“ Employees are motivated when
they’re presented with longterm opportunities, which is
what apprenticeship does.”
THE APPRENTICESHIP ADVANTAGE:
HIRING TOP TALENT
TO LEARN MORE
The Canadian workforce is shrinking – and it will continue to shrink as one-third of the
workforce prepares to retire by 2030. To an employer, that means one thing: competition
to attract top talent is getting tougher.
FINDING WELL-PREPARED APPRENTICES
Our ApprenticeshipPays.com website
provides a one-stop shop for
everything you need to know about
apprenticeship. You can also find
out more about training programs
and agencies by reading our report,
Creating Diversity and Opportunities
in the Skilled Trades, available on the
Reports and Resources page at
www.caf-fca.org.
• Assist workers who want to upgrade language, specialized math, computer and other
essential skills
While you’re on our website, click
on our Apprenticeship Advantage
fact sheets to learn about the many
advantages of apprenticeship:
As an employer, you know that your most important asset is your talent, and you might
wonder where you’ll continue to find the best employees for your business. The Canadian
Apprenticeship Forum has spoken to hundreds of employers who invest in apprenticeship,
and they say they have no trouble finding top talent. They tell us that well-prepared, eagerto-learn employees are out there.
If you’re not sure where to find well-prepared apprentices, start by looking in your
community for training programs and agencies that:
• Expose apprenticeship candidates to career planning and life-skills management
• Provide hands-on training in skilled trades through work placements
• Give apprenticeship candidates a realistic idea of what it’s like to work in the trades
These programs and agencies can help you find the best talent for your organization’s
needs. Youth apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeship programs at your local
college can also be a wealth of information. And when you find the right apprentice,
most of these programs and agencies will offer ongoing support in case you need more
information or have any concerns.
WHAT EMPLOYERS ARE SAYING
Here are just a few examples of programs designed to help employers:
• COSTI (Toronto). We spoke to an employer at a car dealership with 55 employees who
accepted five apprentices, all from COSTI. He liked the way COSTI helped apprentices
find work by putting them through practice interviews, providing transportation and
uniforms, and offering his business a subsidy.
• Momentum Trades Training Program (Calgary). We interviewed an employer who hired
three plumbing apprentices from Momentum. He told us that Momentum was as good
as his company’s HR department at finding qualified workers. He said the retention rate
for the apprentices he found through Momentum was high. He also praised Momentum’s
participant workshops, which teach methods for handling workplace conflicts.
• Hammer Heads (Toronto). We interviewed several employers who found apprentices
through Hammer Heads. They told us the apprentices they hired were eager to learn,
which employers said was an important trait. One employer with more than 175
employees is currently working with two Hammer Heads apprentices (one in plumbing
and the other in refrigeration). He noted that their skills are well above those of other
first-year apprentices. Another employer agreed that individuals who go through
Hammer Heads have exceptional skills and are very committed to the job.
www.caf-fca.org
• The Apprenticeship Advantage:
Building a Better Workforce
• The Apprenticeship Advantage:
Recruiting Tomorrow’s Workers
Today
• The Apprenticeship Advantage:
Meeting Business Needs
• The Apprenticeship Advantage:
Earning Return on Training
Investment
• The Apprenticeship Advantage:
Retaining Your Best People
• The Apprenticeship Advantage:
Finding Resources Online
THIS PROJECT WAS FUNDED BY
THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA’S
SECTOR COUNCIL PROGRAM