Commission hits 22 construction electricians with sanctions

Twenty-two construction electricians in Saskatchewan have been hit with a variety of sanctions for engaging in academic misconduct during their training.

The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) announced the penalties Thursday, saying the cheating occurred at the Saskatchewan Polytechnic campus in Moose Jaw between 2015 and 2018.

The sanctions mean the individuals can’t work as construction electricians in the province until they regain their certifications or apprenticeships.

Sask Polytechnic received an anonymous tip about 1 1/2 years ago and notified the SATCC, which launched the investigation along with a third-party investigation firm.

According to a media release from the SATCC, the investigation “determined the apprentices obtained access to materials they should not have had access to during technical training, including level exams and Red Seal interprovincial certification exams.”

“The investigation pointed to the involvement of two staff members, neither of which are employed by these organizations today,” Jeff Ritter, CEO of the SATCC, said during a media conference Thursday.

One staff member, an instructor with Sask Polytechnic, was fired as a result of the investigation.

The other staff member, who worked for the SATCC, resigned more than a year ago following unrelated misconduct. Those involved the acceptance of fees for services that he failed to remit and services that he failed to provide.

Ritter said the investigation couldn’t find a motive for the sharing of exams with students.

“We did not encounter any financial (motives) as part of the investigation. It appears most of this information was shared freely,” said Ritter.

Seventeen individuals had their journeyperson certificates cancelled. Three of those people can try to get their certificates back after six months, four can reapply after four months and 10 have to wait for two months.

Three people had their journeyperson certificates suspended. One will be reinstated after four months and two will be reinstated after two months.

Two individuals had their apprenticeships suspended. One will be eligible for re-indenture in six months and one will be eligible in four months.

Those who had electrical licences had them suspended for the same lengths of time.

The SATCC can suspend or cancel certificates when it believes they were obtained fraudulently.

Ritter assured that the electrical work the 22 individuals have done since fraudulently completing their exams is safe because of the province’s robust permit and inspection system.

“There was no indication or allegation that any work had been performed in an improper or unsafe manner,” Ritter said.

The incident has prompted both the commission and Sask Polytechnic to make changes.

The SATCC now videotapes all of its exam sittings and senior managers attend those sitting to watch people who are writing the exams. As well, the commission will move from paper exams to online exams with better security mechanisms.

Sask Polytechnic also is looking at its current exam practices and will create a new policy as a result.

If members of the public have questions about the certification status of individuals performing electrical work, they’re encouraged to contact the SATCC at 1-877-363-0536.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Andrew Shepherd