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Trends in Registered Apprenticeship Training in Canada

Karl Skof
Centre for Education Statistics
Statistics Canada

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An overview of apprenticeship training in Canada
Registrations and average age
Trends in total registrations, by major trade group
Trends in completions, by major trade group
Conclusion

There is growing concern about potential labour shortages in various skilled trades across Canada.1 While perspectives vary

on the severity of the issue by trade and by province and territory, there is agreement that apprenticeship programs need special attention to ensure that there will be sufficient numbers of certified skilled workers to meet labour market needs in coming years.

This article draws on the latest data from Statistics Canada's Registered Apprenticeship Information System (RAIS) to examine trends in apprenticeship training in Canada over the 1991 to 2003 period. Information is provided for trends in the total number of registrations, new registrations and completions. Information is provided as well for trends across the major trades groups that participate in the registered apprenticeship training system in Canada.

An overview of apprenticeship training in Canada

Registered apprenticeship training is well-established in Canada. All provinces and territories require, as part of the training program, periods of in-class and on-the-job training over the designated length of the program. In most provinces and territories, a mix of in-class and on-the-job training is taken each year. In Quebec, all the technical in-class training is completed prior to beginning the required period of on-the-job training.

The expected length of apprenticeship training in each trade depends on the province or territory and, in most cases, is two to five periods in length (either years or levels depending on the province and territory).2 The in-class technical training ranges between four and twelve weeks each year, again depending on the jurisdiction, and can be taken in full-time blocks or as modular, part-time, evening or weekend courses.

In order to become a registered apprentice, most provinces and territories require the individual to be a minimum age of 16 and again, depending on the jurisdiction and trade, to have successfully completed grade 12 or to have an equivalent amount of work experience and related education. The prospective apprentice must then find an employer who is willing to provide the required training and who employs qualified journeypersons to train and mentor the apprentice. The apprentice and the employer sign an agreement that outlines the terms of the apprenticeship; this contract is registered with and administered by the apprenticeship branch of the respective province or territory.

Upon completion of the in-class and the on-the-job training, the apprentice is required to write an examination and, if successful, is given a Certificate of Apprenticeship and a Certificate of Qualification, and the designation of certified journeyperson.

Registered apprenticeship training in a trade can be either compulsory or voluntary, depending on the regulations of each province or territory. If a compulsory trade, work is restricted to individuals who must be either a journeyperson with a Certificate of Qualification or a registered apprentice receiving training. In voluntary trades, persons working in the trade are not required to be a licensed journeyperson or a registered apprentice; however, the trade is regulated by the province or territory and formal apprenticeship training is available.

Certain trades in Canada have been recognized as Interprovincial Standards Red Seal trades. This group of trades, which currently numbers 45, was established to provide mobility for journeypersons who have obtained a Red Seal endorsement on their certificate of qualification, thus allowing them to work in any province or territory that recognizes these trades without having to re-write their examinations.

The numerous registered apprenticeship trades across Canada can be grouped into seven major trade groups, consisting of: building construction trades; electrical, electronics and related trades; food and services trades; industrial and related mechanical trades; metal fabricating trades; motor vehicle and heavy equipment trades; and other trades.

The trades-composition of most major trade groups has varied very little over time. The exception is the 'other trades' group, which has expanded over the years to include a variety of newly-established registered apprenticeship programs. Set dresser, grip and assistant cameraperson are examples of newer programs in the motion picture and theatre sector, part of the 'other trades' group. Other new trades include child and youth worker and early childhood educator. Also included in 'other trades' are pork production technician and agricultural dairy herdsperson.

Registrations and average age

In 2003, the average age of all apprentices was 30.1, up from 29.4 in 1993 (Table 1). An increase in the average age of apprentices is evident for most of the major trade groups. In the 'other trades' group, average age was up by almost three years to 32.5, and in the electrical, electronics and related trade group, it was up by about two years to 30.5 in 2003. The only trade group to experience a decrease in average age was the industrial and related mechanical group, but that decrease was from age 32.5 to 31.9. Apprentices tended to be younger in the food and services trade group, where the average age was 27.5 in 2003.

It might be expected that new registrants would be younger than the general population of registered apprentices. In 1993, the average age for new registrations was 27.9, almost two years younger than the average age for all registrations. In 2003, there was close to a three-year difference, with the average age for all registrations rising to 30.1 and the average for the new registrations at 27.6.

