National Adult Literacy Database

This document is based on a study carried out by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) to determine what mechanisms are available to support employers in the hiring and retention of apprentices.

The study involved interviews with provincial and territorial officials at apprenticeship branches and divisions, as well as with participating employers; employers who do not hire apprentices; provincial/territorial sector councils; and employer associations. These findings were supplemented by survey information from the CAF’s Return on Training Investment (ROTI) studies.

The authors note that employers who do not hire apprentices need to be made aware of existing supports. By contrast, employers who hire apprentices are generally satisfied with the supports available and think apprenticeship has great value for their companies.

Both sets of employers provided ideas for other potentially valuable supports, including matching and pre-screening services to create easier access to potential apprentices; background and Essential Skills training for pre-apprentices; ways to recognize prior learning; and trade-specific Essential Skills for the worksite.

Established in 2000, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum is a federally chartered not-for-profit organization working to influence pan-Canadian apprenticeship strategies and to promote apprenticeship as an effective model for training and education with an overall goal of contributing to the development of a skilled, productive, inclusive and mobile labour force.