Government of Canada announces funding to help apprentices in British Columbia complete their skilled trades training

DELTA, BC, Dec. 7, 2018 /CNW/ - Giving every Canadian a real and fair chance at success means helping them get the skills and training they need to succeed in a changing economy. The skilled trades are good, well-paying, middle-class jobs, and the Government of Canada is committed to supporting key groups, such as women, Indigenous people, newcomers and people with disabilities, to work in the skilled trades, through funding for projects led by unions and other organizations.

That is why today, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, announced that the Government of Canada is providing over $762,000 to UA Piping Industry College of BC for its Diversity in the Workplace ? Trades Training Leading to Apprenticeship project. Funded under Stream 2 of the Union Training and Innovation Program, this project will support  approximately 90 high school students from key groups, including women, Indigenous people and newcomers from several British Columbia communities, including Delta, Hazelton, Kitimat, Kitwanga, Stewart, Thornhill and the Lower Mainland, to get trained and build careers in the skilled trades.

The students will first receive essential skills upgrading and hands-on experience in several trades that are in high demand, followed by an exploratory program which will teach them the basics of several Red Seal construction trades. They will get the opportunity to "try a trade" through practical workshops. Foundational courses in welding, piping or metal fabrication will support participants to complete their training in plumbing, steam fitting, sprinkler fitting, welding, and metal fabrication. By discovering which trades best meet their needs, participants will be able to make informed decisions about their careers and encouraged to complete their training. Additionally, this project will cover travel expenses for instructional staff as well as protective gear for participants.

As Canada's economy continues to grow and create good, well-paying jobs, the Government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians share in and benefit from this success.

Quotes

"Canada's future success depends on building an economy that is as inclusive as it is innovative. That's why our government is investing in this project that will help apprentices in several communities in British Columbia, and especially those who face additional barriers, to participate and succeed in the skilled trades, and start exciting and well-paying careers in the trades."
? The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

"The Union Training and Innovation Program will help new generations of workers benefit from the mentorship and training that unions and other training organizations are so well equipped to offer. Through this project, our government is building stronger communities and strengthening the middle class."
? The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility

"UA Local 170 and the UA Piping Industry College of BC, with funding support from the Union Training and Innovation Program, look forward to providing accessible training to individuals traditionally under-represented in the construction trades. This will provide opportunities for people, who may not otherwise be able, to become skilled tradespeople and to contribute to our workforce and growing economy. This will also ensure we are able to keep jobs local and keep members of our communities readily employed."
? Barry Donaldson, Executive Director of Apprenticeship and Training, UA Piping Industry College of BC

Quick Facts

• The Union Training and Innovation Program provides $25 million annually in funding to strengthen training in the trades.
• The Government of Canada also provides a range of supports to apprentices to help them complete their training and become certified. These include grants, loans and tax credits and Employment Insurance supports during technical training.
• More than 62,000 Canada Apprentice Loans totaling over $240 million have been provided to apprentices between since inception of the program in January 2015.
• Over 800,000 grants have been issued to apprentices, representing over $1 billion in funding since the introduction of the Apprenticeship Grants program.
• In Budget 2018, the Government announced three new initiatives: a pre-apprenticeship program, an Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women and the Women in Construction Fund. These new initiatives will further support key groups so they can succeed in the skilled trades.

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Backgrounder

The Union Training and Innovation Program, which was announced in Budget 2016, targets the Red Seal trades and involves broad-based partnerships with a number of stakeholders. It is expected that the Program will:

• 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 and Indigenous people.

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 jobsite.

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

To further help key groups in the trades, Budget 2018 announced three new initiatives:

• $46 million over five years, starting in 2018?19, with $10 million per year ongoing, for a new
  pre-apprenticeship program to encourage groups facing barriers to explore careers in the trades, gain work experience, make informed career choices, and develop the skills needed for the trades.
• Approximately $20 million over five years, starting in 2018?19, to support an Apprenticeship Incentive Grant for Women, a five-year pilot project where women would receive a new grant of $3,000 for each of their first two years of training in trades where women are under-represented. This, in combination with the existing Apprenticeship Completion Grant valued at $2,000, will result in a total of $8,000 in grant support over the course of their training; and
• $10 million over three years, starting in 2018?19, for the Women in Construction Fund, which supports projects building on existing models that have proven to be effective in attracting women to the trades, such as mentoring, coaching and tailored supports.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada