Program Assistant

Position Title: Program Assistant

Position Type: Fixed Term Contract – OPSEU represented

Duration: Twelve (12) Months

Location: Mississauga, ON

Job Band: Band 3

Hiring Range: $25.83 to $31.79/hr

Hours of work: 36.25 hours/week

Reporting to: Director, Apprenticeship Training, Curriculum, Standards and Examination

This posting is applicable to: Internal/External Applicants

Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) is a Crown agency responsible for skilled trades certification in Ontario, which includes:

• Establishing apprenticeship programs, including training standards, curriculum standards and certification exams.
• Administering apprenticeship programs, including approving apprentices and sponsors, registering training agreements and assessing applications for apprenticeship program completion.
• Issuing certificates of apprenticeship to completed Ontario apprentices.
• Assessing experience and qualifications of individuals who have not completed an apprenticeship program in Ontario.
• Administering exams, including certifying exams, in all trades subject to certifying exams.
• Issuing Certificates of Qualification in all trades with certifying exams.
• Renewing Certificates of Qualification in compulsory trades.
• Maintaining a Public Register of people authorized to work in compulsory trades.
• Researching apprenticeships and the trades.

STO is looking for a Program Assistant to provide comprehensive administrative, program, and project support to the Standards Department. This role supports the effective delivery of departmental priorities by coordinating the administrative requirements related to the development, translation, editing, production, printing, and distribution of Apprenticeship Training Standards (ATS), Curriculum Standards (CS), examinations, and other program materials.

The successful candidate will serve as a key administrative resource, supporting departmental initiatives by coordinating document production activities, maintaining records and databases, responding to stakeholder inquiries, and assisting the Examination Coordinator with examination-related processes, including the tracking of examination and exemption test feedback, practical examination results, and examination inventory.

The role also plays an important part in ensuring the confidentiality, security, and integrity of examination materials and standards-related documents through the management of electronic and hard-copy records. The ideal candidate will possess strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while contributing to the efficient delivery of Standards Department programs and services.

Responsibilities:

• Provides administrative support requirements for the development, translation, editing, production, printing and distribution of Apprenticeship Training Standards (ATS) and Curriculum Standards (CS).
• Ensures consistency of style/format requirements of draft documents.
• Edits standards documents for consistency with approved format using various document publishing software.
• Ensures confidentiality and security of all materials in both soft and hard copy in the designated examination room.
• Prepares reports and recommendations regarding, issues and proposals to the manager and prepares briefing notes and information reports on ATS and CS issues in response to inquiries from other management/departments.
• Develops and maintains various manual and computerized filing and database management systems on workplace training and apprenticeship programs, legacy or other information systems related to computer inventory lists, ATS, CS, examinations and exemption tests. Prepares and updates files and archives records within records retention schedules and guidelines.
• Provides detailed program information in response to inquiries from STO senior management, external stakeholders and the public based on knowledge of program area’s role, functions and activities.
• Coordinates and liaises for the purposes of the translation of examinations, exemption tests, ATS, and CS and other products into French as required.
• Reviews, formats and creates technical diagrams for usage in examinations
• Keeps records of examination room activity including stored examinations, examinations removed from the examination room and returned. All records regarding examination material are maintained in hard copy and duplicated as necessary.
• Editing and formatting exams, using information provided from our Interprovincial Standards and Examination Committee (ISEC) representative. Use Interprovincial Computerized Examinations Management System (ICEMS) to obtain this information along with direction from ISEC rep.
• Support the Examination Coordinator with logging incoming exam infractions and expediting notice of the infraction to the client regarding any resulting penalties and update the Client Service Team and MLITSD invigilation staff accordingly, as needed.
• Support the Examination Coordinator with administrative duties related to practical results and practical examinations, including retrieving practical exam results, uploading results to AMANDA, and issuing an exam results letter to the client, maintaining client inventory of all practical exam results.
• Ensures confidential shredding of obsolete or damaged examination materials, maintaining both soft and hard copy inventory of examination material in the examination room as needed.
• Ensures confidentiality and management of electronic and paper copies of training documents and standards related documents in general.
• Provides administrative support to the department, including both Program Development Specialists, and Examination Coordinator.
• Provides back up support to other Program Assistants in the department in the event of absence

Qualifications:

• College diploma or University degree.
• Relevant years of experience in a similar role.
• Experience in office management practices and procedures.
• Intermediate computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite (e.g. Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and Word).
• French language skills would be considered an asset.

Knowledge of:

• Administration policies, procedures and practices to provide a range of program and administrative support services.
• Basic security protocols and best practices to ensure the confidentiality of the examination room and materials.
• Standards Department programs, services and related procedures to provide oral and written program information to a broad range of internal and external contacts in response to inquiries and to provide program support services including data base management and report generation.
• Financial administration procedures to cost and administer expenditures.
• The publication and print production process to coordinate administrative support requirements for the development, translation, editing, printing, and distribution of Apprenticeship Training Standards (ATS) and Curriculum Standards (CS).

Skills include:

• The operations, functions, and capabilities of various specialized and standard software programs (e.g. publishing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, electronic mail) and information systems to produce documents for publication conduct information research, maintain various program databases to support unit activities, produce reports and access information to respond to inquiries, format and produce a variety of documents, reports, correspondence, spreadsheets and related documents (Microsoft Office, Illustrator, Photoshop, Visio, Adobe Acrobat X Pro, PDF Suite 2012, Survey Monkey, and Quickbase.
• Oral communication, customer service and interpersonal skills to respond to non-routine inquiries from management, staff, officials, and stakeholders in the public and private sectors, explain program activities and policies.
• Written communication skills to compose replies to inquiries, examination and exemption test feedback and to prepare reports.
• Organizational skills to coordinate the translation and printing of ATS and CS documents, examinations.documents, examinations.

What STO Offers:

• Work-life balance
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits
• RRSP matching (up to 6%)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through TELUS Health with employee perks

How to Apply: Please submit your resume to ADP by November 18, 2026.

We thank all applicants for their interest and will only contact those whose skills, knowledge, and experience most closely match the requirements of the position.

Our Recruitment Process Includes:

• Step 1: Resume Screening
• Step 2: Phone Screening
• Step 3: Panel Interview(s)/Assignment
• Step 4: Selection
• Step 5: Offer of Employment

Skilled Trades Ontario embraces diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. Our goal is to attract, develop and retain highly talented employees from diverse backgrounds, allowing us to benefit from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and Skilled Trades Ontario’s Accommodation Policy, accommodation will be provided at any point throughout the hiring process, provided the candidate makes their accommodation needs known to Skilled Trades Ontario. We welcome applications from all qualified persons.

Skilled Trades Ontario is an equal opportunity employer.