Current status of project

Project partners

Promoting Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship is a joint project between the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF–FCA) and Skills/Compétences Canada (S/CC). Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) has provided the funding. The promotion of careers in skilled trades is a cornerstone priority of both CAF–FCA and S/CC.

The issue of skills shortages, and the need for a concerted and effective approach to this issue, is the key driver behind this initiative. Skill shortages are expected to impact virtually every sector of the labour market, in every area of the country.

Project goals

The project was launched in early 2003 in order to address the issue of skills shortages from two distinct – but equally significant – perspectives. One part of the work will focus on changing the perceptions of careers in skilled trades, in other words, the program will “re-position” skilled trades as a first choice career option in the minds of Canadian youth, their parents and educators. This should encourage more young people to consider careers in skilled trades. The other key focus of the project will be to encourage employers and other groups to accept and retain more apprentices.

Media campaign

Beginning in the fall of 2004, a broad-based media campaign was launched. The media campaign has two main objectives: to reach youth with high impact messages to change attitudes towards apprenticeships and skilled trades, and also to reach parents, educators and employers in order to provide them with compelling and factual information showing skilled trades in a new and positive way. The cornerstone message is: “Skilled Trades – A Career You Can Build On”. The campaign aimed at youth focuses on selected television programs, radio, Internet and cinema ads. Parents, educators and employers are reached with magazine advertising, television and cinema. The ads run during the spring and fall to capture the audience when career decisions are being made.

The national media campaign is supported by a variety of tools designed to deliver the message directly to each of the target audiences at the local level. There is a website with specific landing pages for each audience that will link directly into existing websites for CAF–FCA, S/CC and HRSDC. These sites already showcase a wide range of information, resources and training programs available to interested candidates. In addition, there are brochures, posters, information booklets and presentations. Beginning in the fall of 2004, extensive consultations will be held with interested groups across the country to determine what kinds of regional programs are already in place and what complimentary programs might be initiated to improve the visibility of skilled trades and apprenticeship.

Some project activities

In order to encourage employers and other organizations to hire and retain more apprentices, the program focuses on the financial and business benefits of hiring new entrants. The program seeks to encourage those already hiring apprentices to create more opportunities and to convince those employers not yet hiring apprentices to do so. Employers are encouraged to create sustainable and well-rounded opportunities for apprentices in their workforces.

Tactics to engage employers include advertising in trade publications, presentations to industry and sector organizations, brochures and the campaign website. In addition, an Apprenticeship Tool Kit lays out the benefits, programs available and necessary instructions and documentation to make it simple for employers to get involved.

A skilled trades “Council of Champions” has a mandate that includes communicating with employers, students, governments and other stakeholders. The Council brings together – and draws from – key influencers and opinion leaders from business, labour and other stakeholders.

Forming strategic alliances and partnerships is an essential component of this campaign. The Public Sector Partnership focuses on organizations such as schools, colleges, all levels of government and educational organizations. The Private Sector Partnership includes corporations, their industry associations. as well as labour and union organizations. In both cases, the focus is on activities that will increase the reach of the advertising and grass roots programs through distribution of materials and preparation of new materials and programs designed to compliment the overall campaign.

The advertising campaign began in September of 2004 and is expected to run until the end of 2006. Consultations with regional groups, potential partners, employer and labour organizations also began in the fall of 2004, with a view to rolling out programs as they are needed during the year. This project includes an on-going monitoring process to ensure that the activities are meeting the needs of the various target groups; annual plans will be finalized based on this review.

Need more information?

For further information: contact Jose Lacasse, Office Administrator, at (613) 235–4004 ext. 206 or via e-mail at jose_lacasse@caf-fca.org.

If you want further information on Skills/Compétences Canada, please visit their website www.skillscanada.com.