Ontario employers get help to hire and train apprentices in the electrical sector with Government of Canada's support

ETOBICOKE, ON, Sept. 21, 2018 /CNW/ - Canada's future prosperity depends on every Canadian having the skills, training and experience they need to get good-quality jobs and succeed in a changing economy. The skilled trades offer good middle-class jobs that are in demand and pay well.

Today the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced that the Government of Canada is providing over $618,000 to the Ontario Electrical League for the Consortia Pilot Project ? Employer Engagement. This investment will help increase the number of employers who train apprentices in the electrical sector.

The Ontario Electrical League will recruit and train employers who have never been involved in apprenticeship training. A total of 20 employers and 20 apprentices will benefit from the investment and an employer consortium will be created. At the end of the project, lessons learned during the pilot will be expanded to other geographic areas in Ontario so that more employers can benefit from them.

Apprentices alternate between periods of on-the-job training and technical training before they can become certified journeypersons. One of the long-standing challenges that prevents apprentices from completing their training is low employer engagement. Employers also face a number of barriers to participating in apprenticeship, such as high administrative burden, difficulty connecting with apprentices and lack of work for the full scope of the trade. By increasing the number of employers involved in apprenticeships, the Government of Canada is helping to ensure that Canada has the skilled tradespeople it needs to meet the needs of the labour market.

Through this pilot, the Government is not only supporting employers but also investing in the next generation of skilled tradespeople so they can all share in Canada's prosperity.

Quotes

"We know that apprentices often have a hard time finding an employer to help them complete their training. This investment will help more employers get involved in apprenticeship training so that more apprentices have a fair chance at success. As Canada's economy continues to grow, the Government is ensuring that Canadians are ready to fill the good-quality jobs that are being created."
? The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

"This is a ground-breaking initiative for both employers and apprentices in the electrical and mechanical trades. The program streamlines every step of the hiring and training process, so employers can focus on providing quality on-the-job training for apprentices. The resources, like experienced industry mentors and a web-based hiring tool, are tailored specifically to busy employers' needs so they can invest in the future of their companies and support a productive employer and apprentice experience."
? Stephen Sell, President, Ontario Electrical League

Quick Facts

• According to the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, only one in five employers in the skilled trades hire and train apprentices. Yet, apprentices spend 80 to 90 percent of their training time on the job.
• In October 2016, the Forum of Labour Market Ministers committed to explore innovative approaches to increase employer engagement in apprenticeship.
• The Government of Canada makes significant investments in apprenticeship and the skilled trades through the Red Seal program and other federal supports for apprenticeship. These include grants, loans, tax credits and Employment Insurance benefits during in-school technical training.
• In 2017, the Government also launched the Union Training and Innovation Program that provides $25 million in union-based apprenticeship training, innovation and enhanced partnerships.
• In Budget 2018, the Government announced three new initiatives to further support groups facing barriers so they can succeed in the skilled trades, including a Pre-Apprenticeship Program, an Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women and the Women in Construction Fund.

Associated Links

Investments in Training Equipment ? Call for Proposals
Union Training and Innovation Program
Support for Apprentices

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Backgrounder

The Union Training and Innovation Program

The Union Training and Innovation Program, which was launched last year, targets the Red Seal trades and involves broad-based partnerships with a number of stakeholders. The Program provides $25 million annually to:

• help improve the quality of training through investments in equipment;
• support innovative approaches and partnerships with other stakeholders; and
• reduce barriers to participation and success in the trades for key groups including women, Indigenous people, newcomers and people with disabilities.

The Program, which has two streams, is open to all unions, including those that do not provide training recognized by provinces and territories as technical apprenticeship training, and those that do not operate training facilities.

• Stream 1 helps unions purchase new and up-to-date training equipment. Continuous technological change puts pressure on training providers to ensure workers are developing the right skills needed on the job site.
• Stream 2 focuses on innovative approaches to help address challenges limiting apprenticeship outcomes, including barriers to participation and success in the trades for key groups such as women and Indigenous people. This stream is open to a range of stakeholders and partners, but unions need to be involved, either as the lead or as a partner on projects.

The Government of Canada is investing significantly (approximately $700 million annually) in apprenticeship through grants, loans, tax credits, project funding, support for the Red Seal program and Employment Insurance benefits during in-school training. The Government is also working with the provinces and territories to harmonize apprenticeship training requirements in Red Seal trades.

Budget 2018 investments in skilled trades

Budget 2018 announced three new initiatives to help apprentices succeed:

• Starting in 2018?19, $46 million will be invested over five years, with $10 million per year thereafter, for a new Pre?Apprenticeship program to help Canadians?including those who face barriers, such as women, Indigenous people, newcomers, people with disabilities and youth?explore the trades, gain work experience, make informed career choices and develop the skills needed to find and keep good, well-paying jobs in the trades.
• Starting in 2018?19, approximately $20 million over five years will be invested to support an Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women, a five-year pilot project where women in Red Seal trades that have low female representation would receive a new grant of $3,000 for each of their first two years of training. This, in combination with the existing Apprenticeship Completion Grant valued at $2,000, will result in a total of $8,000 in support over the course of their training.
• Starting in 2018?19, $10 million will be invested over three years for the new Women in Construction Fund, which will build on existing models that have proven to be effective in attracting women to the trades. These models provide supports such as mentoring, coaching and tailored supports that help women progress through their training and find and retain jobs in the trades.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada