Insights on Canadian Society
Factors associated with the completion of apprenticeship training in Canada
by Hyeongsuk Jin, Manon Langevin, André Lebel and Michael Haan
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Apprenticeship training is the key pathway for an individual to become a skilled tradesperson in Canada. This study uses data from the Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform from 2008 to 2016 to examine which factors affect the certification rates of registered apprentices in Canada. This study also examines the impact of employment conditions during on-the-job training (the paid portion of the training) on program completion.
- Among apprentices who had registered in an apprenticeship training since 2008, few completed their program on time. At the end of the expected program duration, only 16% of apprentices had obtained their certificate, while 64% were still in their program and 20% had left their program.
- Even after including those who took up to twice as long as the expected program duration to complete their training, the proportion of apprentices who obtained their certificate was just over the third of all apprentices (36%).
- Apprentices who were credited for previous work experience or training were more likely to complete their program: apprentices who benefited from these credits were 13 percentage points more likely to obtain a certificate (44%) than apprentices who did not receive these credits (31%).
- The type of work experience acquired during apprenticeship training was also significant. Apprentices who were working in a field closely related to their trade were more likely to earn their certificate (38%) than those who were not (32%).
- Working conditions during training, such as job-related benefits and wages, also played an important role in apprentices’ success. For example, apprentices who received their certificate had higher employment incomes throughout their training than those who did not complete their program.
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Introduction
Apprenticeship training is the key pathway toward the expertise needed to become a skilled tradesperson. However, there are growing concerns about the potential lack of skilled tradespeople in the coming years since trades workers are aging at a faster rate than the rest of the workforce.Note In response to these concerns, the federal government,Note as well as provincial and territorial apprenticeship training authorities make annual investments to train future tradespeople to help address the labour demands of specific industries.Note
Despite the increasing need for skilled tradespeople, data suggest that the overall certification rate has declined over time. Over the past three decades, the number of certificates awarded to apprentices has been growing at a slower rate than the number of new registrations in apprenticeship programs. Indeed, the number of new registrations per year has more than doubled during this period—increasing from 31,368 in 1991 to 77,573 in 2019—while the number of certificates granted has increased by only 47% during the same period (from 35,634 to 52,368).Note
Registered apprentices benefit from completing their programs and obtaining their certificate since this entitles them to the full wages and benefits related to their trade. Nonetheless, many apprentices will never complete their program. According to data from the National Apprenticeship Survey, apprentices who left their training cited job instability and receiving a better job offer as the main reasons for abandoning their apprenticeship, followed by financial constraints and personal or family issues.Note
Because an apprenticeship is primarily work-based training, apprentices are particularly vulnerable to economic shocks. In the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic, some apprentices likely had to be temporarily laid off because of economic difficulties encountered by their employers and because of public health related shut downs. Furthermore, apprentices who have been able to continue their training may have experienced difficulty completing it because of reduced working hours or the cancellation of the in-class portion of their training. In this context, it remains important to understand the factors associated with completing an apprenticeship certificate.
Data on employment show that tradespeople were hit hard during the pandemic. From February to April 2020, employment and number of hours worked fell for the vast majority of trades and had not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels by September 2020. Workers in trades groups such as hairstylists and estheticians (-72%), early childhood educators and assistants (-47%), food service (-47%) and sheet metal workers (-44%) were the hardest hit from February to April 2020. Although employment has recovered with the reopening of businesses, employment in these trades had not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels by September 2020. In contrast, employment for landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists increased from February to September 2020 (+30%). However, the number of landscape and horticultural technicians and specialists in September 2020 was lower than the one recorded a year earlier (13,300 in 2020 compared to 19,300 in 2019).
This study uses data from the Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform (ELMLP) from 2008 to 2016 to examine factors that influence the certification rates and employment characteristics of registered apprentices during their apprenticeship. Studies conducted prior to the introduction of the ELMLP were limited by the lack of an adequate longitudinal data source to track the trajectories of apprentices over time.Note This study adds to the existing literature on apprentices by using new longitudinal administrative data to shed light on the pathways to apprenticeship certification. This study also examines the impact of apprentices’ working conditions on apprenticeship completion.
As many apprentices take longer than the expected program duration to obtain their certificate, outcomes in this paper are measured at one-and-a-half times the program duration. Three different outcomes were measured and each apprentice was assigned to one of the following three categories:
- certified journeypersons—apprentices who completed their apprenticeship program and received their certificates within one and a half times their program duration;
- long-term continuers—apprentices who were still registered in their program after one and a half times the length of their program had elapsed;
- discontinuersNote —apprentices who left their program, without receiving a certificate, within one and a half times their program duration.
