CAF-FCA takes on “think tank” role – facilitating discussion on key issues and challenges

After five years of operation, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum — Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) adopted a new Mission and Vision. The new focus will enable the organization to take a more active role in advancing apprenticeship and certification in Canada. As part of this strategy, the CAF-FCA will build on its role as a key source of information on apprenticeship and will host collaborative and influential “think tanks” on key issues. This approach strengthens the CAF-FCA’s role in promoting apprenticeship to the public, business, labour, government, educators, equity-seeking groups, and other interested parties.

Read the CAF-FCA's new Mission and Vision

Report on cost benefit to employers to be released at the 2006 CAF-FCA apprenticeship conference

During the fall and winter of 2005, a mix of small, medium and large-sized employers participated in the data collection phase of the CAF-FCA’s Cost of Apprenticeship / Return on Apprenticeship Training Investment project. Over 400 employers from across the country provided their perspectives relating to the costs and benefits associated with the hiring and training of apprentices in 15 selected trades. The data is currently being analyzed and will be released in early summer 2006 at the CAF-FCA “Apprenticeship — A Winning Formula” conference.

Contact Project Manager Arlene Wortsman

The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) to join efforts on similar activities.

CAF-FCA’s Cost of Apprenticeship project recently designed a survey questionnaire to collect information from apprentices in their first year of apprenticeship training. Similarly, the ACCC is also undertaking a project to survey first year college students (including apprentices). Therefore, the CAF-FCA and ACCC have joined forces to maximize resources. The ACCC will include the CAF-FCA’s apprentice-specific questions in a student survey which will run for four weeks at the end of January.

Data from first year apprentices attending educational institutions not affiliated with the ACCC will also be collected and analyzed at a future date. It is anticipated that this data will enrich the overall findings of the project.

Contact Director of Operations Allison Rougeau.

The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA)’s Essential Skills project is examining ten apprenticeship and Essential Skills training initiatives from across the country with the objective of understanding the role that Essential Skills may play in the successful completion of apprenticeship training in Canada. The final report is due to be released in late 2006.

For a more detailed description of this study and what it aims to explore, please read our new project brochure available in easily-accessible formats that you can share with your colleagues: PDF or full-text template formats. Visit the CAF-FCA's Essential Skills Web page.

Contact Project Manager Cathy Thornley

According to an Ipsos-Reid report, the "Skilled Trades: A Career You Can Build On" national social marketing campaign launched in September 2004 has been very effective in making viewers more interested in skilled trades careers. The Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Awareness and Perception Study finds that the recall of the campaign ads is about twice what might have been expected. Other research on social marketing campaigns normally shows much lower advertising recall (i.e. people tuning out the message). In addition to these positive recall levels, Ipsos-Reid found that impressions of the advertisements are extremely positive and, again, trump the results typically found in social marketing campaigns.

The study is based on two waves of research conducted in 2004 and 2005 by Ipsos-Reid for the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum — Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) and Skills / Compétences Canada (S/CC) as part of their joint “Skilled Trades” campaign.

Read highlights of study

Contact Project Manager Beverlie Cook

NEW RESOURCES FOR REGIONS TO PROMOTE TRADES TO YOUTH

Resources currently in development; additional resources planned for the spring of 2006

In 2005, the CAF-FCA and Skills/Compétences Canada’s (S/CC)’s joint “Promoting Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship” project conducted consultations with representatives from a variety of stakeholder groups within each province and territory. Almost all provinces and territories identified a need or a “gap” relating to resources required to support the promotion of careers in skilled trades and apprenticeship.

As a result, the Campaign Team invited all regions across Canada to submit a promotional plan, idea or creative solution that would address these needs and the gaps. Three proposed resources were selected: an Apprenticeship Toolkit, a Teachers’ Guide to Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship, and a Regional Champions Program. These resources are currently in development and will support the ongoing media campaign.

Last fall, the campaign once again invited the regions to submit promotional plans, ideas or creative solutions that would address needs and the gaps for the provinces and territories. The deadline for applications was January 31, 2006. The selected proposals will be developed beginning in the spring 2006. The CAF-FCA will announce the second round of selected resources in a future edition of this “E-news” electronic newsletter, once they are made available to the public.

Contact Project Manager Beverlie Cook

PARTNERS SUPPORT CAF-FCA APPRENTICESHIP CONFERENCE

The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA) is pleased to announce that it has partnered with several organizations across the country to present the CAF-FCA 2006 conference “Apprenticeship – A Winning Formula”. This traditionally sold-out apprenticeship conference will be held at the Delta Centre-Ville in beautiful downtown Montreal, Quebec from June 4 – 6, 2006.

The CAF-FCA would like to recognize the following partners for their continued support of and commitment to the apprenticeship conference:

Theme Partner

Canadian Operating Engineers Joint Apprenticeship And Training Council

Platinum Partner

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

Gold Partner

United Association Canadian Training Trust Fund

Silver Partner

	Boilermakers National Training Trust Fund
	Alberta Advanced Education
	Commission de la construction du Québec
	International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers

Bronze Partner

	Dofasco Inc.
	Apprenticeship Branch and Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Board, Manitoba Advanced Education and Training
	www.apprenticesearch.com / Halton Industry Education Council
	Electrical Contractors Association of British Columbia
	Golden Planners Inc.

Supporter Partner

Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission

Registration for the conference will begin in late March 2006.

Contact Project Manager Suzanne LeBlanc

St. Lawrence College features campaign poster artwork in course guide and alumni magazine

St. Lawrence College decided to partner with the “Skilled Trades — A Career You Can Build On” campaign in an effort to encourage students to investigate careers in the skilled trades in their college. The college used poster artwork from the campaign along with their own logo, and created a full-page, full colour ad on the inside cover of their winter 2006 Continuing Education Guide. The guide has a circulation of approximately 100,000.

In addition, the college has further plans to reproduce a similar ad in their winter 2006 Voyageur magazine, which is circulated to approximately 40,000 alumni. If your organization is interested in partnering with the campaign to promote the skilled trades, please Contact Project Manager Beverlie Cook

THE CAF-FCA SEEKS NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

After five years of service, Keith Lancastle, the current Executive Director of the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum — Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA), has decided to seek new professional challenges. Under the stewardship of the Board of Directors, Keith worked with members of the apprenticeship community to develop increasing levels of consensus, partnership and shared commitment on apprenticeship issues. Over the course of the next few months, representatives from the CAF-FCA Board of Directors will be actively seeking a successor.