TradeSchool Start Guide Welcome to TradeSchool! TradeSchool is the computer program that your Committee uses to track your progress through your apprentice program. As an apprentice, you also have access to TradeSchool and can use it to track your own progress. Most importantly, you will use TradeSchool to submit your Monthly Progress Reports (MPRs). This document will show you how to get started using TradeSchool. Logging on for the first time Click this link to access the TradeSchool log in page. https://secure.tradeschoolinc.com/pcc-edu/login/index.php For future use, the easiest access is through the Apprentice and Trades section of the PCC Homepage. At the PCC main homepage, click Academic Programs and then click Apprenticeship & Trades. On the far right you will see the TradeSchool Login link. Please bookmark this site for easy return access. You should be using Google Chrome as your browser to avoid any problems. 1. LOGIN: TODAY your primary email address is your login. YOU HAVE NOT YET BEEN ASSIGNED A PASSWORD. Your primary email address is currently set as your work email. If you do not have a work email, then your primary email address is the email address specified as primary in your welcome email. If you prefer your primary email to be changed, please notify us through apprenticeship@pcc.edu by using your current preferred email address. 2. SET PASSWORD: After you enter your primary login address you can click on Reset Password to set up your password. You will need to enter the SAME email address from your login and answer a simple math problem as a security question. Then TradeSchool will send you an email with a link to create your password. Passwords must be 8 characters both alpha & numeric. Finally, use your new password to log in to TradeSchool. If you have trouble, watch the How to Log in to TradeSchool video. If you are still encountering issues, please email apprenticeship@pcc.edu for help.
Navigating TradeSchool You now have access to many of your records and progress as an apprentice. You can submit hours to your MPR, print your online MPR for signature by your supervising journey worker/classroom instructor, view your advancements and see your class schedule. After you Login, you will be on your main account screen. This is the section labeled MY ACCOUNT in the dark blue navigation bar. This bar is how you will navigate what you need to do in TradeSchool. The bar has four tabs. 1. Log in/logout You will use this tab when you need to log in or out of the system. Be sure to logout when you finish a TradeSchool session especially if you are using a computer in a public space. 2. My Account This is where you will manage your personal information as follows: a. Personal This is where you will see the contact information and the school ID currently on file for you. You are required to keep this information up to date as a condition of your apprenticeship. Do NOT make changes to this screen but notify us ASAP of any changes by submitting the Apprentice Contact Update form. You can find this form online at the PCC website or on a pink pad outside of STC 108. b. Certification - This is where you can check to see the most updated date we have for your Coyne/First Aid certification. Remember: You are required to have an updated Coyne/First Aid class EVERY YEAR that you are in the program. If your certification expires, your status as an apprentice can be held. You do not want this to happen. 3. Apprentice - This is your MOST IMPORTANT TAB. You will find that you use the information here more than in any other area of TradeSchool. Most importantly, this is where you will enter and submit your Monthly Progress Reports (MPRs). EVERY MONTH. You will navigate this tab as follows: a. Office News This is where the Administrator of your Committee will post important news and announcements. You are responsible for knowing about the information posted in this area. b. Overview This is additional identifying information about your program and your status. This is where you can see your most current advancements, current RT and OJT hours and your current employer. If you see any errors here, please let us know. c. Employment At this tab you should see just your current employer, your Assigned (indentured) date and the number of days with your current employer.
d. Hours HERE IS WHERE YOU ENTER & SUBMIT YOUR MPR. EVERY MONTH. (see below for detailed instructions and be sure to watch the How to Submit your MPR video.) e. Classes This is where you can see information about the classes you have taken and the classes in which you are currently enrolled. You can also see information about absences. Your classes will be separated and listed as Core or Elective which will help you determine which of your Core classes you have completed. NOTE: Your COYNE class (which is REQUIRED EVERY YEAR) will be listed under Certification. You can watch the How to Navigate TradeSchool video for illustrations of all this functionality.
Submitting your MPR Nothing will derail your forward progress in your apprentice program faster than not turning in accurate MPRs ON TIME. EVERY MONTH. MPRs are due on the 1 st of EVERY month and LATE after the 10 th of EVERY month. EVERY MONTH. MPR submission EVERY month is non-negotiable and is regulated by the State of Oregon. The most important thing to remember about this process is that (EVERY MONTH) your OJT and RT hours must be entered online and electronically submitted using TradeSchool FIRST but you must ALSO print out the copy of the submitted MPR so that you have a hard copy that will be signed by your supervising journey worker and your classroom instructor (EVERY MONTH). Your MPR cannot be processed until you have turned in the signed, hard copy (or an emailed/faxed copy of the SIGNED version) of the MPR to the apprentice administrators. This process can seem difficult at first but once you get used to it, it will become routine. Be sure you have watched the How to Submit your MPR video and if you still need help, feel free to reach out for help. Ok! Let s get started! 1. Navigate to your current MPR by clicking the Apprentice Tab in the blue bar and then the Hours tab. The Hours tab should automatically take you to the open form for the next available month in the Pending tab. If you get a message that a work report already exists.look at the Month worked and be sure it is the current month. 2. Enter OJT HOURS - Enter the OJT hours (these are your hours worked at your employer) under each day and in each category. The category is important as you cannot be completed from your program (or referred to exam in the case of licensed trades) unless you have your total hours required AND in all of the categories required. IMPORTANT There are 2 pages (tabs) for each month, days 1-16, AND days 17-31. As you move between these two pages and enter hours throughout the month you can save your work by clicking SAVE but do NOT click SUBMIT until you are completely done with your entire MPR. Once you hit the pink SUBMIT button you will no longer have access to the form. Hint You can use the keyboard tab key to navigate down through each category on a day and at the last category the tab key will automatically take you to the next day.
