies

    ABB Among TIME’s World’s Most Sustainable Companies

    June 30, 2025 ABB has been ranked 14th in TIME’s “World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2025” and third in Switzerland across all industries. TIME and Statista assessed over 5,000 of the world’s largest and most influential companies, considering factors such as revenue, market capitalization, and public prominence. The top 500 companies from 35 countries and 21 industries were… Read More…

  • New Partnership to Deliver 1,000 Affordable Housing Units Across Quebec

    New Partnership to Deliver 1,000 Affordable Housing Units Across Quebec

    June 25, 2025 The governments of Canada and Quebec, together with Desjardins, have announced the construction of 1,000 new affordable housing units over the next three years. These housing units will be created as part of the Desjardins Affordable Housing Initiative, a partnership launched in 2022 that will now enable the delivery of over 3,000 affordable housing units… Read More…

  • CIB Closes $50M Loan with Dream Industrial REIT to Fund Large-Scale Commercial Building Upgrades

    CIB Closes $50M Loan with Dream Industrial REIT to Fund Large-Scale Commercial Building Upgrades

    June 30, 2025 The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and Dream Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust have finalized a $50 million loan to fund commercial property retrofits related to energy efficiency savings and emissions reductions at 34 warehouses in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. With buildings currently accounting for 18% of Canada’s total emissions, investments from the… Read More…

  • Province, BC Hydro Launch Pilot Program to Cut Energy Costs, Support Housing Density

    Province, BC Hydro Launch Pilot Program to Cut Energy Costs, Support Housing Density

    June 25, 2025 In a Canadian first, the Province and BC Hydro have launched a pioneering pilot project in Vancouver that has the potential to set new standards for supporting growing housing priorities and densification in Canada. Designed to support the transition from single-family homes to multi-unit residences, the initiative is exploring how full electrification –… Read More…