Sector studies indicate that 40% of the new jobs in Canada during the next decade will be trade related careers. With the baby boomer generation retiring at alarming rates, they are leaving with a vast amount of skill trade knowledge and experience.

A knowledge transfer will be crucial to Canada's future success. Apprenticeship programs are one method of assisting new trades people, by working alongside a knowledgeable worker to gain their experience.

Manufacturing Sector trade careers require hands-on daily activities working with a variety of tools and materials in potentially unpleasant environments such as high heat, extreme cold, dirt, toxic atmospheres confined spaces and/or high heights. The ability to diagnose and solve problems is a definite asset. Prerequisite training should include Grade 12 English, Mathematics, Physics and possibly Chemistry in addition to any trade experience, either formal or informal. Some high schools offer trade related classes such as construction, design and auto shop. Unfortunately, many other high schools dropped these types of classes as the resources to operate them were too expensive.

Apprenticeship Pathways

There are a number of potential streams from which an apprenticeship can begin. Many young apprentices are working toward or have completed their high school diploma.

All school boards across Ontario offer Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM), a Ministry of Education approved specialized program that allows students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector while meeting the requirements to graduate from secondary school. It also assists in their transition after graduation to apprenticeship training, college, university or the workplace.

• Identify, explore and refine career goals
• Gain sector-recognized certification and career-relevant training
• Develop Essential Skills and work habits
• Formal recognition on Ontario Student Transcript
• For more information
  http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/studentsuccess/pathways/shsm/shsm_fact_sheet.pdf

The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) is a school to work program that opens the door for students to explore and work in apprenticeship occupations starting in Grade 11 or Grade 12 through a cooperative education program. Students have an opportunity to become registered apprentices and work towards becoming certified journeypersons in a skilled trade. Upon graduation, OYAP students may choose to continue their full time employment with their high school coop employer or may choose post-secondary education.

• $40 apprenticeship registration fee waived
• Start skilled trade training while completing an Ontario Secondary School Diploma
• Effective school to work transition by direct entry into apprenticeship training
• Opportunity to complete their Level 1 Apprenticeship in selected skilled trades
• For more information
  http://www.oyap.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=content&PageID=9&PageCategory=8&SchoolBoardID=100

Grade 12 Graduates, summer students or casual employees may or may not have had the opportunity to participate in their high school's Specialist High Skills Major or Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program. Regardless, an Ontario Secondary School Diploma or equivalent is required to begin an apprenticeship program.

• May or may not have trade exposure or experience
• Prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) may be required
• After securing an Apprentice Sponsor, begin a traditional apprenticeship program
• Or, enrol in a post secondary apprenticeship training program

Second Career programs provide laid-off workers with skills training to help them find jobs in high-demand occupations such as skilled trades in Ontario. Financial support is provided by the provincial government as a cost-sharing grant on as needed basis.

• May be asked to contribute what you can to your training or education
• Support can include tuition, books, transportation, basic living allowance
• For more information
  http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/eng/secondcareer/whatitis.html

Many colleges offer Pre-Apprenticeship Training programs funded by the Government of Ontario. These full time programs in designated skilled trades are designed for participants interested in securing apprenticeships. Program offerings are subject to MTCU approval and labour market demand.

• Basic Level 1 apprenticeship training
• Academic upgrading and pre-apprenticeship trades-specific training
• Mandatory on-the-job work experience component

College Technician Training offers a sixteen month program (4 semesters) at numerous colleges across the province.

• Trade-specific training
• Credit for all three levels of trade school when registered as an apprentice
• College Technician Diploma

College Coop Diploma Apprenticeship Training (CODA) offers a thirty-two month program at numerous colleges across the province. Students typically enrol in the Technician Training program and are offered an opportunity to transfer into the CODA program after the first semester.

• Trade-specific training
• Credit for all three levels of trade school when registered as an apprentice
• Exposure to potential full time employers
• 16 months paid work experience
• College Technician Diploma
• College Coop Apprenticeship Diploma
• Graduates are recognized as an Intermediate Level 2 Apprentice

Apprentice Model

Traditional Apprenticeship Training

Apprenticeship training typically consists of 10% academic studies at a local college/training institution and 90% hands on experience with the Apprentice Sponsor (employer).

The academic studies are divided into three levels; Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. They can be delivered as Monday to Friday daytime classes referred to as block release for a period of eight weeks or day release on a specific day of each week for a period of forty weeks. This may be a preferable schedule for some employers who cannot release the apprentice for eight consecutive weeks.

An invitation from the Ministry of Training Colleges & Universities (MTCU) to attend trade school is mailed to the apprentice and the Apprentice Sponsor. The apprentice must confirm their attendance with the college/training institution after seeking permission to be of the job from their employer. A registration form must be completed and a tuition fee is payable to the college/training institution. It is important to respond to the invitation in a timely manner as the class will be cancelled if there is insufficient interest.

Many employers lay off their apprentices while they attend trade school, but qualifying apprentices can receive Employment Insurance after the mandatory two week waiting period. The waiting period is waived for the Intermediate and Advanced Level of trade school.

There are several factors which influence trade school scheduling. The MTCU must annually pre-arrange classes based on the number of apprentices in each specific trade in the college/training institutions' local catchment area. In some cases there may be insufficient apprentices to schedule a class and apprentices may have to register at another college/training institution.

