The Apprenticeship System in Canada: Trends and Issues

This report provides an overview of the trends and issues related to the apprenticeship system in Canada. The report is divided into eight major sections. Section one presents two different approaches to the evaluation of the apprenticeship system, namely the school-to-work transitions perspective and the skills deficit perspective. Section two discusses theoretical perspectives on apprenticeship looking at employer, employee and government approaches. Section three reviews the institutional features of national apprenticeship systems in Germany, France, Great Britain, Ireland, and Australia. Section four examines developments in apprenticeship programs in Canada, including trends in registrations and completions, with data broken down by trade, province and gender. Section five discusses the factors determining apprenticeship registrations and completion in Canada, including awareness of the apprenticeship system, the costs of apprenticeship to apprentices and employers, employment stability, program structure, training quality, gender equity, and apprenticeship training outcomes. Section six reviews institutional innovations in the apprenticeship system in Canada focusing on developments at the federal level, and in British Columbia, Ontario, Alberta, and Quebec. Section seven identifies and discusses key issues facing the apprenticeship system in Canada, including constraints on apprenticeship registration, low and falling completion rates, and the potential for the expansion of the apprenticeship system. Section eight lays out knowledge gaps related to our understanding of the apprenticeship system and areas for further research. The report concludes that the market for apprenticeship is principally constrained by employer demand rather than by the supply of potential apprentices. Consequently, it proposes reforms based on three main principles: apprenticeship programs should focus on improving the quality rather than the quantity of potential apprentices; financial incentives should be primarily directed towards firms; and strong apprenticeship sectoral committees are important in improving apprenticeship training and helping employers make investments in apprentices.