Data are restricted to apprentices who had registered in an apprenticeship program since 2008 and whose “one and a half times the normal program duration” period had passed by 2016. For example, for apprentices registered in four-year programs, only those who registered in 2008, 2009 and 2010Note were included in the sample. The analytical sample includes 244,820 apprentices across 165 programsNote (See Data sources, methods and definitions).
Most apprenticeship programs rely on work-based training
The educational pathway of apprentices is quite different and not as structured as that of postsecondary students. To become an apprentice, a person must first find an employer who is willing to provide the required training and who employs journeypersons to train and mentor apprentices. Both parties have to then sign an agreement that outlines the terms of the apprenticeship, and the contract must be registered with the apprenticeship authority of the respective province or territory to be valid. The major part of apprenticeship training is completed on-the-job (approximatively 80%). The remainder is technical training, completed in-class. The apprentice is remunerated for the on-the-job portion of their training, but at a lower rate than a journeyperson in the trade would be. After completing the required training, the apprentice is invited to write a qualification exam. Those who pass the exam receive a certificate and then become journeypersons.
Electricians (14%), carpenters (12%), and automotive service workers (11%) are the most popular trades groups among apprentices. In 2019, new registrations in these trade programs accounted for 40% of all new male registrations while they accounted for 15% of new female registrations.
Women are under-represented in trade programs. In 2019, for example, women accounted for only 14% of all new registrations in an apprenticeship program. They are also found in greater numbers in training programs related to sales and service occupations. In 2019, almost half of them were registered in the hairstylists and estheticians (25%) or food service (19%) programs.
A majority of apprentices take longer than the expected program duration to receive their certificate
In Canada, apprenticeship programs are administered by provinces and territories. The apprenticeship authority of each jurisdiction is responsible for designating a trade as apprenticeable and for setting the training standards of each program. As a result, apprenticeship programs are not homogenous, and characteristics and requirements can differ across jurisdictions. For instance, to receive a certificate in the same trade, one jurisdiction may offer a four-year program and another may offer a three-year program.Note In British Columbia, for example, the cook trade program is a three-year program, whereas, in Ontario, it is a four-year program.
Program durations vary across programs and jurisdictions and can last from one to five years. Among apprentices who had registered in an apprenticeship program since 2008, most had registered in four-year (38%) and three-year programs (33%). One-year (18%), two-year (8%) and five-year (3%) programs were less common.
Among those who had registered in an apprenticeship program since 2008, a majority took longer than the expected program duration to receive their certificate. By the end of the expected program duration, 16% had received their certificate, while 64% were continuing their program and 20% had left their program (Chart 1).
The number of apprentices who obtain their certificate continues to increase beyond the expected length of the program. Indeed, the proportion of apprentices who received their certificate was 32% when adding those who took up to one and a half times the expected length of the program to complete their training.Note However, the proportion of apprentices who received their certificate only marginally increases between one and a half times and twice the program duration. Over this period, the proportion of apprentices who obtained a certificate only rose from 32% to 36%. Only a few apprentices obtained a certificate after twice the normal program duration.
Data table for Chart 1
Received a certificate | Continuing the program | Discontinued the program | |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Within program duration | 16 | 64 | 20 |
Within 1.5 times the program duration | 32 | 33 | 35 |
Within twice the program duration | 36 | 24 | 40 |
Note: Includes apprentices who registered in an apprenticeship program between 2008 and 2014 and whose "twice the program duration" period had passed by 2016. Source: Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform, 2008 to 2016. |
Chart 2 shows the distribution of apprentices who obtained their certificate within twice the program duration, by the time it took to obtain the certificate relative to the program duration. Of apprentices who received a certificate within twice the expected program duration, about four in ten (44%) obtained it within the expected program duration. Many certificates were issued around the expected program duration; about 2 in 10 (22%) certificates were issued only a few months before or after this time (i.e., between 0.9 and 1.1 times the program duration). Most certificates (73%) were issued from half to one and half times the program duration. As a result, 84% of all certificates were issued by one and half times the program duration.
Data table for Chart 2
Time elapsed since registration in proportion of program duration | Cumulative percentage |
---|---|
0.0 | 0.0 |
0.1 times the program duration | 3.9 |
0.2 times the program duration | 5.2 |
0.3 times the program duration | 6.8 |
0.4 times the program duration | 8.8 |
0.5 times the program duration | 11.4 |
0.6 times the program duration | 15.3 |
0.7 times the program duration | 20.3 |
0.8 times the program duration | 26.5 |
0.9 times the program duration | 34.0 |
program duration | 44.3 |
1.1 times the program duration | 55.8 |
1.2 times the program duration | 64.8 |
1.3 times the program duration | 72.3 |
1.4 times the program duration | 78.7 |
1.5 times the program duration | 83.9 |
1.6 times the program duration | 88.2 |
1.7 times the program duration | 91.9 |
1.8 times the program duration | 94.9 |
1.9 times the program duration | 97.5 |
Twice the program duration | 100.0 |
Note: Only includes certified journeypersons who obtained their certificate within twice the program duration. Source: Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform, 2008 to 2016. |
Apprentices who received credits for training or work experience prior to registration were more likely to receive their certificate
In this section, multinomial logistic regression models are used to study the association between the completion of an apprenticeship program within one and half times the program duration and various factors, including program characteristics and personal factors. Results are presented as predicted probabilities and the three outcomes studied are the following: those who completed their program, those who were still in their program (“long-term continuers”) and those who left their program (“discontinuers”).
