Secondary school teachers and guidance counsellors often do not prepare students to consider apprenticeships, reflecting their own lack of awareness of the trades.

Most studies perceived educators as another key “influencer” group in terms of youth awareness, interest, and participation in trades careers and apprenticeship—particularly secondary school teachers and career or guidance counsellors. This conclusion, however, was not universal. One study (Sweet and Gallagher, 1997) found that government agencies and school counsellors are not perceived to be a useful source of advice or information. A second study (Prism Economics and Analysis, 2000) concluded that high school counselling was largely irrelevant in prompting entry into carpentry and allied trades.

Several studies, and many interviews, found that teachers, as graduates of academic programs themselves, are unlikely to promote particular industries and their skilled trades (Convergence Management Consultants Ltd., 1996; ). Interviewees felt that the attitude of many guidance counsellors towards apprenticeship is often very negative, reflecting a lack of knowledge of the complexity of the work involved and the level of difficulty associated with the material being taught (). For example, one specific study (CARS Council, 1999) found that teachers and counsellors held the following views towards the automotive trades:

• Working environment is not suitable for young women
• Too difficult to access apprenticeship without a college diploma
• Working conditions not suitable for youths (low wages, layoffs)
• Need for constant retraining might represent a disincentive to youth
• Mechanics perceived as dishonest and untrustworthy
• Initial jobs would involve repetitive and mundane work

Interviewees were concerned that guidance counsellors may send their schools’ academically weaker students to industrial arts programs and apprenticeship programs, which are actually highly challenging, both academically and technically. This attitude reflects an inadequate understanding within high schools of the technological aspects of many trades (GPC International, 2001). As a result, students in these courses are often seen as “second class” ().

Some key informants encouraged counsellors to use mechanisms and support materials to their full advantage to give students an idea of what trades are available, and where apprenticeships can lead (). These respondents suggest that guidance counsellors need to use such tools to make up for their own lack of expertise in trades fields and their frequent preoccupation with students’ social or psychological problems ().

In the view of some educators, the lack of coordination between guidance counsellors and provincial apprenticeship authorities has resulted in a wide variation in the amount of information guidance counsellors have at their disposal to promote apprenticeship; given the turnover of guidance counsellors in some provinces, there is all the more need to better promote the tools and materials developed by the provinces (Vachon, 2000). One government respondent similarly lamented the lack of contact between high schools and front-line government representatives; the same respondent, however, emphasized that the representatives’ caseloads are heavy and their overall number is small ().

Other jurisdictional representatives identified a lack of major communications about apprenticeship and trades careers (). One of them maintained: “We don’t have a coordinated, national communications and marketing strategy that would allow us to reach the aforementioned groups and change the mindset” ().

In many cases, negative perceptions of the trades among students are strongly reinforced within schools.

Despite examples of successful practices across the country, education systems include many barriers to young people learning about, choosing and participating in apprenticeship and trades-related programs. In many cases, these barriers relate to school structures and curricula, although one jurisdictional representative believed there was also resistance from certain segments of the education system—particularly at the high school level—to promote apprenticeship, as it is perceived to compete with the more desirable university career track. This representative suggested one solution might be to ensure participants end up with both a trade certificate and a high school diploma ().