Canadians are again signing up for internships

As a strong high school student in math and science, Amy Spiers took the next step that seemed natural after graduation and earned a degree in geomatics engineering.

But after 12 years in the industry, Spiers was looking for something creative and practical, which led him to a carpentry apprenticeship.

“I've always loved building things,” said Spears, now 37 and in his third year at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary.

Spears – A growing number of people are signing up for apprenticeships amid labor shortages in many skilled trades across Canada.

After a sharp decline during the pandemic, the number of people signing up for internships has rebounded and is at its highest level since 2014, according to the latest available Statistics Canada data.

In 2022, 81,141 Canadians enrolled in student programs, an increase of nearly 12 percent compared to 2021.

The increased interest in trading is good news for such industries construction and production Finding skilled workers has become more difficult in recent years, although the increase in registrations has not translated into an increase in certified professionals.

Growing demand

While all provinces and territories have seen enrollment growth, “Alberta, Quebec and Ontario are leading the charge,” said Graham Ziegler, director of Statistics Canada's Canadian Center for Education Statistics.

The picture looks a little different in each province.

For example, Quebec saw most of its growth in enrollment in programs for carpenters and electricians, while Alberta saw most of its growth in electricians, plumbers, steamfitters, pipefitters and heavy equipment mechanics.

Average employment income a The Red Seal Trade $111,500 in Canada at the latest reporting from the non-profit Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, although earnings vary greatly depending on the specific type of trade.

For example, industrial electricians earn about $182,200 a year, while barbers and hair stylists earn about $44,700, the report said.

A growing interest in a variety of careers can be seen in the hallways and classrooms of SAIT, one of the nation's largest postsecondary institutions offering apprenticeships.

SAIT has seen a nearly 20 percent increase in the number of apprentices over the past two years, from 5,494 in the 2021/2022 academic year to 6,541 this year.

Officials expect interest to increase and are adding 1,000 more student spots for the upcoming school year to meet the expected demand.

“It's a good thing,” said Jim Sautner, SAIT's dean of apprenticeships.

“It's well known that people in the trade get older and older and retire … so it's refreshing to see new people coming in.”

An aging workforce and intensive construction create opportunities

Certified professionals are indeed an aging sector of the workforce, said Statistics Canada's Ziegler. Between the last two census surveys in 2016 and 2021, the number of professionals age 55 and older increased, while the number of young people decreased, he said.

“All of this coincides with job openings for certified professionals, which nearly doubled from Q3 2019 to Q3 2023,” he said.

“So of course there are some challenges, but I think there's also an opportunity for those who are thinking about a career in a skilled trade.”

The opportunity created by this demographic shift is part of what drove Eric Corbyn to trade.

Corbin, who is also enrolled in SAIT's carpentry program, previously worked at a ski resort but was disappointed with the amount of money he was making. He wanted a career with a long-term future.

“I knew we were going to lose a lot of senior professionals, and now is the best time to learn from them and then hopefully start working for them in the future,” Corbin, 33, said.

“I knew it was the best place.”

Still, Canadian Home Builders Association CEO Kevin Lee said the current increase in apprenticeship enrollments will not be enough.

The labor shortage in this sector is expected to worsen over the next decade. About 20 percent of construction workers are expected to retire in the next 10 years, and so is the federal government double rate of housing construction.

“It's going to take some time to get out of the current situation,” Lee said, adding that targeted immigration to attract skilled workers should also be part of the solution.

The certificates are still behind

Another wrinkle is that while the number of Canadians enrolling in apprenticeships is growing, the number of people earning trades certifications is still below pre-Covid levels.

This is partly due to the lingering effects of the pandemic, with closed workplaces making it difficult for students to complete their programs.

It also reflects a broader trend: the number of people enrolled in apprenticeships has historically far outstripped the number of people earning certification in the profession.

According to the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, the average graduation rate for men in Canada's 15 largest apprenticeship programs was 47 percent in 2021. For women, it was 34 percent.

For some people and some positions, this may not matter. For example, Lee noted that someone can have a successful career in framing without becoming a certified carpenter.

Ditto for others. In many provinces, e.g. electricians must be certified to practice.

According to Emily Arrowsmith, director of research and programs at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum, certification often translates into better pay and more opportunities for advancement. So his organization tries to encourage as much as possible.

One way to help bridge the gap between registrations and certifications, he said, is to make trade more inclusive. Women, for example, may take an internship but leave before getting certified if they feel isolated or unwelcome in the workplace, she said.

Arrowsmith said the work being done by the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and the BC Center for Women in Trades is part of an industry-wide push to make the trade more affordable — a move they believe will help the trade recruit and retain workers. long term.

An apprentice carpenter, Spiers said he supports anything that helps people from different backgrounds understand each other and work together.

A more pragmatic approach could also help, she said, pointing to a federal pilot project offering grants to women to complete certification. The pilot was completed last year.

“It would be nice to have it back,” he said.