Program Development Specialist

Position Title: Program Development Specialist

Position Type: Regular/Full-Time – *OPSEU represented

Location: Mississauga, ON

Job Band: 10

Salary Range: $43.39 - $56.67/hour

Hours of work: 36.25 hours/week

Reporting to: Supervisor, Standards

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.

Skilled Trades Ontario (STO) is currently seeking a Program Development Specialist to join our Standards department to develop and maintain apprenticeship programs, training and curriculum standards, tests and examinations for trades, and provide consultative advice to STO’s governance structure and external stakeholders on trade viability, training design, development and certification.

Responsibilities:

• Develop training standards and assessments for assigned trades through ongoing consultative processes with stakeholders, such as industry experts, to: gather occupational and trade related content; facilitate and participate in trades training-related committees and meetings; and resolve occupational and trade-related issues in support of standards design and development.
• Provide consultative advice and act as the primary liaison between STO and industry experts and with provincial ministries, federal government departments, agencies, and training institutions to further STO’s mandate.
• Advise on the latest trades-related trends to inform and influence government on policy development and legislation.
• Conduct and lead projects, coordinate workshops and design and develop programs involving project planning, costing, resource needs, outcomes, milestones and timelines.
• Design, develop and validate training materials for trades (as assigned) through a needs analysis, analyze and review trade scopes of practice, develop on-the-job training standards and in-school/classroom curriculum standards and “entry to practice” criteria and procedures.
• Design, develop and validate assessment/testing tools including certificate of qualification exams, exemption tests, practical assessments and other examinations.
• As necessary, act as a national host for selected, inter-provincially designated trades and assist Employment and Skills Development Canada (ESDC) in managing the Red Seal trade certification process.
• Plan and facilitate the development of interprovincial test banks, provincial examinations, training and curriculum standard workshops, and examination editing workshops, and coordinate peer reviews and interprovincial document validation, document translation.

Qualifications:

• Experience applying adult learning principles including program and training design, curriculum development and learning needs/style assessment to recommend and facilitate effective learning solutions usually acquired through a combination of related education or equivalent training and experience.
• Experience with occupational analysis to design, develop and validate trades scopes of practice, training and curriculum standards, and prior learning assessments.
• Superior writing and editing skills with the ability to draft and review materials as well as suggest and make changes to correct and improve documents to ensure that all written materials are accurate, accessible and of high quality.
• Detailed understanding of the development of assessment tools, specifically: testing, measurement and evaluation principles, criteria and norm-referenced assessment principles, and statistical analysis usually acquired through a combination of related education and experience.
• Understanding of issues related to key demographics who are experiencing barriers entering trades, (e.g., newcomers, women, youth, etc.,) conducting needs assessments.
• Experience in the development of training-design and tools based on those needs.
• Experience in collaborating and facilitating sessions with industry, educational instruction representatives, national and inter-provincial organizations, which includes workshop planning, execution, conflict management, and applying consensus driven decision making.
• Experience in project management, relevant to managing a portfolio of products/accounts, demonstrating techniques and methods to plan, monitor, collaborate, manage scope of work, resources, and re-evaluating direction, etc.

Knowledge of:

• Knowledge of Ontario ministries, STO, labour standards and legislation, and other trade-specific regulations and policies to provide information, analysis and interpretation to stakeholders for ensuring compliance in the development of training standards and assessments, and the operation of trade boards.
• Knowledge of the apprenticeship system in Ontario and across Canada.

Skills include:

• Superior verbal communication skills.
• Consultation and presentation skills to provide advice and act as the primary liaison between STO and assigned industry experts.
• Facilitation, conflict resolution, and consensus-building skills to facilitate industry stakeholder relations and consultations and various activities in support of the Red Seal trade certification process.
• Research and analysis skills.
• Proficient computer skills with efficient keyboarding ability.
• Good understanding of English grammar and written communication skills to write a range of training materials, including briefings, proposals, curriculums, examinations, tests, and tools.
• Proficiency with a variety of computers applications (databases, Microsoft Office, and trainer-specific systems) to prepare briefing materials, reports and presentations.
• Relationship-building skills to develop partnerships, negotiate, and build consensus.

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

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

Please submit your resume by November 18, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

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.

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.