When registering for an apprenticeship program, some apprentices receive credits for (in-class or on-the-job) training completed prior registration or for work-related experience in the trade. These apprentices have already completed some of their training and are therefore closer to certification than those who received no credits.
Among apprentices who had registered in an apprenticeship program since 2008, close to four in ten (38%) received credits upon registration. Data show that apprentices who received credits were more likely to complete their apprenticeship program than those who had no credits (44% vs. 31%) [Table 1]. They were also less likely to leave their program (29% vs. 37%) and less likely to be long-term continuers (28% vs. 32%).
Characteristic | Obtaining a certificate | Continuing in the program | Discontinuing the program |
---|---|---|---|
predicted probability | |||
Sex | |||
Male (ref.) | 0.357 | 0.309 | 0.334 |
Female | 0.404Note ** | 0.279Note ** | 0.317Note ** |
Age at registration | |||
18 to 20 years (ref.) | 0.400 | 0.312 | 0.293 |
21 to 25 years | 0.381Note ** | 0.303Note ** | 0.316Note ** |
26 to 35 years | 0.350Note ** | 0.303Note * | 0.347Note ** |
36 to 45 years | 0.324Note ** | 0.306 | 0.370Note ** |
46 years or older | 0.305Note ** | 0.285Note ** | 0.411Note ** |
Immigration status | |||
Non-immigrant (ref.) | 0.363 | 0.300 | 0.337 |
Immigrant | 0.362 | 0.348Note ** | 0.291Note ** |
Marital status in registration year | |||
Single (ref.) | 0.358 | 0.312 | 0.331 |
Married or common-law | 0.378Note ** | 0.290Note ** | 0.332 |
Divorced, separated or widowed | 0.338Note ** | 0.306 | 0.357Note ** |
Registered outside the province or territory of residence | |||
No (ref.) | 0.365 | 0.303 | 0.332 |
Yes | 0.329Note ** | 0.333Note ** | 0.339 |
Received credits for pre-registration training | |||
No (ref.) | 0.310 | 0.321 | 0.369 |
Yes | 0.438Note ** | 0.277Note ** | 0.285Note ** |
Employment income in registration yearTable 1 Note 1 | |||
Less than $15,000 | 0.220Note ** | 0.345Note ** | 0.435Note ** |
$15,000 to $29,999 (ref.) | 0.348 | 0.323 | 0.329 |
$30,000 to $44,999 | 0.444Note ** | 0.282Note ** | 0.275Note ** |
$45,000 to $59,999 | 0.458Note ** | 0.266Note ** | 0.276Note ** |
$60,000 to $74,999 | 0.440Note ** | 0.261Note ** | 0.299Note ** |
$75,000 or more | 0.401Note ** | 0.269Note ** | 0.330 |
Union membership in registration yearTable 1 Note 2 | |||
No (ref.) | 0.361 | 0.293 | 0.346 |
Yes | 0.367Note * | 0.321Note ** | 0.312Note ** |
Had a registered pension plan in registration year | |||
No (ref.) | 0.359 | 0.308 | 0.333 |
Yes | 0.375Note ** | 0.295Note ** | 0.329 |
Received employment insurance benefits in registration year | |||
No (ref.) | 0.360 | 0.304 | 0.336 |
yes | 0.370Note ** | 0.306 | 0.325Note ** |
After-tax low-income status in registration yearTable 1 Note 3 | |||
Not in low income (ref.) | 0.366 | 0.305 | 0.329 |
In low income | 0.306Note ** | 0.316Note ** | 0.378Note ** |
Number of industries worked in registration year | |||
One (ref.) | 0.392 | 0.315 | 0.293 |
Two | 0.355Note ** | 0.298Note ** | 0.347Note ** |
Three or more | 0.300Note ** | 0.285Note ** | 0.415Note ** |
Worked in one the three most common sectors in registration yearTable 1 Note 4 | |||
No (ref.) | 0.315 | 0.304 | 0.381 |
Yes | 0.382Note ** | 0.305 | 0.313Note ** |
Red Seal endorsement and type of certification | |||
Compulsory Red Seal trade (ref.) | 0.394 | 0.304 | 0.302 |
Voluntary Red Seal trade | 0.347Note ** | 0.314Note ** | 0.340Note ** |
Compulsory non-Red Seal trade | 0.290Note ** | 0.388Note ** | 0.322Note ** |
Voluntary non-Red Seal trade | 0.340Note ** | 0.271Note ** | 0.390Note ** |
Program duration | |||
One year | 0.339Note ** | 0.529Note ** | 0.131Note ** |
Two years | 0.302Note ** | 0.465Note ** | 0.233Note ** |
Three years | 0.315Note ** | 0.282Note ** | 0.403Note ** |
Four years (ref.) | 0.392 | 0.213 | 0.395 |
Five years | 0.425Note ** | 0.073Note ** | 0.502Note ** |
Source: Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform, 2007 to 2016. |
Apprentices registered in compulsory Red Seal trade programs have a higher probability of certification
In a given province or territory, trades are either regulated (compulsory trades) or unregulated (voluntary trades). To practise in a regulated trade, an individual must become a certified journeyperson or register as an apprentice. In contrast, certification is voluntary in unregulated trades. The number and type of trades designated as compulsory greatly vary across jurisdictions. For example, carpentry is a compulsory trade in Quebec, while it is a voluntary trade in other jurisdictions.
To help set common standards across trades and facilitate the mobility of skilled workers across Canada, the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship administers the Red Seal Program. Apprentices registered in Red Seal trades programs who successfully pass the Red Seal examination receive the Red Seal endorsement. The endorsement is recognized across the country and apprentices who receive it can work in any of the provinces and territories in Canada.
Among apprentices who had registered in an apprenticeship program since 2008, most were registered in a compulsory (41%) or a voluntary (29%) Red Seal trade program. The remainder were registered in a non-Red Seal trade program (compulsory [6%]; voluntary [24%]).
In general, apprentices registered in compulsory trades, both Red Seal and non-Red Seal programs, were less likely to be discontinuers. In addition, those registered in compulsory Red Seal trade programs had the highest probability of certification (39%) and the lowest probability of leaving (30%) among the four program categories.
Younger apprentices were more likely than older apprentices to obtain a certificate
The majority of apprentices register for an apprenticeship program later in life compared with undergraduate students. According to the Postsecondary Student Information System, half of students who enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program between 2008 and 2014 were 21 years old or younger (55%).This same proportion was 24% among apprentices.
Since apprentices tend to be older at registration than undergraduate students, they tend to have work experience before they start their apprenticeship training. They may also have more family responsibilities and financial obligations than typical undergraduate students, which could make them less inclined to take time away from paid employment to complete the classroom portion of their training, which is required to complete their apprenticeship program.
In general, results from Table 1 show that older apprentices were less likely to obtain their certificate and were more likely to leave their program than their younger counterparts. For example, apprentices who were 46 years or older were nine percentage points less likely to obtain a certificate (31% vs. 40%) and 12 percentage points more likely to leave their program (41% vs. 29%) than those aged 18 to 20. The same result is found for all age groups.
Results according to age seem to indicate that apprentices who decided to pursue or continueNote a career in trades later in life are more likely to face a variety of challenges associated to family responsibilities and financial obligations. In addition, younger apprentices may be more motivated to obtain their certificate than their older counterparts, knowing they can expect a greater number of years of gainful employment.
Working conditions and wages play an important role in an apprentice’s success
Generally speaking, apprentices who completed their programs, long-term continuers and discontinuers share similar demographic characteristics at registration (for more information, see the section Program and demographic characteristics of certified journeypersons, long-term continuers and discontinuers).Note However, they often experience different working conditions during their apprenticeship.
For instance, not all apprentices are able to train in the most prevalent industries of their trade. Although apprentices work in jobs directly connected to their training, apprentices in the same program can work in different sectors. For example, carpenters can both work in the construction sector and in the furniture manufacturing sector. Both sectors involve a different set of skills and responsibilities, and thus provide different types of work experiences, which can in turn affect the apprentice's success and their chances of obtaining their certificate.
Data from Table 1 show that working in a field closely related to the trade was associated with better outcomes. Indeed, apprentices who were working in one of the three most common industrial sectors of their trade during the registration yearNote were more likely to earn their certificate (38%) than those who worked in less prevalent sectors (32%).
Union membership was also associated with better outcomes for apprentices. Apprentices who were union members in the registration year were less likely to leave their program than those who were not union members (31% vs. 35%). In addition, union members were more likely than non-union members (32% vs. 29%) to continue beyond the period examined in this study. Because job instability is the most commonly cited reason for leaving an apprenticeship program,Note union members—whose jobs are potentially more secure than those of non-union members—might be less likely to work part-time or to be laid off than non-union members. In addition, they may be more likely to benefit from flexible work arrangements to complete the classroom portion of their training.
