Ontario Electrical League Launches Pilot Project to Promote Electrical Apprenticeships

Sept 30, 2018

With over $600,000 in funding from the federal government, OEL’s Consortia Pilot Project – Employer Engagement aims to increase the number of employers who train apprentices in the electrical sector.

“This is a ground-breaking initiative for both employers and apprentices in the electrical and mechanical trade,” says Stephen Sell, President, Ontario Electrical League. “The program streamlines every step of the hiring and training process, so employers can focus on providing quality on-the-job training for apprentices. The resources, like experienced industry mentors and a web-based hiring tool, are tailored specifically to busy employers’ needs so they can invest in the future of their companies and support a productive employer and apprentice experience.”

Under the program, OEL will recruit and train employers who have never been involved in apprenticeship training. A total of 20 employers and 20 apprentices will benefit from the investment, and an employer consortium will be created. At the end of the project, lessons learned during the pilot will be expanded to other geographic areas in Ontario so that more employers can benefit from them.

Apprentices alternate between periods of on-the-job training and technical training before they can become certified journeypersons. One of the long-standing challenges that prevents apprentices from completing their training is low employer engagement. Employers also face a number of barriers to participating in apprenticeship, such as high administrative burden, difficulty connecting with apprentices, and lack of work for the full scope of the trade. By increasing the number of employers involved in apprenticeships, OEL and the federal government are helping to ensure that Canada has the skilled tradespeople it needs to meet the needs of the labour market.

“We know that apprentices often have a hard time finding an employer to help them complete their training,” says Patty Hajdu, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour. “This investment will help more employers get involved in apprenticeship training so that more apprentices have a fair chance at success.”