CPSC unveils new certification program at Plast-Ex

As we previously reported on our website, the Canadian Plastics Sector Council (CPSC) officially launched the Certified Plastics Practitioner (Cert.PP) program on the second day of the Plast-Ex show last week.

The certification program is the first of its kind in Canada, setting national occupational standards for plastic processors. According to the CPSC, the program is designed to ensure an adequate supply of highly trained employees in the plastics industry.

“This project of the certification program has been a couple of years in the making, but this is an absolutely perfect example of what we need,” Peter Larose, the director general for Human Resources and Social Development Canada’s Workplace Partnerships Directorate. He noted that the skill certification program allows Canadian processors to remain competitive in the growing global marketplace.

The speakers at the press conference also said that the development of the Cert.PP program was a collaborative effort between several stakeholders and associations.

“The Canadian plastics industry has collaborated very closely with the CPSC, and I assure you that the certification program is one that is built from the bottom up,” said the Canadian Plastic Industry Association’s (CPIA) incoming board chairman chair and Calgary, Alta.-based Westbridge PET Containers Corp. president Dave Birkby.

“From my perspective, everyone wins as a result of this new certification program,” he continued. “For employees in the plastics sector, this is the first time that they can confidently assess their skills against consistent standards set by the industry on a national basis. For employers, it provides the tools to better manage the human resource and employment training aspect of your business.”

Paul Waller, president of Toronto, Ont.-based Plastics Touchpoint Group, became the first person to be certified under the new program, earning Level 3 Film Extrusion Operator certification as a result of his participation in a pilot program.

For additional information about Cert.PP, please visit the CPSC website.