The number of sectors in which an apprentice worked was used as a proxy for job switching. The relationship between the number of sectors in which apprentices worked during the registration year and their training outcomes also suggests that job stability is important.Note Compared with apprentices who worked in only one industry, apprentices who worked in multiple industries during the registration year were less likely to obtain their certificate and more likely to leave their program.
Similarly, data in Table 1 show that those who had well-paying apprenticeship positions were also more likely to become certified. The probability of eventually becoming a certified journeyperson increased as the apprentice’s employment income in the registration year increased. For example, apprentices who earned between $45,000 and $59,999 in the registration year (46%) were 11 percentage points more likely to become certified than those who earned between $15,000 and $29,999 (35%)
Lastly, apprentices who were in low-incomeNote families in the registration year were also less likely than those who were not in low-income families to complete their program (31% vs. 37%). Combined with the fact that employment income is positively related with the probability of certification, these results support the finding that financial conditions are closely associated with program completion for apprentices.Note
Women registered in a male-dominated trade program were less likely to obtain a certificate than their male counterparts
Approximately 15% of apprentices who had registered in an apprenticeship program since 2008 were women.Note Although female apprentices have registered in a more diverse range of apprenticeship programs in recent years, they tend to be concentrated in a small number of trades in sales and service occupations, such as the hairstylist trade. Therefore, most apprenticeship programs are male-dominated. Of male-dominated trades, the electrician, automotive services, carpenter, welder and plumber, pipefitter and steamfitter trades are the most popular among female apprentices. Altogether, these five training programs accounted for 12% of female apprentices who had registered in an apprenticeship program since 2008.Note
On average, more men than women obtained a certificate within one and a half times their program duration. About 37% of male apprentices obtained certificates within one and a half times the program duration, compared with 32% of female apprentices.
Part of the gender gap in program completion rates can be explained by differences in individual and program characteristics. Compared with male apprentices, female apprentices were less likely to receive credits for training completed prior registration or for work-related experience in the trade. About two in five male apprentices (43%) had received such credits at registration, compared with approximately one in four female apprentices (26%). In addition, women were more concentrated in non-Red Seal trades, for which the overall certification rate (28%) is lower compared with Red Seal trades (40%). While most male apprentices (77%) registered in one of the Red Seal trades, only two out of five female apprentices had done the same (38%).
After controlling for these differences, and for other individual characteristics, women were four percentage points more likely than men with the same characteristics to obtain a certificate (40% vs. 36%) (Table 1). However, the gender gap varied across programs. Based on the proportion of female apprentices in the trade, trades can be grouped into three categories: male-dominated trades, female-dominated trades and mixed trades (neither male-dominated nor female-dominated).Note
A trade program was classified as male-dominated if less than 25% of registered apprentices in the program were women. Most construction-related trade programs (carpenter, electrician, welder, etc.) were male-dominated trades. Conversely, female-dominated trades were programs in which more than 75% of apprentices were women. Hairstylist and early childhood educatorNote programs are examples of female-dominated trades. The remaining programs (for which the percentage of registered female apprentices varied between 25% and 75%) were defined as mixed trades. Many service-related trades, such as cook and information technology support associateNote programs were mixed trades.
Regression models were estimated for each program grouping (male-dominated, female-dominated and mixed trades) using the same set of control variables. After controlling for many factors, women registered in male-dominated trades were found to be less likely to obtain their certificate and more likely to leave their program than men with the same characteristics (Chart 3). Conversely, women in female-dominated trades had a higher probability of certification and a lower probability of leaving their program than their male counterparts. The same was also true for mixed trades.
Data table for Chart 3
Male-dominated trades | Mixed trades | Female-dominated trades | |
---|---|---|---|
predicted probability | |||
Men | 37.7 | 28.5 | 25 |
Women | 33.7Note ** | 31.1Note ** | 37.5Note ** |
|
Employment income increased at a faster pace for apprentices who obtained their certificate
The progression of employment income and benefits for apprentices throughout their programs is further analyzed in Table 2. All apprentices saw an improvement in their earnings and employment conditions over the course of their training, regardless of whether they completed their program. On average, the employment income of all apprentices increased by about 14% per year (Table 2).
However, apprentices who completed their program experienced the largest gains throughout their training.Note Even one year before registration, they earned about $5,000 more than long-term continuers and discontinuers. In the registration year, the difference in income between apprentices who received a certificate and long-term continuers and discontinuers rose to $7,000 and $9,000, respectively.
Furthermore, apprentices who completed their program experienced improvements in their employment conditions at a faster rate than long-term continuers and discontinuers. For example, their employment income increased by 15% per year, on average, compared with 14% and 13%, respectively, for long-term continuers and discontinuers (for more information on the progression of apprentices’ incomes, see the section, Income gaps by program duration). By the end of the expected program duration,Note the median income of apprentices who completed their program ($51,920) was approximately $20,000 higher than that of long-term continuers ($33,350) or discontinuers ($32,710).