NOTE: We DO NOT accept MPRs with handwritten OJT hours. You must ALWAYS electronically submit your OJT hours EVEN in those few months (January & December) where you may need to turn in an additional MPR with just the RT hours handwritten. This is for your own protection and to reduce human error. There is an extremely high volume of errors between the electronic & handwritten MPR copies and even one inconsistency between an electronic MPR and a hand written MPR can cause your file to be flagged by BOLI. 3. Enter RELATED TRAINING HOURS Enter your Related Training (classroom) hours on the line that says Related Training Classroom Hours. It is the line at the very bottom of the form. Please be sure that you are entering your hours on days you are actually scheduled for classes and that you are reporting the correct number of hours. You don t want to accidentally only get 3 hours for a 4 hour class! Remember: If you missed ANY part of ANY class, you are required to submit a buck slip (absence form) for that day. If you do not enter hours for a missed class but you have not turned in a buck slip, your MPR will be held up. 4. SAVE Once you enter any hours you can hit the green Save button. It is a good idea to save periodically but note: Save DOES NOT submit your MPR to be eligible for processing. If you are not done entering data you can click Save, leave and come back to your pending report to enter more data. 5. ELECTRONICALLY SUBMIT The MPR IN TRADESCHOOL If you are completely done entering hours and have double checked yourself for accuracy, hit the pink submit button. Just remember, submitting your MPR electronically is required but is not enough to make your MPR eligible for processing. You must also print a hard copy to obtain signatures and turn in a signed copy to the Administrators. 6. PRINT - Go to the Year tab. You will see all your MPRs submitted for the current year. Click on the Print button next to the month of the MPR you just entered this will bring up your MPR. Using CTRL/P print the MPR it should automatically print landscape. Remember, we only accept an electronic printed MPR except in months when the class schedule does not allow time to obtain instructor signatures on your electronic copy. During those months only we accept your RT hours on a separate, handwritten MPR but you must also still submit your electronic printed version with ALL of your RT and OJT hours included. 7. OBTAIN SIGNATURES You will see signature & date lines for you, your journey worker and your instructor(s). Obtain the necessary signatures. You must sign
TRADESCHOOL HINTS: in BOTH categories. If you had multiple classes (even a one day Coyne class) you should have included all hours for both classes on the MPR. In that case, you must obtain signatures from both Instructors and you must sign to certify the hours in both classes. Obtaining all the necessary signatures is state mandated. If you forget to sign in either category or do not obtain your Instructor and Journey worker signatures your MPR will be held up for processing. 8. TURN IN THE SIGNED MPR. MPRs are due on the 1 st of EVERY month and late after the 10 th of EVERY month. MPRs MUST be turned in to one of the Apprentice Administrators (Stacey Zumwalt or Emma Gray) or to Shawna Brown. These are the ONLY individuals that are authorized to accept your MPR. It is not acceptable to turn in your MPR to any other PCC staff or instructor. This is for your own protection. If you turn in a physical copy in person, Stacey, Emma or Shawna will date stamp your MPR and provide you with a copy. If Stacey, Emma, or Shawna are unavailable, you can drop your MPR into the Apprentice Dropbox located in the door of STC 108. You may also email your MPR to apprenticeship@pcc.edu or fax it to 971-722-5656. But be sure your copies are signed and complete! Incomplete or late MPRs receive a File Cite. All File Cites are reported to your Committee. On time and complete MPRs are a big deal because they are regulated and audited by BOLI and they are the only way your Committee can accurately track your progress through the apprentice program. Even one File Cite can result in your file being held for a re-rate or exam referral. Please make on time MPR submission one of your highest priorities. IMPORTANT INFO FOR JUNE AND DECEMBER There will be months when you only attend class for part of the month and then will not see your instructor again until after your MPR is due. This typically occurs in June when classes release for the summer and in December when classes break for the holidays. In these months you will turn in TWO MPRs stapled together. You will turn in an electronic version with ALL of your hours (OJT AND RT), your journey worker s signature and your signature. You will ALSO turn in a second MPR with your RT hours handwritten, your instructor s signature (which you obtained on the last day of class) and your signature.
