December 14, 2011 – Employers play an important role in providing apprentices with effective workplace training opportunities, says Canadian Apprenticeship Forum-Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage (CAF-FCA). In 2006, CAF surveyed employers to gauge their hiring practices and attitudes toward apprenticeship; now, five years later, CAF revisited its employer survey to see what, if anything, had changed. Insights include:

• About half of those who employ journeypersons and are familiar with apprenticeship training also employ apprentices.
• Employers have more positive attitudes toward the business case for apprenticeship.
• 90% of surveyed employers are now reporting an overall favourable opinion of apprenticeship.
• A lack of awareness exists among employers regarding available support.

Employers are crucial to effective workplace training and providing apprentices with the opportunities to access apprenticeship training, says CAF. To increase employer participation, the apprenticeship community needs to have an accurate and up-to-date understanding of employers’ current rates of participation, practices and attitudes to assess whether collective efforts are having an impact, and where future efforts should be focused.

For additional insights, CLICK HERE to download CAF-FCA’s “Employers and Apprenticeship in Canada” report.

ALSO: Don’t forget about CAF-FCA’s upcoming 2012 conference June 3-5 in Regina, Sask.