The youngest new registrations in 1993 were found in the food and services group, with an average age of 26.2. In 2003, the food and services group still had the youngest new registrations (average age of 24.9). The biggest change since 1993 was in the average age of new registrants in the industrial and related mechanical trade group. In 1993, new registrants in this group averaged 30.7 years old; by 2003, this average had dropped to 28.6 years old.

These averages mask some interesting trends in the age composition of apprentices. Overall, the number of registrations among individuals aged 40 or more almost tripled between 1993 and 2003, whereas the total number of registrations increased by only about one-third (Table 2). On the other hand, there also was a large increase in the number of apprentices under 20 years of age, which rose from about 3,600 in 1993 to reach 15,500 in 2003, an almost five-fold increase. This jump in the number of younger apprentices may reflect the influence of the many provincially-sponsored programs introduced over the past several years to encourage high school students to consider registered apprenticeship training for their post-secondary education.

Trends in total registrations, by major trade group

Observation of the trends in the total number of registrations in apprenticeship training programs between 1991 and 2003 show a relationship with the business cycle and related fluctuations in the demand for skilled trades workers. Total registrations include the still-registered apprentices from the previous year plus newly-registered apprentices from the current year.

The apprenticeship numbers in 1991 stood at about 192,900, which was a high point after a recovery from the recession of the early and mid 1980's (Figure 1). The early 1990's witnessed another recession and this can be seen in the dramatic decline in the number of apprenticeships by almost 30,000 between 1991 and 1995. As economic conditions began to improve, so too did the number of registered apprentices. From a low point in 1995 of about 163,400 registered apprentices, the number increased steadily to reach 249,800 in 2003.

In 2003, the largest number of apprenticeship registrations was in the building construction trades group, at 53,600; this was also the largest trades group in 1991, with 46,900 registered apprentices (Table 3). The building construction group recovered from a slump in the mid-to-late 1990's, when the number of registrations was at a low of about 33,000. The recovery in the building construction group, especially in the early 2000s, was largely due to a building boom over this period, when building permits set new records, mostly in the residential housing sector.3

The recession of the early-to-mid 1990s affected most of the other major trade groups as well. In the metal fabricating and the motor vehicle and heavy equipment trades groups, the number of registrations fell during the early and mid 1990's, followed by a recovery in the latter part of the 1990's. During this period, of the smaller trade groups, only the industrial and related mechanical trades suffered losses during the recessionary period, with the number of registered apprenticeships falling from almost 16,000 in 1991 to just over 13,200 in 1994. In 2003, this major trade group registered its highest number of registrations, at 19,500.

Figure 1: Trends in Registered Apprenticeship Training, Canada, 1991 to 2003

Figure 1: Trends in Registered Apprenticeship 
        Training, Canada, 1991 to 2003
Source: Statistics Canada, Registered Apprenticeship Information System.

In food and services and 'other trades,' two of the smaller trade groups, the number of registrations fluctuated only slightly in the early 1990's. A trend toward steady increases in the number of registered apprentices in these two trade groups began in the mid-1990s and continued to 2003, with registrations in both groups more than doubling between 1991 and 2003. Growth in the 'other trades' reflected both the addition of several new trades over this period, as well as growth in the number of registered apprenticeships in existing trades.

The steady increases in total registrations in apprenticeship training since the late 1990's reflect steady increases in the number of new registrations each year. In 2003, the number of new registrations reached almost 55,000, close to double the number in 1992, when new registrations were at their lowest level, at only 28,900 (Table 4).

The bulk of the new registrations in 2003 occurred in the three largest major trade groups. The building construction group accounted for one quarter of new registrants, while the motor vehicle and heavy equipment and metal fabricating trades each accounted for 20%. After 2001, most of the major trade groups began to show some decline in new registrations; this was especially the case in the food and services and metal fabricating groups, each with over 1,000 fewer new registrations in 2003 compared to 2001. Only the building construction trades group and the 'other trades' group still had increasing numbers up to 2003.

Trends in completions, by major trade group

Like the trend in the total number of registrations, the number of completions also experienced a decline in the mid 1990's and then began to increase again. However, completions have not quite returned to the previous high reached in 1991. In 1991, apprenticeship completions numbered 19,700; this figure dropped to just over 16,000 in 1996. Similar to the pattern in total registrations, the number of completions began to increase again after 1996, but at a slower rate than total registrations.

In 2003, the largest number of completions occurred in the metal fabricating trades and in the motor vehicle and heavy equipment trades, with 4,400 and 4,200 completions, respectively; together, these accounted for close to half (47%) of all completions in 2003 (Table 5). Both groups experienced some decrease in completion numbers during the early 1990's and underwent a recovery again leading up to 2003.

The food and services group surpassed its previous high in 1997, increasing from 1,851 completions in 1991 to 2,700 in 1997. However, completions in this major trade group have been on a decreasing trend since 1998, reaching just over 2,000 completions in 2003. A similar pattern occurred in the industrial and related mechanical trades, which surpassed its previous 1991 high in 1999, but which has experienced a decrease in completion numbers since then, while registrations continued to increase.

The trend toward increasing registrations from the mid 1990's, with struggling increases in completion numbers, also occurred in the building construction trades and in the electrical, electronics and related trades. Over the 1991 to 2003 period, completions in these major trade groups never returned to the levels reached in 1991.

Conclusion

Overall, while the number of registrations in apprenticeship training programs has been increasing since 1996, the number of completions has remained static. The trend of increasing total registrations has been fuelled each year by large numbers of new registrations, which are still high, but which have flattened in recent years.

The evidence suggests that there are strong links between economic cycles and trends in registered apprenticeship numbers in Canada. The number of new registrants declined during the recession of the early 1990s. One reason may be that, during periods of slow economic growth, employers may be less willing to take on new apprentices. During periods of strong economic growth, such as the case in the late 1990s and the early 2000s, registered apprentices may find that they can land good jobs before they have completed their training, contributing to a decrease in the completion rate.

Other factors that may affect the overall trends include characteristics related to the participants themselves. For example, the average age of apprentices has increased and the average age of new registrants is only slightly younger than the overall average. As a result, individuals registered in formal apprenticeship training programs tend to be considerably older, on average, than is the case for students in other postsecondary education, at the college and university levels. One might ask, then, to what extent financial and family responsibilities play a role in whether an individual remains in their program until completion.

At the same time, analysis of the age composition of registered apprentices shows that while the number of older apprentices has been growing, there are also signs that the number of younger apprentices has been increasing. The rising numbers of young new registrants under 20 years old is worth exploring further. To what extent does this trend reflect signals being given by the labour market that employers need skilled trades workers? What role is played by provincial and territorial programs that encourage some young people to enter into apprenticeship training? Last, what is the relationship between age at first registration and the likelihood that an individual will complete the training program and receive formal certification?

Notes

  1. Sandrine Prasil. 2005. Registered Apprentices: The Class of 1992, a Decade Later. Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics Research Papers, Statistics Canada Catalogue number 81-595-MIE - Number 035.

  2. The actual elapsed time taken by some individuals to complete their apprenticeship training can be considerably longer. A recent study finds, for example that some apprentices are still continuing their training after 11 years. See Sandrine Prasil. 2005. Registered Apprentices: The Class of 1992, a Decade Later. Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics Research Papers, Statistics Canada Catalogue number 81-595-MIE - Number 035.

  3. Statistics Canada, Building Permits by Types of Structure and Area. CANSIM Tables 026-0006, part of larger series on building permits, CANSIM Tables 026-0001 to 026-0010.

Table 1: Average age, Registered Apprentices, Canada, 1993 and 2003
  1993 2003
Total Registered Newly Registered Completed Total Registered Newly Registered Completed
Building construction trades 30.5 29.7 30.8 31.8 29.2 32.4
Electrical, electrical and related 29.3 27.1 30.1 30.5 27.3 32.1
Food and service trades 27.1 26.2 27.1 27.5 24.9 27.6
Industrial and related mechanical 32.5 30.7 34.3 31.9 28.6 32.7
Metal fabricating trades 29.2 27.4 29.5 29.6 27.3 29.7
Motor vehicle and heavy equipment 28.2 26.9 28.4 28.9 26.6 29.2
Other 29.9 29.0 31.8 32.5 29.9 37.8
Total 29.4 27.9 29.9 30.1 27.6 30.5
Source: Statistics Canada, Registered Apprenticeship Information System.

Table 2: Distribution of Registered Apprentices by Age Group, Canada, 1993 and 2003
1993 2003
Under 20 3,677 15,553
20 to 24 41,467 67,124
25 to 29 45,854 57,671
30 to 34 31,514 37,589
35 to 39 17,087 26,908
40 to 44 8,441 20,438
45 to 49 4,171 11,922
50 and over 3,001 9,361
Not Reported 13,771 3,271
Total 168,983 249,837
Source: Statistics Canada, Registered Apprenticeship Information System.

