Academy Canada

Skilled Trades Supporting Documents

Threat #1: Labour Shortage

Due to greater demand for residential, commercial, industrial, and institutional related projects, coupled with mass retirements, skilled labour shortages are expected throughout Canada.

When companies don't have enough workers to perform large scale construction projects, the results are stunted or decreased economic growth, reduced national competitiveness, and project completion delays.

This means that skilled tradespeople will be in demand, and if you have the skills, that makes you in demand.

To learn more about the skilled trades shortage, and learn how you can benefit from a skilled trades related career, click here.

Retraining Is The New Buzzword

According to the United Steelworkers Union, over 20,000 forestry oriented jobs has been lost since 2001 due to weakened global demand for newsprint, higher energy costs, higher Canadian Dollar, internet emergence, and production shifts to countries with low manufacturing costs.

In the January 2009 Federal Budget, the Canadian Government promised $1 billion to help retrain workers who lost their jobs, mostly in the once lucrative manufacturing sector.

The retraining grants will also be available to older workers, aboriginals, and individuals who don't qualify for Employment Insurance.

To learn more about the Government of Canada's retraining grants, testimonials from former plant and forestry workers, and the hottest skilled trades based careers, click here.

Academy Canada Skilled Trades Information

Academy Canada Career College is pleased to offer Apprenticeship Trades programs at our Corner Brook and St. John's campuses. These programs will put you on a right path to a Journeyperson status in your field.

Upon graduation and successful employment, you will apply for Apprenticeship status and receive a logbook from the Division of Industrial Training. The Department of Education "Industrial Training Section" will monitor your training and experience.

The document contains information about eight of thirteen trades programs including Automotive Service Technician, Carpenter, Cook, Construction/Industrial Electrician, Insulator (Heat and Frost), Plumber, Steamfitter/Pipefitter, and Welder. More programs will be added at a later date.

It also contains additional information about wages and salaries, employment opportunities, travel, and graduate testimonials.

Click here to learn more about skilled trades programs at Academy Canada.

Building Trades Council Boss Upbeat About Future

Although Canada is going through a major economic downturn, the Newfoundland and Labrador Building and Construction Trades Council are remaining optimistic about the numerous trades opportunities emerging throughout the province.

Multi-billion dollar construction projects including the Vale Inco Hydromet Facility, Voisey's Bay Nickel Mine, Lower Churchill Falls Hydroelectric Power Plant, and offshore oil oriented projects will translate to large demand for skilled tradespeople throughout the province.

Click here to find out more.

Apprenticeship Grants

The Apprenticeship Grant Programs provide taxable cash grants to apprentices registered in one of the designated Red Seal trades.

Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) – a $1,000 taxable cash grant available to apprentices registered in a designated Red Seal trade who complete their first or second year/level of an apprenticeship program in a designated Red Seal trade, to a maximum of $2,000.

Apprenticeship Completion Grant (ACG) – a $2,000 taxable cash grant available to apprentices who complete their apprenticeship program and receive their journeyperson status in a designated Red Seal trade.

Also available is the Tradesperson’s Tools Deduction that provides employed tradespersons with an annual deduction of up to $500 to help cover the cost of new tools necessary to their trade. The deduction applies to the total cost of eligible tools that exceeds $1,000.

For employers who hire apprentices in a designated Red Seal trade, the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit equal to 10% of the eligible salaries and wages payable to eligible apprentices hired after May 1, 2006. The maximum credit is $2,000 per year for each eligible apprentice.

What is apprenticeship?

Apprenticeship is an agreement between a person, or apprentice, who wants to learn a skill and an employer who needs a skilled worker. Apprenticeship is a proven industry-based learning system combining on-the-job experience with technical classroom training to produce a certified journeyperson. For some apprentices, especially in Quebec, the technical classroom training can be taken upfront through the secondary school system through CEGEP, and then successive years of on-the-job training. After completing a specified training period, apprentices receive a Certificate of Qualification. On average, 80% of the apprentice's two to five year program is spent in the workplace; the remaining 20% is spent at a training institution.

Each province and territory has the responsibility for apprenticeship training. Canada currently has 13 different apprenticeship systems, and each province and territory governs their own training and certification policies. Legislation permits provinces and territories to designate apprenticeship programs for their own requirements. Over 200 apprenticeship programs are currently available across Canada.

Other key partners in the apprenticeship process, including unions and employers, play an important leadership role within each jurisdiction in guiding provincial and territorial officials,providing input on training programs.

What is an apprenticeship grant?

An apprenticeship grant is a taxable grant that is given to eligible apprentices by the Government of Canada. A grant is not a loan and never needs to be repaid. Two types of grants are available to apprentices, Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG) and Apprenticeship Completion Grant (ACG).

These grants were created to help Canadians successfully pursue apprenticeship training in designated Red Seal trades and launch rewarding skilled trades careers.

How does the Government of Canada support skilled trades & apprenticeship?