Ideally, the three levels of trade school (equivalent to six months) are separated by approximately one year of hands-on experience. This practice provides an opportunity for the apprentice to attend each level and continue to complete the required competency skill sets in the trade's Training Standard for approximately forty-two months as defined by the MTCU guidelines before the final sign off by the employer. The apprentice can then apply for a Certificate of Apprenticeship and arrange to write the Certificate of Qualification examination.

Many colleges/training institutions offer a Certificate of Qualification Prep Course, designed to review the academic training prior to writing the exam. These are often schedule as a two week block release or offered as a night school program. Although there is a tuition fee, this refresher can be very helpful preparing for the exam, particularly if the academic training was offered on an annual schedule.

Coop Diploma Apprenticeship (CODA) Training

CODA programs are a relatively new form of apprenticeship training available for Industrial, Motive Power and Hospitality Sector trades.

Construction Sector trades are not offered in this format. The programs are only offered by some college/training institutions across Ontario, as they must submit their curriculum and be approved by the MTCU before delivery. A list of trades offered by colleges/training institutions across Ontario is available in the "CODA Programs Table".

These four semester technician programs typically begin in September. Before the end of the first semester, students are offered an opportunity to transfer their studies to a CODA program beginning with the second semester. There is substantial increase in tuition fees for the balance of the program to offset the cost of training required to enter the workplace, assistance with resume writing, access to job postings, interview techniques/schedules, workplace monitoring visits, student workplace experience reports and employer evaluations.

Some colleges/training institutions have partnered with consortiums consisting of local employers, unions representing those employers, sector councils, school boards and the MTCU. These training consortiums are recognized Apprentice Sponsors, able to assist students by acting as their sponsor to start an apprenticeship. This is a significant credential to add to the student's resume.

During the second semester studies, local employers submit job descriptions and postings indicating their interest in offering students a cooperative workplace experience. Interested students are invited to submit their resumes for review, transcripts, attend interviews and evaluations. Successful students are selected for paid work placements.

If a consortium is unavailable to act as an Apprentice Sponsor, the work placement employer can arrange for the student to be registered at the work site. Any federal or provincial employer tax credits are only available if the student is registered as an apprentice. If the apprentice was registered by the consortium, a no cost transfer is required by the MTCU. Some employers may not be able or qualified to act as an Apprentice Sponsor. The student can still accept the work placement, but will not be receive credit for completing any of the skill set competencies for their trade. Students are encouraged during the interview process to ask employers offering a work placement whether they are an Apprentice Sponsor.

During the work placement, the employer will provide health & safety training, access to required personal protective equipment and hands on experiential learning. The apprentice may be required write daily logs of their training experience, attend college/training institution progress monitoring sessions at the work site and complete workplace experience reports.

Upon completion of the first work placement, apprentice returns to the college/training institution for the third academic semester. Before the end of the semester, many of the employers will make offers to have satisfactory apprentices return for another paid work placement as they have already invested substantial resources in the apprentice's training.

After sixteen months of coop experience, many employers have reviewed their workforce plan and decided whether to make a conditional offer of employment for full time apprenticeship training, based on successful CODA program graduation.

Since CODA graduates complete the thirty-two month program with all three levels of trade school (equivalent to six months) and sixteen months of experience, they are recognized as a third year apprentice. Graduates receive dual certification, a Technician Diploma and a CODA Diploma. For most Apprenticeship Certification Act (ACA) Industrial Sector apprenticeships, this will still require an additional minimum twenty-six months of hands on experience to meet the MTCU guidelines. During this period, the apprentice will continue to complete the required competency skill sets in the trade's Training Standard and final sign off by the employer. The apprentice can then apply for a Certificate of Apprenticeship and arrange to write the Certificate of Qualification examination.

Apprentice Sponsorship

The most difficult challenge after investigating and choosing to begin a trade career is finding an employer willing and able to be an Apprentice Sponsor.

The Ministry of Training Colleges & Universities (MTCU) has several employer requirements, which include but are not limited to ensuring work sites have the equipment, materials and programs to deliver apprenticeship training competencies and that employer's trainers are qualified to train apprentices and sign off Training Standard skill sets.

Some employers may not wish to sponsor an apprentice before they have an opportunity to assess the individual. This makes it very difficult for someone to begin an apprenticeship, because the employer insists they hire the individual as a labourer, before the employer makes the decision to sponsor the individual as an apprentice.

Other employers are reluctant to hire an in-experienced person into a trade career, fearing that the Apprentice Sponsor Agreement is in fact a guarantee of employment. Although the document is a tripartite agreement, the employer is only agreeing to the training requirements described above. The apprentice agrees to be trained and the MTCU agrees to administrate the process.

The registration documents can be completed at the employer's work site, with all three parties attending. Prospective apprentices must come prepared with their personal information, proof of Grade 12 Graduation or equivalent, Social Insurance Number and the $40 cash registration fee or payable to the Minister of Finance. Upon completion of the paperwork, the MTCU Training Consultant will issue a Training Standard book of competency skill sets and explain the apprenticeship training process, roles and responsibilities. The Consultant will also explain the financial support available to the apprentice such as the Canadian Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, the Canadian Apprenticeship Completion Grant, the Ontario Loans for Tools and the Canadian Trades Tool Deduction.