In addition, they were less likely to be in a low-income situationNote (4%) in the year of registration compared with long-term continuers (10%) and discontinuers (12%). By the end of the expected program duration, these apprentices (2%) were from four to five times less likely to be in a low-income situation than long-term continuers (8%) and discontinuers (11%). They were also more likely than discontinuers to be working in a unionized workplace (45% vs. 29%) and to be covered by a pension plan (28% vs. 17%).
Employment characteristic | All apprentices | Certified journeypersons | Long-term continuers | Discontinuers |
---|---|---|---|---|
One year before registration | ||||
dollars | ||||
Median employment income | 21,250 | 24,370 | 19,640 | 19,070 |
percent | ||||
Union membershipTable 2 Note 4 | 29.9 | 29.4 | 32.1 | 28.3 |
Had a registered pension plan | 15.6 | 14.4 | 18.1 | 14.5 |
Received employment insurance benefit | 23.4 | 22.4 | 25.3 | 22.8 |
Low-income status, after tax | 11.8 | 8.2 | 13.0 | 14.7 |
In the registration year | ||||
dollars | ||||
Median employment income | 27,610 | 32,510 | 25,080 | 23,570 |
percent | ||||
Union membershipTable 2 Note 4 | 38.8 | 39.8 | 42.3 | 34.5 |
Had a registered pension plan | 23.6 | 24.1 | 27.6 | 19.5 |
Received employment insurance benefit | 30.1 | 31.8 | 31.3 | 27.4 |
Low-income status, after tax | 8.5 | 4.2 | 9.7 | 11.8 |
Worked in one of the common sectors related to their tradeTable 2 Note 5 | 70.4 | 76.5 | 68.3 | 66.0 |
At the end of the expected program durationTable 2 Note 6 | ||||
dollars | ||||
Median employment income | 39,980 | 51,920 | 33,350 | 32,710 |
percent | ||||
Employment income growth rate per year, from the registration to the end of the program, average growth rate | 13.7 | 14.6 | 13.6 | 12.5 |
Union membershipTable 2 Note 4 | 38.7 | 44.8 | 42.0 | 29.3 |
Had a registered pension plan | 24.6 | 28.3 | 28.4 | 17.4 |
Received employment insurance benefit | 37.3 | 46.8 | 39.5 | 25.4 |
Low-income status, after tax | 6.8 | 2.1 | 8.0 | 10.6 |
Worked in one of the common sectors related to their tradeTable 2 Note 5 | 59.5 | 77.2 | 62.6 | 38.2 |
|
Conclusion
Apprenticeship training is the key pathway to acquire skills and knowledge to become a skilled tradesperson. Despite the financial benefits associated with becoming certified in a trade, many apprentices leave their program without receiving a certificate of qualification.
Using data from the ELMLP, this study examined the working and training conditions of apprentices from the time they registered in a program, as well as the impact of these conditions on program completion. All apprentices saw an increase in their earnings over the course of their training, regardless of whether they completed their program. However, apprentices who completed their program experienced the largest gains.
This study’s findings emphasize the importance of having an appropriate job for apprenticeship. Apprentices who had stable and well-paying jobs with benefits were more likely to become certified than those who did not. The employment sector also matters. Apprentices who worked in sectors related to their trades were more likely to obtain their certificates than those who worked in less prevalent sectors.
This study shed a light on hurdles faced by apprentices and its findings can contribute to apprenticeship-related policy discussions. In the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, where many apprentices might work fewer hours than usual or might be unable to continue or start the in-class portion of their training, such discussions need to be undertaken among apprenticeship stakeholders to determine how best to address the additional challenges and barriers to apprentice certification.
Hyeongsuk Jin is an analyst at the Canadian Centre for Education Statistics at Statistics Canada. Manon Langevin is a researcher at the Centre for Social Data Insights and Innovation at Statistics Canada. André Lebel is a chief at the Canadian Centre for Education Statistics at Statistics Canada. Michael Haan is an associate professor at Western University.
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Data source
This study used data from the Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform (ELMLP). The ELMLP was developed at Statistics Canada to combine anonymized information from the Registered Apprenticeship Information System (RAIS), the Postsecondary Student Information System and information from other administrative datasets. The RAIS provides information on individuals who registered for training and those who obtained certification within a trade where apprenticeship training is being offered. This study used tax data from the T1 Family File and immigration information from the Longitudinal Immigration Database combined with data from the RAIS for 2008 to 2016.
The RAIS includes trade qualifiers (trade challengers) and registered apprentices. A trade qualifier is someone who worked in a specific trade for an extended period without becoming a registered apprentice, and who became a certified journeyperson by challenging the qualification exam. Because this study focused on registered apprentices, trade qualifiers were excluded from the analysis.