The Government of Canada recognizes skilled trades are essential to building and maintaining Canada's place in the knowledge-based economy. The federal government has a clear role in supporting interprovincial skilled trades labour mobility and encouraging more Canadians to pursue apprenticeships, meeting the growing need for skilled tradespeople that is crucial to Canada's economic recovery.

The Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program

The Government of Canada is working with the provinces and territories through the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA) to support the apprenticeship process. The CCDA is responsible for the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program administration, which attempts to harmonize requirements and certification in 50 different trades to facilitate the interprovincial mobility of skilled tradespeople.

The Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program promotes a national standard for skilled trades training excellence. The Red Seal is employer valued, widely recognized, and has enjoyed strong industry support for over 50 years. The Red Seal endorsement, awarded to certified trades workers in a Red Seal trade, is based on common interprovincial standards, allowing them to work anywhere in Canada.

National Occupational Analyses (NOAs) identifies tasks performed according to the skills required in each province and territory for Red Seal trades and are used to develop Red Seal examinations. The Ellis Chart is a comparative chart of apprentice training programs across Canada, is Human Resources and Skills Development Canada produced in collaboration and consultation with the provinces and territories, and provides training and certification details for all of these apprenticeable programs.

Employment Insurance

Through the Employment Insurance system, the Government of Canada provides income support to eligible apprentices during their in-school technical training period.

Programs Promoting Apprenticeships and Skilled Trades Awareness

The Government of Canada also facilitates the activities of several national organizations such as the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum (CAF) and the Sector Council program to support apprenticeship. CAF helps to promote apprenticeship and the skilled trades, sponsor high-quality research, and provide a mechanism for ongoing dialogue on issues impacting apprenticeship and the skilled trades across Canada.

Apprenticeship Incentive Grant

In the 2006 federal budget, the Government of Canada announced major new investments to encourage apprenticeships and support apprentices in their training. Many Canadians wishing to pursue a skilled trades career face financial barriers. To help eliminate these barriers, the Government of Canada introduced the Apprenticeship Incentive Grant (AIG). The grant is available to registered apprentices who have completed their first or second year/level (or equivalent) in an apprenticeship program in a designated Red Seal trade, on or after January 1, 2007.

Apprenticeship Completion Grant

As part of Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada announced the Apprenticeship Completion Grant, or ACG for short. The ACG provides an additional one-time $2,000 taxable cash grant to eligible apprentices who successfully complete their apprenticeship training and obtain journeyperson certification in a designated Red Seal trade on or after January 1, 2009.

As a combined result of the AIG and ACG, registered apprentices who complete their apprenticeship training and obtain journeyperson certification in a designated Red Seal trade may be eligible to receive $4,000.

Following two years of implementation of the ACG, it is the federal government’s intention to make a Red Seal endorsement an eligibility requirement to receiving the ACG. Over the next two years, the Government will work with provinces and territories that do not use or promote Red Seal endorsement to determine the barriers to its use as well as develop solutions to overcoming any identified issues.

The AIG and the ACG complement the following tax measures, available through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) which help to offset the cost of tools for employed tradespeople and provide incentives for employers to hire Red Seal apprentices.

Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit

The Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit equal to 10% of eligible salaries and wages payable to eligible apprentices registered in any designated Red Seal trade employed after May 1, 2006.

The maximum credit is $2,000 per year for each eligible apprentice.

To learn more about the Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit, please visit the Canada Revenue Agency "Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit" page at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/whtsnw/pprntcshp-eng.html.

Tradesperson's Tools Deduction

The Tradesperson's Tools Deduction provides employed tradespersons with an annual deduction, up to $500, to help cover the cost of new tools necessary to their trade. The deduction applies to the total cost of eligible tools over $1,000. For more information, refer to Tradesperson's Tools Deduction.

Letters of Support

Faculty of Culinary Arts - Cook

Click one of the links below to view Faculty of Culinary Arts - Cook letters of support:

• 2009 "Dancing With The Priests" - First Letter
• 2009 "Dancing With The Priests" - Second Letter
• Hospitality Industry Association of Newfoundland and Labrador

Audio Commercials and Testimonials

Click one of the links below to listen to Academy Canada Apprenticeship Trades related commercials:

• Apprenticeship Trades
• Faculty of Culinary Arts: Cook

Newspaper Articles and Supporting Documents

Click one of the links below to read newspaper articles and supporting documents about Apprenticeship Trades programs:

• "The Chronicle Herald" article entitled "Costly Labour Shortage"

For More Information

To learn more about our thirteen skilled trades programs at Academy Canada, click here.

For more information about apprenticeship training and certification including wage subsidies, scholarships, Apprenticeship Incentive Grant, or wanting to become an apprentice, visit the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Education Apprenticeship and Certification section at http://www.ed.gov.nl.ca/app/.

The "Skilled Trades Digest" page contains information about skilled trades related occupations, Skills Canada competition results, trades related test results such as Canadian Welding Bureau testing, "Women In Trades", and other apprenticeship and skilled trades related news items.

Click here to visit our "Skilled Trades Digest" page.

For more information on graduate employment please contact Academy Canada at 1-800-561-8000 or e-mail: info@academycanada.com.