Importance of Apprenticeship Programs Stressed

In November, 2007, the Manitoba Federation of Labour presented a brief to the Apprenticeship Futures Commission. In it, the MFL outlined what it saw as some of the issues restricting the success of apprenticeship programs - and what should be done to turn that situation around.

One of the problems identified is that families and educators often tell young people that true success in life relies on a university education and a lucrative career as a lawyer, or doctor or other profession for which a degree is needed. Too often, the skilled trades have been characterized as poor second choices reserved for those who don't have the academic skills or financial resources to enter and complete a degree program.

To turn this around, it'll be necessary to educate the hands that rock the cradle - parents, and the hands that shape student attitudes and perceptions - educators. All the advertising and skilled trades promotion in the world can't compete with mom, dad and the favourite idolized teacher. We need to convince them that skilled trades are a vehicle for people to make a valuable contribution to society and will provide financial security and a high quality of life for young people.

The single greatest bottleneck in the apprenticeship system identified by the MFL is the difficulty convincing employers to hire apprentices and undertake good-faith participation in the apprenticeship training system. Most often, they want to hire journeyed ticket holders, but they want to avoid the real or imagined issues involved in the apprenticeship process. It is key that employers be convinced or required to participate in the apprenticeship training system if it is ever to be functional and relevant.

In the MFL's view, the numbers and types of designated trades need to increased to reflect today's realities. Workplace processes and areas of specialization are in a continuous state of evolution, more so now than at any time in the past. As many of these new work processes as possible should be designated as apprenticeable trades to ensure that workers skills evolve and develop in lock-step with need.

This will result in consistent workforce quality and ability and consumer protection. Workers have a right to adequate training to secure their positions in the workforce and consumers need to be confident that work is being performed by qualified and well trained workers. For example, computers are an everyday, expensive presence in the lives of many people. Computer technicians should be able to expertly maintain and build computers. But the quality of work done by different companies can widely vary since the quality of training widely varies in an uncontrolled manner.

The MFL had much more to to say on the issue of apprenticeships. To read it all, you can download the full brief in PDF format.