The sample excludes apprentices for whom program outcome could not be measured because the timeframe required for one and a half times the nominal program duration would have been completed after 2016. This introduces restrictions on registration cohorts, depending on the program duration. For apprentices registered in one-year programs, those who registered between 2008 and 2014 inclusive, were included in the analytical sample. For apprentices registered in two-year, three-year, and four-year programs, those who registered by 2013, 2011 and 2010, inclusive, are included in the sample, respectively. For apprentices registered in five-year programs, only those who registered in 2008 were considered.
Additional sample selection restrictions were applied to ensure there were enough apprentices by program. A program was included only if there were more than 20 apprentices registered and if all certification, continuation and discontinuation rates by one and a half times the program duration were between 10% and 90%. The resulting analytical sample contained 244,820 apprentices in 165 programs.
Methods
Multinomial logistic regression models were estimated to examine the relationship between apprentices’ characteristics and their program outcomes. The program outcome (whether an apprentice received a certificate within one and a half times the program duration, left their program or continued to be registered beyond the period) was used as the dependent variable.
The model includes control variables on the apprentice’s registration information (year and jurisdiction of registration, whether they lived in the jurisdiction and received credit for prior training, whether the trade was a Red Seal trade, whether the trade was a compulsory certified trade), the apprentice’s sociodemographic characteristics (age at registration, sex, immigration status, marital status in the registration year), and on income and work-related variables from the tax data (employment income, whether they paid union dues, whether they had a registered pension plan, whether they received employment insurance benefits, low-income status, and industries they apprenticed in).
The model uses the year and the jurisdiction of registration as control variables. These variables help control the effects of business cycles and local labour market conditions on apprenticeship training. The reported results should be interpreted as associations of the characteristics and the likelihood of each program outcome, not causal relationships.
Since apprenticeship programs are administered by provinces and territories, programs for the same trade may have different requirements and administrative practices across jurisdictions, which can affect the outcomes. As a robustness check, a regression model, with group fixed effects that treated each jurisdiction’s programs as distinct, was estimated. The fixed-effect model showed similar results.
Definitions
(Certified) journeypersons are defined in this study as apprentices who completed and received their certificates within one and a half times their program duration.
Long-term continuers are apprentices who were still registered in their program after one and a half times the length of their program had elapsed. Note that some long-term continuers might have received their certificate eventually. However, in this analysis, they are considered long-term continuers even if they obtained their certification and it is recorded in the RAIS after one and a half times the program duration.
Discontinuers are apprentices who left their program, without receiving a certificate, within one and a half times the program duration.
Common (relevant) sectors related to the trade are defined as the three most common industrial sectors in which certified journeypersons of the trade work. Using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) information from tax data, the number of certified journeypersons is counted for each three-digit-level industry by trade and jurisdiction. If an apprentice worked in one of the three most common sectors, they were classified as having worked in the common sectors to their trade. Because of the nature of the tax data, it is possible that some apprentices worked in one of the industries while performing jobs unrelated to their trade.
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Program and demographic characteristics of certified journeypersons, long-term continuers and discontinuers,Table 3 Note 1 2008 to 2016
Characteristic | All | Certified journeypersons | Long-term continuers | Discontinuers |
---|---|---|---|---|
number | ||||
Total number of apprentices | 244,820 | 81,990 | 76,270 | 86,560 |
percent | ||||
Proportion of all apprentices | 100.0 | 33.5 | 31.2 | 35.4 |
Women | 14.6 | 12.7 | 14.9 | 16.1 |
Immigrants | 8.5 | 8.1 | 9.2 | 8.2 |
Marital status in the registration year | ||||
Married or common-law | 29.4 | 30.2 | 28.9 | 29.0 |
Divorced, separated or widowed | 4.0 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 |
Single | 66.6 | 66.7 | 67.0 | 66.3 |
Age at registration | ||||
years | ||||
Average | 28.0 | 27.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 |
Median | 24.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 25.0 |
percent | ||||
16 to 20 | 27.2 | 24.3 | 29.1 | 28.4 |
21 to 25 | 27.4 | 31.6 | 25.6 | 25.0 |
26 to 35 | 26.4 | 27.7 | 25.3 | 26.1 |
36 to 45 | 11.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 11.9 |
46 or older | 7.6 | 6.0 | 8.2 | 8.7 |
percent | ||||
Received credit for pre-registration training | 37.6 | 50.5 | 29.1 | 32.8 |
Registered outside their province or territory of residence | 5.9 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 6.8 |
Red Seal endorsement and type of certification | ||||
Compulsory Red Seal trade | 41.4 | 46.8 | 37.7 | 39.4 |
Voluntary Red Seal trade | 28.5 | 28.5 | 24.6 | 31.9 |
Compulsory non-Red Seal trade | 5.9 | 4.0 | 10.7 | 3.5 |
Voluntary non-Red Seal trade | 24.2 | 20.6 | 27.0 | 25.2 |
Program duration | ||||
One-year programs | 18.0 | 16.3 | 27.5 | 11.1 |
Two-year programs | 8.4 | 6.9 | 11.8 | 6.7 |
Three-year programs | 33.0 | 29.4 | 30.6 | 38.5 |
Four-year programs | 37.5 | 42.3 | 28.7 | 40.8 |
Five-year programs | 3.2 | 5.1 | 1.4 | 2.9 |
|
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The employment income gaps among apprentices throughout their programs are further analyzed in this section.
