Construction (especially residential) respondents added that the seasonality of their industry further affected their ability to guarantee sufficient employment to meet these responsibilities, although this seasonality was tempered by the use of modular construction techniques. Respondents in the hospitality industry shared similar concerns (Gunderson, 2001; ).

Smaller employers reported these difficulties as well, as did employers in rural and remote locations. This view was also supported by government representatives who felt that, by virtue of the economic conditions and the lack of economies of scale, small businesses simply cannot offer a large number of apprenticeships, and find it difficult to employ adequate numbers of journeypersons ().

Some employers noted that seniority provisions in collective agreements may interfere with the ability of employers to manage their apprenticeship programs and interrupt apprenticeships during employment downturns.

Some unionized employers felt that seniority provisions may impede employers’ ability to select apprenticeship candidates on the basis of aptitude, motivation, ability or academic qualifications. These provisions may result in apprentices who are older, more expensive in terms of wages and benefits, and perhaps less able to cope with a school environment (Kunin and Associates, 2002; Robertson, 2002; ).

While apprentices are often the first to be laid off when business conditions are slow, it was also stressed that this problem may be more likely in workplaces governed by job seniority provisions (Nova Scotia Labour Market Development Secretariat, 1999). Lay-offs may interrupt training, and may lead apprentices to leave their training if the layoffs are prolonged, resulting in the loss of employer and apprentice investment (). One respondent, however, noted that this problem is less of an issue than it was in the early 1980s ().

Labour respondents shared these concerns. A number of labour representatives pointed out that an aging workforce in many trades makes it vital that succession issues be dealt with as pragmatically as possible ().