Manitoba Sees Strong Growth in Apprenticeship Training and Certification
October 1, 2026
The Manitoba government is highlighting significant progress in apprenticeship training and certification, reinforcing its commitment to building a skilled and inclusive workforce, Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses, Advanced Education and Training Minister Renée Cable and Public Service Delivery Minister Mintu Sandhu announced today.
“We certified more journeypersons this year than any of the past five years, an important milestone in strengthening our workforce,” said Moses. “We are seeing real progress connecting Manitobans with good jobs in high-demand sectors.”
Preliminary workforce data from four school construction projects and the Victoria Hospital emergency room redevelopment show apprentices completed 21 per cent of reported construction hours worked, more than double the Manitoba Jobs Agreement initial target of 10 per cent. Manitoba workers have completed 99 per cent of reported hours on these projects to date, showing positive progress in the first nine months of reporting, Moses noted.
“Investing in apprenticeships is about creating more pathways to good jobs right here in Manitoba,” said Cable. “With more Manitobans choosing careers in the skilled trades, we’re making sure our colleges and training partners have the capacity to support that growth and help students gain the skills they need to build successful careers.”
Manitoba has also seen increased participation in critical trades, with more individuals attending, technical training and more employers providing on-the-job learning opportunities. This progress reflects a collaboration among post-secondary institutions, unions, the Manitoba government and industry to train the next generation of skilled workers, Cable added.
“Our government is proud of the tremendous progress we’ve made in getting Manitoba workers on Manitoba jobsites,” said Sandhu. “We’ve more than doubled our targets in the Manitoba Jobs Agreement, leading to more apprentices getting the training they need.”
These efforts are further supported by a $7.2-million investment in apprenticeship training and certification in Budget 2026, the largest increase in funding in more than a decade. The investment will help strengthen training opportunities, modernize program delivery and support more Manitobans pursuing careers in the skilled trades, Cable added.
“Apprenticeship depends on access to quality, on-the-job training,” said Tanya Palson, executive director, Manitoba Building Trades. “Apprentices working 20 per cent of the hours on this project means more opportunities to develop their skills under the supervision of experienced journeypersons and make progress toward certification. Creating those opportunities is essential to developing the next generation of Manitoba’s skilled trades workforce.”
As demand for skilled tradespeople continues to grow, the Manitoba government is building on the strengths of its apprenticeship system to ensure workers have access to the training they need and employers can find the skilled workforce required to grow and succeed, the ministers said.
