Minister Kenney tours LiUNA Local 506 Training Centre to discuss apprenticeship and job creation

Government of Canada supports apprentices

TORONTO, Jan. 17, 2014 /CNW/ - The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism, spoke today with participants and instructors at the Labourers International Union of North America (LiUNA) about the Government of Canada's support for skills training, including training for apprentices.

Minister Kenney highlighted the importance of supporting apprenticeships to help address the pressing demand for skilled tradesmen. He noted several steps that are being pursued, including: encouraging harmonized apprenticeship requirements among the provinces and territories, supporting the use of apprentices in federal contracts and projects, and providing grants and tax credits to apprentices and the employers who hire them.

Quick facts

• In a study completed by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) and Skills Canada, only 32 percent of high school students said they would consider a career in the skilled trades. According to Statistics Canada, the average age for entry of an apprentice is 25 years. As part of Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government of Canada announced measures to create more opportunities for apprentices and to promote careers in the skilled trades.
  
  
• There continue to be many challenges for apprentices, including low completion rates, lack of employer participation, inconsistencies between provincial and territorial apprenticeship systems and high apprentice-to-journeymen ratios in some provinces.
  
  
• The LiUNA Local 506 Training Centre provides training for apprentices and members in construction-related skills, as well as health and safety.

Quotes

"Our Government's top priority remains creating jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity. With apprenticeship grants, tax credits and investments in training, our government is helping apprentices get the skills they need to fill well-paying jobs available in the Canadian economy."
- The Honourable Jason Kenney
Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism

"The skilled trades need to be recognized as a viable option to post-secondary education. Skilled workers are in high demand. The skilled trades offer a career path that allows you to earn a competitive wage while you develop the skills to work in construction. A unionized multi-employer approach gives apprentices a greater opportunity to complete their apprenticeship, which will gain them access to grants and provide higher earning capacity and potential. It is our responsibility to the youth of Canada to educate them about the benefits of careers in the skilled trades, and to recruit them for those careers."
- Ted Gedney
LIUNA Local 506 Training Director

Associated Links

< http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do;jsessionid=ac1b105430d848c151e529b548978c19fad7af053f7f.e34Rc3iMbx8Oai0Tbx0SaxqMb3v0?crtr.sj1D=&crtr.mnthndVl=1&mthd=advSrch&crtr.dpt1D=420&nid=809409&crtr.lc1D=&crtr.tp1D=1&crtr.yrStrtVl=2008&crtr.kw=&crtr.dyStrtVl=26&crtr.aud1D=&crtr.mnthStrtVl=2&crtr.page=1&crtr.yrndVl=2015&crtr.dyndVl=4 > Federal and Provincial Governments help apprentices and create jobs in Atlantic Canada
< www.actionplan.gc.ca/en/initiative/canada-job-grant > Canada Job Grant

Backgrounder

Support for apprentices

The Apprenticeship Incentive Grant and Apprenticeship Completion Grant are taxable cash grants that encourage Canadians to pursue and complete apprenticeship training in designated Red Seal trades. As a result of these grants, apprentices could be eligible to receive up to $4,000, which can be used to pay for tuition, tools or other expenses.

The Government of Canada also offers a tax credit to employers to encourage them to hire apprentices and a tax deduction for apprentices and tradesmen to help cover the cost of new tools.

Through Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government of Canada introduced measures to support apprentices and the skilled trades. This includes encouraging the use of apprentices in federal construction and maintenance contracts and infrastructure projects, working with the provinces and territories to harmonize apprenticeship training and certification, and examining the use of practical tests as an assessment in certain skilled trades.

Promoting careers in the skilled trades

Also through Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government proposed to provide more information on job prospects and the benefits of working in the skilled trades, science, technology, engineering and mathematics to promote education in these high-demand fields.

Canada Job Grant

The Government of Canada is also working to implement the Canada Job Grant, which will provide funding for skills training for unemployed and underemployed Canadians to help them become qualified to fill skills shortages and succeed in the job market.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada