--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/apprenticeship-in-canadaa-training-system-under-siege/" title: "Apprenticeship in Canada: A Training System Under Siege?" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T14:09:41+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-14T00:32:04+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "apprenticeship" - "Canada" - "completion rates" - "construction sector" - "ESDC" - "gender" - "labour market" - "post-secondary education" - "provinces" - "Red Seal" - "skilled trades" - "training" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "Multi-province" research_theme: - "Labour Markets" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # Apprenticeship in Canada: A Training System Under Siege? Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/apprenticeship-in-canadaa-training-system-under-siege/ # Apprenticeship in Canada: A Training System Under Siege? [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls1999-03.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Sharpe, Andrew. 1999. “Apprenticeship in Canada: A Training System Under Siege?” CSLS Research Report 1999-03. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/apprenticeship-in-canadaa-training-system-under-siege/ ## Author: - Andrew Sharpe Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 1999-03 December 1999 59 pages ## Related research [Closing the First Nations Education Gap in Canada: Assessing Progress and Estimating the Economic Benefits — An Update Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2023 | Report 2023-01 | 101 pages](https://csls.ca/research/closing-the-first-nations-education-gap-in-canada-assessing-progress-and-estimating-the-economic-benefits-an-update-2023-01/) [Measuring the Appropriate Outcomes for Better Decision-Making: A Framework to Guide the Analysis of Health Policy Matthew Calver March 2016 | Report 2016-03 | 132 pages](https://csls.ca/research/measuring-the-appropriate-outcomes-for-better-decision-making-a-framework-to-guide-the-analysis-of-health-policy-2016-03/) [Living Standards Domain of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing Andrew Sharpe, Christopher Ross November 2011 | Report 2011-17 | 124 pages](https://csls.ca/research/living-standards-domain-of-the-canadian-index-of-wellbeing-2011-17/) [Productivity: Key to Economic Success Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) March 1998 | Report 1998-01 | 99 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-key-to-economic-success/) [A Survey of Indicators of Economic and Social Well-being Andrew Sharpe July 1999 | Report 1999-cprn | 72 pages](https://csls.ca/research/a-survey-of-indicators-of-economic-and-social-well-being/) [A Comparison of Canadian and U.S. Labour Market Performance, 1989-2000 Andrew Sharpe April 2001 | Report 2001-01 | 29 pages](https://csls.ca/research/a-comparison-of-canadian-and-u-s-labour-market-performance-1989-2000/) [Creating a More Efficient Labour Market Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2001 | Report 2001-02 | 147 pages](https://csls.ca/research/creating-a-more-efficient-labour-market/) [Productivity Trends in the Construction Sector: A Case of Lagging Technical Progress Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) November 2001 | Report 2001-03 | 177 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-the-construction-sector-a-case-of-lagging-technical-progress/) [The Impact of the National Child Benefit Supplement on the Low Income Status of Canadian Families with Children: The SPSD/M Results Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2002 | Report 2002-01 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-impact-of-the-national-child-benefit-supplement-on-the-low-income-status-of-canadian-families-with-children-the-spsd-m-results/) [Productivity Trends in Natural Resources Industries in Canada Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) February 2003 | Report 2003-01a | 69 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-natural-resources-industries-in-canada/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn This paper reviews apprenticeship trends in Canada over the two decades from 1977 to 1997, and examines prospects for labour market conditions in the construction sector to 2005. It identifies several serious weaknesses in the apprenticeship system: stagnation in new registrations during the 1990s; the inability to expand beyond traditional fields such as the construction trades into growing occupations; the failure to increase the extremely low proportion of women enrolled (3 per cent); uneven provincial development; a very low completion rate (9.5 per cent) due to high dropout rates; and a strong downward trend in completion rates, which declined by one third over the two-decade period. The paper also presents optimistic and pessimistic labour market scenarios for the construction sector to 2005, and concludes that the apprenticeship system’s weaknesses merit serious attention from all labour market partners. Cet article passe en revue les tendances de l’apprentissage au Canada au cours des deux décennies allant de 1977 à 1997, et examine les perspectives des conditions du marché du travail dans le secteur de la construction jusqu’en 2005. Il relève plusieurs lacunes importantes du système d’apprentissage : la stagnation des nouvelles inscriptions durant les années 1990; l’incapacité à s’étendre au-delà des domaines traditionnels comme les métiers de la construction pour englober des professions en croissance; l’échec à accroître la proportion extrêmement faible de femmes inscrites (3 %); un développement inégal entre les provinces; un taux d’achèvement très faible (9,5 %) attribuable à des taux d’abandon élevés; et une forte tendance à la baisse des taux d’achèvement, qui ont reculé d’un tiers sur la période de deux décennies. L’article présente également des scénarios optimistes et pessimistes du marché du travail pour le secteur de la construction jusqu’en 2005, et conclut que les faiblesses du système d’apprentissage méritent une attention sérieuse de la part de l’ensemble des partenaires du marché du travail. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls1999-03.pdf)