Members of the Steering Committee accompanied by the Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada:

Front Row (l to r): Evelyne Lemieux-Nault, James Moffat, Gail Smyth, Mr. Wayne Oakley, Doug Homer, Don Oborowsky. Back Row Aldo Cianfrini, (Co-chair), Allan Bruce (Co-Chair) Clyde Scollan, Terry Cook, The Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of Human Resources Development Canada, Denis Laroche, Vernon Beebe, Valerie Overend

The Plan

A broad based, pan-Canadian marketing and promotion campaign will be implemented. Through a mix of grass roots, targeted and mass media approaches, a message intended to reposition careers in apprenticeship and skilled trades will be shared with a wide audience. This campaign will complement the work already being done.

The work on promotion is a cornerstone of CAF-FCA’s operations and connects
all other CAF-FCA initiatives planned or currently in progress.

The Project Manager has been engaged. Beverlie Cook will work with the joint steering committee in the initial planning and research process. In addition, the firm of APCO Worldwide has been awarded the contract to begin the preliminary research incorporated in Phase 1 of the project.

The other key focus of the project will be to ensure those considering a career in the skilled trades and technology areas will be afforded an opportunity to succeed in finding employment. This portion of the project will include work to encourage employers and others to provide opportunities for entry-level apprentices that can lead to permanent positions in a chosen field.

The promotion plan will be carried out over four years and will be implemented in phases. The first phase of the plan will run until December 2003 and will focus on the development and testing of the messages for the campaign.

The other key focus of the project will be to ensure those considering a career in the skilled trades and technology areas will be afforded an opportunity to succeed in finding employment. This portion of the project will include work to encourage employers and others to provide opportunities for entry-level apprentices that can lead to permanent positions in a chosen field.

The promotion plan will be carried out over four years and will be implemented in phases. The first phase of the plan will run until December 2003 and will focus on the development and testing of the messages for the campaign.

CONT. in the right column

The inventory / information project is a 3 – phased project designed to provide Canadians with an accessible and one-stop inventory of apprenticeship information.

Framework of the Project?

Results from the extensive research conducted with potential apprentices, apprentices, parents, educators / guidance counselors, journey persons, employers and youth demonstrated support for and a need for such an Inventory system.

While different users will need varying information, there is clear support for using the system as on element in the efforts to promote apprenticeship.
 

Phase Two, the creation and launch of the Inventory website, is currently underway. Through the direction of a multi-stakeholder steering committee, the next six months will see the development of the software and hardware for the website. The technical consulting team - Thindata - will be carrying out the work required for this Phase. Beta testing of the site will be done in late 2003. Completion of the Inventory/ Information web site is anticipated for January 2004. The official launch of the site will link with the CAF-FCA / SCC’s “Promoting Careers in Skilled Trades, Technologies and Apprenticeship” project currently underway.

The objective of the project is to identify barriers faced by employers and individuals in offering or accessing apprenticeships in Canada. The work stems from concerns regarding potential skill shortages in the skilled trades. With the certainty of higher retirement rates around the corner, there is a growing urgency to identify and overcome the barriers to accessing and completing an apprenticeship in Canada. These barriers can affect individuals' ability to access, maintain and complete apprenticeship and employers' ability to hire apprentices and retain them through to successful completion.

Last fall the CAF-FCA awarded a research contract to the Canadian Labour and Business Centre to undertake this analysis. In the first stage of the project, the team conducted interviews with CAF-FCA Board members. This initial flight of interviews provides a preliminary but not exhaustive look at the barriers and accessibility issues. A detailed report of the interviews has been posted on the CAF-FCA website, www.caf-fca.org. We welcome your comments on this report.

An extensive review of the Canadian and international literature on apprenticeship barriers and accessibility issues has also been completed. To date more than 150 reference works have been reviewed. A distillation of this literature search will become a significant by-product of this project.

We will also be considering challenges linked to different provinces/territories, rural-urban regions, sectors, and union-non-union situations. In addition, the perspective from employers will also be considered, factoring in issues of size, sector and geography.

What Is The Current Status?

Currently much of the primary research is being validated through focus group sessions which are being conducted in 6 major cities across Canada.

Regular updates highlighting project activity are being communicated to the
broader apprenticeship community by way of an “e-news”.

Roundtable Sessions / Presentation:

The project team will share the report findings in a Roundtable Presentation.

The details of the session will be communicated to the broader apprenticeship community via the Barriers Project “E-News”. It is anticipated that an extensive
representation of the Apprenticeship stakeholder community will be in attendance. Anyone interested in joining an e-news mailing list should contact Allison Rougeau who is the CAF-FCA's project manager.

CONFERENCE PLANNING
FOR 2004

Planning is currently underway for the next pan-Canadian Apprenticeship Conference. The conference is scheduled for June 6 – 8, 2004, and will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Steering Committee will begin program planning in the coming months. Watch the CAF-FCA website for conference details including the Call for Presentations.