3. Perceptions of Barriers to Apprenticeship
As indicated, the CAF-FCA has identified the issue of accessibility and barriers to apprenticeship as an area of key concern. The issue has become increasingly important in the current context of Canadian economic, demographic and public-policy developments. This report presents research findings as a synopsis of a range of perceptions relative to the barriers. These findings are presented
to engage the apprenticeship community into thinking about ways to address the barriers.
During the Accessibility and Removal of Barriers Project, the research team explored the perspectives of individuals, unions, employers, government representatives and educators concerning
the barriers to initiating, maintaining and successfully completing apprenticeships. The research included the views of members of equity groups, women, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and immigrants. Immigrants, who comprise a growing percentage of Canada’s labour force, were included, because they face specific barriers associated with their immigrant status.
In reviewing responses, researchers were struck by the similarity in the barriers identified by respondents. In many cases, several groups cited the same barrier, although it was described in different terms and often took a different form for members of individual apprenticeship groups. As a result, the research identified a group of nine generic barriers listed below:
- Negative attitudes to apprenticeship, and a poor image of the trades by young people, parents and employers.
- A lack of information and awareness of apprenticeship, often reinforced by a lack of support for trades among schoolteachers and guidance counsellors, and within school curricula.
- Some apprentices, particularly women, Aboriginal people, members of visible-minority groups, recent immigrants, and persons with disabilities, face a number of barriers that can create an unwelcoming workplace or training environment.
- The high costs of apprenticeship for individuals, unions and employers, including wage and supervision costs for employers and rising tuition and tool costs, and the income interruption
caused by block release for individuals.
- Strong concerns among employers, unions and individuals over the impacts of economic factors that can lead to a lack of work hours and interruptions or possibly terminations of apprenticeships.
- Concerns regarding the lack of resources to support apprenticeship, including those of jurisdictions, schools, communities and agencies
providing services to communities or groups of individuals.
- Concerns, particularly on the part of employers, about apprentices’ basic and essential skills.
- Shortcomings of workplace-based and technical training; for example, inflexible block release arrangements, a lack of flexible technical-training options, a lack of mentorship programs, and journeypersons unprepared for roles as trainers and mentors.
- Regulations governing apprenticeship, such as inflexible journeyperson/apprenticeship ratios and licensing requirements, and the absence of national standards or core curricula in some trades.