United Brotherhood of Carpenters Canadian District receives $37M from federal government
by CM Staff
This funding hopes to enable SMEs to hire up to two new first-year apprentices per year.
The United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) Canadian District announced today (Wednesday, November 23, 2022) they have received $37 million in federal funding to provide support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Canadian construction and manufacturing “Red Seal” trades over the next two years. (CNW Group/united brotherhood of carpenters)
WINNIPEG — On Nov. 23, Carla Qualtrough, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, on behalf of the federal government, announced $37M in funding for the UBC Canadian District Apprenticeship Service program, at the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum’s 2022 National Apprenticeship Conference in May 2022.
“About 700,000 skilled trades workers are expected to retire in Canada by 2028. That’s 700,000 good jobs waiting for Canadians. We need Canadians to be able to seize these opportunities, and to have the tools, training, and resources they need to thrive. Apprenticeships are one of the best ways to do that,” said Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability.
According to UBC, apprenticeships offer a great way to get the hands-on work experience needed to pursue a career in the skilled trades, and small business plays a fundamental role in Canada’s apprenticeship systems.
Many SMEs do not have the resources to offer apprenticeship training opportunities. In an effort to change this situation, Rowe and the UBC Canadian District have launched a two-year, $37-million program funded by the government of Canada’s Apprenticeship Service to provide support to SMEs in Canadian construction and manufacturing “Red Seal” trades to help them to hire new, first-year apprentices needing a leg-up to begin lucrative careers in the well-respected skilled trades.
This funding hopes to enable SMEs to hire up to two new first-year apprentices per year. Under the program, SMEs can receive up to $5,000 for every new first year apprentice they hire and an additional $5,000 if that apprentice identifies as a person from an equity deserving group such as women, Indigenous people, newcomers, persons with disabilities, including LGBTQ2 and Black communities.
In addition to financial supports, the program aims to provide assistance to help employers navigate the apprenticeship system, onboard new apprentices and set up the appropriate workplace training via a digital toolkit that can be found on their website at ubc-asp.ca.