Table 4 shows the median incomes of journeypersons, long-term continuers and discontinuers by program duration, up to five years after registration. Outcomes regarding completion are measured at one and a half times the program duration. As a result, median incomes can include incomes earned outside of the training period, particularly for apprentices registered in shorter programs (one-year and two-year programs).
Data show that certified journeypersons have higher employment incomes than long-term continuers and discontinuers over the course of their training. In addition, the income gaps between journeypersons, long-term continuers and discontinuers widened over time, reaching more than $25,000 five years after registration for those registered in longer programs (four-year and five-year programs).
In contrast, the income gaps between apprentices registered in two-year programs (about half of which were hairstylists) were the smallest. Five years after registration, there was no difference between the median income of certified journeypersons, long-term continuers and discontinuers.
In registration year | One year after registration | Two years after registration | Three years after registration | Four years after registration | Five years after registration | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
dollars | ||||||
Certified journeypersons | ||||||
One-year program | 41,750 | 46,900 | 52,010 | 54,170 | 55,500 | 55,810 |
Two-year program | 19,080 | 23,530 | 25,100 | 26,040 | 26,960 | 27,070 |
Three-year program | 33,380 | 37,740 | 41,370 | 44,870 | 47,240 | 48,140 |
Four-year program | 32,990 | 38,380 | 44,720 | 52,030 | 60,410 | 67,710 |
Five-year program | 33,160 | 36,140 | 42,130 | 49,270 | 57,270 | 66,590 |
Long-term continuers | ||||||
One-year program | 37,960 | 39,510 | 42,990 | 46,490 | 47,870 | 49,590 |
Two-year program | 16,860 | 20,320 | 22,220 | 24,120 | 25,760 | 27,130 |
Three-year program | 27,380 | 29,490 | 32,160 | 34,320 | 36,370 | 37,680 |
Four-year program | 23,230 | 26,170 | 30,130 | 34,750 | 38,060 | 40,300 |
Five-year program | 22,010 | 23,700 | 29,130 | 33,680 | 37,460 | 40,670 |
Discontinuers | ||||||
One-year program | 23,640 | 27,880 | 32,960 | 36,320 | 38,350 | 39,240 |
Two-year program | 17,350 | 18,040 | 20,890 | 23,530 | 25,810 | 27,050 |
Three-year program | 24,400 | 25,000 | 27,500 | 30,450 | 32,520 | 33,730 |
Four-year program | 25,040 | 26,160 | 30,240 | 34,870 | 38,130 | 40,000 |
Five-year program | 20,550 | 21,620 | 27,380 | 33,060 | 37,580 | 41,560 |
Source: Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform, 2008 to 2016. |
These results hold true even after controlling for program, training and personal characteristics.Note Chart 4 shows adjusted employment income gaps, between journeypersons and long-term continuers,Note from registration to five years after registration.
After controlling for a variety of characteristics, the largest income gaps were found in longer programs. For example, among apprentices who registered in a four-year program, the predicted income gap was $14,210, five years after registration; the same gap was about $1,500 among those who registered in a two-year program.
Data table for Chart 4
Program duration | Registration year | One year after registration | Two years after registration | Three years after registration | Four years after registration | Five years after registration |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
income gap in dollar | ||||||
All programs | 3,532Note ** | 5,936Note ** | 7,070Note ** | 8,185Note ** | 9,404Note ** | 9,688Note ** |
One-year program | 4,454Note ** | 6,301Note ** | 6,425Note ** | 5,891Note ** | 5,325Note ** | 4,967Note ** |
Two-year program | 2,217Note ** | 3,474Note ** | 2,962Note ** | 2,766Note ** | 1,916Note ** | 1,509Note ** |
Three-year program | 3,255Note ** | 5,712Note ** | 7,213Note ** | 8,536Note ** | 8,999Note ** | 8,260Note ** |
Four-year program | 3,651Note ** | 6,471Note ** | 8,112Note ** | 10,073Note ** | 12,942Note ** | 14,207Note ** |
Five-year program | 5,251Note ** | 7,136Note ** | 8,776Note ** | 10,808Note ** | 13,494Note ** | 15,835Note ** |
Source: Education and Labour Market Longitudinal Platform, 2008 to 2016. |
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