Table 3: Number of Registered Apprentices by Major Trade Group, Canada, 1991 to 2003
Building Construction trades
Electrical, Electrical and Related
Food and Service trades
Industrial and Related Mechanical
Metal Fabricating trades
Motor Vehicle and Heavy Equipment
Other
Total
1991 46,925 37,038 11,495 15,970 39,532 39,248 2,738 192,946
1992 43,703 34,401 11,055 15,051 36,626 37,457 2,670 180,963
1993 40,996 31,423 11,954 13,376 33,600 34,910 2,724 168,983
1994 36,679 30,195 13,868 13,235 32,874 34,213 2,688 163,752
1995 34,786 29,213 15,259 13,551 33,309 34,392 2,862 163,372
1996 33,394 28,272 16,884 14,234 33,840 35,582 3,118 165,324
1997 32,957 28,205 18,037 14,668 35,876 37,949 3,489 171,181
1998 33,395 28,840 18,173 14,904 38,055 38,597 3,998 175,962
1999 36,496 30,477 18,909 16,021 40,388 39,867 4,228 186,386
2000 39,090 32,555 20,119 16,557 44,103 41,974 4,675 199,073
2001 42,109 36,433 22,155 17,723 47,426 43,942 5,458 215,246
2002 47,545 39,645 23,345 18,592 49,906 46,156 6,224 231,413
2003 53,606 42,400 25,174 19,573 52,507 49,657 6,920 249,837
Source: Statistics Canada, Registered Apprenticeship Information System.

Table 4: Number of new registrations for Registered Apprenticeship Training, by Major Trade Group, 1991 to 2003
Building Construction trades
Electrical, Electrical and Related
Food and Service trades
Industrial and Related Mechanical
Metal Fabricating trades
Motor Vehicle and Heavy Equipment
Other
Total
1991 6,666 5,605 3,043 2,806 5,731 7,799 656 32,306
1992 6,646 4,752 2,965 2,161 5,040 6,823 561 28.948
1993 7,305 4,407 3,909 2,190 5,514 6,713 586 30,624
1994 5,793 4,784 4,768 2,354 6,675 7,626 535 32,535
1995 5,558 4,894 5,141 2,874 7,520 7,977 701 34,665
1996 5,838 4,672 5,128 2,948 7,057 7,838 756 34,237
1997 6,285 5,619 5,458 3,047 8,742 9,190 909 39,250
1998 7,284 6,304 5,177 3,110 9,449 8,732 1,228 41,284
1999 8,978 6,491 5,354 3,484 9,457 9,227 1,036 44,027
2000 9,542 7,543 6,051 3,884 11,395 10,548 1,336 50,299
2001 10,041 8,215 6,821 4,065 11,790 11,160 1,510 53,602
2002 12,609 8,284 6,036 3,860 10,219 11,058 1,455 53,521
2003 13,861 8,146 5,731 3,848 10,784 10,845 1,723 54,938
Source: Statistics Canada, Registered Apprenticeship Information System.

Table 5: Completions in Registered Apprenticeship Training by Major Trade Groups, 1991 to 2003
Building Construction trades
Electrical, Electrical and Related trades
Food and Service trades
Industrial and Related Mechanical
Metal Fabricating trades
Motor Vehicle and Heavy Equipment
Other
Total
1991 3,602 3,394 1,851 2,077 3,778 4,733 289 19,724
1992 3,476 2,878 1,496 2,236 3,718 4,649 267 18,720
1993 3,097 3,377 1,551 2,110 3,767 4,206 303 18,411
1994 2,413 2,994 1,965 1,681 3,560 3,938 250 16,801
1995 2,505 3,050 2,405 1,629 3,472 3,756 258 17,075
1996 2,292 2,829 2,541 1,439 3,363 3,406 205 16,075
1997 2,006 2,564 2,700 1,547 3,631 3,657 265 16,370
1998 1,923 2,502 2,626 1,492 3,881 3,751 290 16,465
1999 2,180 2,760 2,574 2,218 4,224 4,231 357 18,544
2000 2,024 2,698 2,585 1,671 4,228 4,868 321 18,395
2001 2,078 3,104 2,446 1,806 4,193 4,546 300 18,473
2002 2,047 3,091 1,834 1,628 3,846 3,957 289 16,692
2003 2,520 2,834 2,050 1,921 4,428 4,239 353 18,345
Source: Statistics Canada, Registered Apprenticeship Information System.


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