National Adult Literacy Database

This report summarizes information on employers’ hiring practices and attitudes toward apprenticeship, based on surveys completed in February 2011 with employers in the skilled trades from across Canada. The report builds on baseline data obtained by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) in 2006.

The survey results show that employer participation remains steady at 19 per cent, with participation higher among employers who have journeypersons.

Other findings include an improvement in the proportion of employers who indicated that they would be likely to hire an apprentice in the next 12 months; an increase in the average number of apprentices per employer; and an increase in the number of employers who believe in the business case for hiring apprentices.

At the same time, the authors point out that many employers remain unfamiliar with apprenticeship training, even though they are in sectors with trades that have apprenticeship programs.

CAF is a national not-for-profit organization, guided by a board of directors who represent all aspects of the apprenticeship community.