1) The program does NOT show partial hours as.5 or.75, it rounds up or down. We ask you not to use any partial hours other than ½ or.5. We can see partial hours, you cannot. 2) It is a good idea to enter all your OJT hours first (both screens) to get just a Monthly Total OJT figure before you worry about your Related Training (RT) hours. (You can Save between screens if you wish). BEFORE YOU ARE DONE: Conduct a quick error check this will save you trouble later. Add your Electronic Total Monthly OJT hours to whatever total your working hardcopy showed and make sure the numbers match. If the numbers don t match, there is an error. Until you hit submit you can still edit. 3. The date you click submit will automatically show as your submission date on the administrator s records. Just because this date falls before the 10 th of the month does not mean your MPR is on time. Your MPR is not considered on time until it has been turned in with the appropriate signatures and free of errors. 4) While you are entering your RT hours you will see them total with your OJT hours down & across in the Totals row & column. You will still be able to see individual category totals in the Summary Tab. 4) Remember, we will not see the report until you hit Submit. Once you hit Submit, your MPR is hard dated as your submission date and you will no longer have access to it. Don t forget to KEEP A COPY Make sure you keep a signed copy for your records.
Things that will hold up your MPR (and make it late) Missing Signature: Your MPR must have the signature of you and your Journey worker to certify your OJT hours AND you and your Instructor s signatures to certify your classroom (RT) hours. If you have more than one class, you need your and your instructor s signature for EVERY class that month. Missing Buck Slip (Absence Form): If you are absent from class, you must complete a buck slip (absence document) and submit it with your MPR. You must submit the absence form EVERY time you miss a class even if it is an excused absence and even if you make up the absence later. The form does not require any signature other than your own. You can find the form on a pad outside STC 108 or online on the PCC, Apprentice & Trades webpage. Class dates on the MPR that don t match the actual class dates: Please double check that you have entered hours for your Monday class on a Monday. Please be sure that unless you were absent that you have entered hours for every Monday that there was a class. If it was a holiday or a weather day, we already know that you did not have class but it isn t a bad idea to note that as well to remove any confusion. Class Hours on the MPR that don t match the listed hours of the class: If your class last term was a 3 credit class and you got super used to putting 3 hours in for your RT hours pleased double check that your class this term is STILL a 3 credit hour class. If you enter 3 instead of 4 or 4 instead of 2 we have to assume you meant to do this and cannot process your MPR until the problem is resolved. An MPR with handwritten OJT hours: Please do not submit an MPR with handwritten OJT hours. You don t want to do this anyway as it is much more difficult than entering your hours electronically into TradeSchool. See above explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions 1. I have a hard copy of my MPR with all the correct hours and signatures but I can t get to the office to turn it in! How can I make sure I m not late? You have a few options. You can scan and email your accurate, completed MPR to apprenticeship@pcc.edu. You can fax your accurate, completed MPR to 971-722- 5656. If you fax your MPR, be sure to make sure your MPR is facing the correct way and that you receive confirmation it went through. The computer lab at the Swan Island Trade Center (STC 134) is open from 8am-6pm, Monday-Thursday where you can use the scanner and computers to scan and then email your MPR to apprenticeship@pcc.edu. 2. Help! This month my class ends before the end of the month and I won t see my instructor again until after the 10th to get a signature. What do I do? Don t panic. There will be months when you only attend class for part of the month and then will not see your instructor again until after your MPR is due. This typically occurs in June when classes release for the Summer and in December when classes break for the holidays. In these months you will turn in TWO MPRs stapled together. You will turn in an electronic version with ALL of your hours (OJT AND RT), your journey worker s signature and your signature. You will ALSO turn in a second MPR with your RT hours handwritten, your instructor s signature (which you obtained on the last day of class) and your signature. 3. Help! I took a Coyne Class and forgot to get my instructor signature. What do I do? Sometimes you might take a one day class, forget to obtain a signature and then not see that instructor again. You still need to get the signature. If it is absolutely impossible for you to see that instructor again in person before your MPR is due you can often email the instructor and ask for email verification that you were in class. This email must include the class date and hours that you attended. If you can share that email record with us, we will process your MPR. 4. What do I do if I attended class for an approved reason on a day that wasn t officially scheduled for class? In rare cases your instructor may allow you to attend class on a day that is not an officially scheduled class day. This can happen if you are making up class hours due to weather or taking an exam early. In these cases, be sure you are entering your hours on the actual day you accrued them but then ALSO make a note in the Apprentice notes section that helps us understand why there are hours logged on a non-class day.
5. Help! I realized after I hit submit that I entered some hours incorrectly. What now? If you find an error such as an omission, wrong entry, etc. after you hit submit you still have options. If you have not yet turned in your signed hardcopy, mark the correction on the hardcopy & put your initials and have your instructor also initial by the correction. If you ve already submitted the hardcopy, email us at apprenticeship@pcc.edu so the correction can be documented and applied by administration. Depending on what needs to be corrected you may need to provide additional documentation. For BOLI audit purposes, any MPR adjustment must have written documentation for back-up. In many cases, if you have made a mistake on your MPR and must submit a corrected version, the corrected version will be late. Please know that it is ALWAYS more important to have a CORRECT but late MPR than no MPR at all. Among other things, an apprentice cannot be released to take their exam if they have any missing MPRs.