In the trades, apprentices are increasing, but not enough are making it to certification

This time next year, Joella Fletcher plans to study or take the final exam to become a certified Red Seal carpenter.

The determined Level 2 carpentry apprentice from suburban Stratford, Ontario, has had a pretty easy road since choosing the trade over university. She took a job at a woodworking co-op and was given the opportunity to take dual credit in 12th grade, which led to college through a pre-apprenticeship program that matched her with her current employer.

However, Fletcher's journey hasn't been smooth. For example, she conducted early research on her own because school counselors didn't have much information. Official tracking of her internship required to obtain her certification was also delayed.

“I was about a year, a year and a half before I even realized that I needed logbook for various jobs that I had to complete and sign,” the 21-year-old said.

According to Statistics Canada, Canada is registering more new apprentices than in the last ten years, but the number of apprentices completing certification on time remains much lower. Financial concerns, early employment difficulties, uneven leadership and mentoring for both apprentices and journeymen are some of the obstacles that baffle young professionals today.

New registrations in apprenticeship programs across the country reached a record high of 101,541 in 2024, up nearly six percent from the previous year. Statistics Canada reported this month.

What contributed to this growth? Aspiring plumbers, pipefitters and machinists, electricians and finishers registering in Alberta and British Columbia, as well as people wanting to become auto service workers and electricians in Ontario.

However, with 46,971 certificates issued in 2024, the completion rate (19.9%) remains lower than pre-pandemic levels, while the retention rate—students enrolled in programs but not yet certified—remains elevated (49.2%).

“The number of new registrations going up is great, but we need people to fill them,” said Emily Arrowsmith, director of research at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, a national non-profit advocacy and research organization.

“We need to offer that support and resources and guide them through the program because if a group of people just drop out of the program, it doesn't matter if there are new enrollments.”

The number of certified professionals in Canada has been declining over the past decade, Arrowsmith said, adding that traditionally there have been a number of barriers standing in the way.

This includes Level 1 or Level 2 apprentices who are unable to find employers who will sponsor them, as well as apprentices on good wages who are hesitant to take a pay cut to attend the training blocks required to progress to the next level.

Employers reluctant to release workers for training during busy periods and students worried about taking final certification exams are also ongoing concerns.

Meanwhile, bullying and harassment continue to persist in the trade, with people in priority stock groups often leaving “because they just don't feel welcome”, Arrowsmith said.

She also noted a decline in employer investment in training and mentoring overall across Canada.

The issue needs to be addressed on multiple fronts—whether by training more current professionals to become apprentice mentors, exploring adjustments to the journeyman-to-apprentice ratio, or ensuring that training requirements are included in any new announced infrastructure project, says Jeff Sloychuk, president of the Yukon Construction Trades Council.

“We teach how to read blueprints. We teach how to lay concrete. We teach how to make welds. We don't teach real mentor skills,” he said from Whitehorse.

Sloychuk mentioned a recent project in the Yukon that hired one apprentice when he thought dozens could have been hired.

“They said, 'This is not a class job.' Well, from our point of view, every job is a learning job, especially when you are using public money,” he said.

Sloychuk is originally from a fly-in community and has lived and worked in similar cities in Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. As such, he also wants to see more initiatives supporting an alternative certification path for professionals in remote regions that takes into account their hours and experience.

He also suggests creating more opportunities to train and test students locally, rather than forcing people to travel long distances to advance their careers.

Fewer apprentices receiving certificates means fewer apprentices to guide and train subsequent apprentices and workers, he said.

“It's a chicken and egg situation.”

Repeating successes in other countries

Successes in other countries may also offer ideas for Canada.

Arrowsmith noted that Germany's education system, known for its strong vocational sector, exposes students to these roles early, while German firms place a high value on apprenticeships and on-the-job training.

“German employers see it more as an investment, while Canadian employers see it as a cost,” she said.

Employers may be reluctant to take on Level 1 or 2 apprentices – who are also often the first to be laid off when work slows – but in Australia, Arrowsmith says there is a government-funded intermediary that connects apprentices with suitable jobs, helps with administrative tasks (such as tracking time), and can also help apprentices find a new employer if a job ends early.

She noted that in Canada, some First Nations have a similar system.

“It simply helps young people manage apprenticeships rather than forcing young people to find work on their own,” she said, adding that the model also helps small and medium-sized firms that may not have the finances to support apprentices throughout their multi-year apprenticeship.

During her apprenticeship, Samara Sampson was often the lone woman in both classrooms and work places. So the sheet metal worker ventured onto social media to connect with other women in the industry.

Chats and messages with a few like-minded people soon led to the creation of Women on Place, a growing network where women and traders from underrepresented groups exchange stories and advice, and gather for socializing events such as weekend hikes.

It's the organic connections that make mentoring “less intimidating and easier,” said Sampson, who is now a certified traveler.

She believes more workplace mentors and ongoing support, as well as improving workplace culture to be more inclusive, will help retain more apprentices.

“We've done a really good job of getting resources and working on recruiting,” Sampson said.

“It’s the retention element that people need to pay more attention to because you’re investing a lot in attracting these people.”