Apprenticeship is a structured system of supervised training that leads to certification in a designated trade, occupation or craft. Most of the training provided by qualified employers in a workplace setting. This gives the apprentice the hands-on training required to learn the trade. . Apprenticeship programs also involve some classroom instruction, normally offered by a community college or approved training centre. About 90 percent of apprenticeship training occurs in the workplace.
The most important benefit of apprenticeship is that you can earn while you learn. Apprentices are paid for the work that they do while training for certification. The starting wage for apprentices is normally half of what a certified trade person would earn.
Becoming certified in a skilled trade means that you have demonstrated a measure of success and mastery in your field. Your success will be recognised and rewarded, not only by your earnings, but also by the respect of your peers and your industry. Many of the people who work in the skilled trades chose to relocate and work in any province in Canada.
Employers benefit from apprenticeship training as well. By training apprentices employers ensure that they will have the skilled workers they need to meet their customers’ demands. This in turn fuels a stronger economy, and leads to increased productivity.
The Apprenticeship and Certification Act was recently proclaimed by the Government of Ontario. This Act introduces changes in legislation and regulations involving apprenticeship, and sets new standards for delivery of training to apprentices. It expands apprenticeship training to new trades, and increases opportunities for training by broadening the groups that can sponsor apprenticeship training.
The Trades Qualification and Apprenticeship Act will continue to govern training for skilled trades in construction, at the request of the industry.
These changes haveaffected the entry requirements for some skilled trades. For more information about these changes and how they may affect you, contact your local Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities Apprenticeship office or check out the New Releases at www.edu.gov.on.ca