October 24, 2023 – You’ve likely seen and heard a lot about the federal government’s apprenticeship incentives, but how best can they fit your business?

Back in the spring, my colleague Doug—editor of HPAC Magazine—moderated an online information session “Canadian Apprenticeship Service [CAS] program explained”.

One of his guests was Stephanie Shrum, who shared information about the CAS program, which provides $5000 cash to employers who take on first-year apprentices in eligible construction trades… $10,000 when that apprentice is from an “equity-deserving group”.

The program specifically targets small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to help offset the costs of hiring and training up to two (2) first-year apprentices for one of 39 Red Seal trades.

Following Shrum’s overview, Doug welcomed the owner of Aaron Machine Shop, Brett Butler, who said the program was actually very easy “compared to some of the other government programs that you go through owning a business”.

In his case, the program serves as a great retention tool for some of his employees. “If you have employees that are interested in upgrading their education—eventually getting paid more—and you show them a path to making more money and building their career, they’re going to stay around for longer. So [the CAS program] been a great retention tool for us.”

While simple, there are some things to watch out for, specifically when it comes to the order in which you do things. (For example, you cannot apply for CAS funding retroactively to an apprentice you’ve already hired.)

But apply for funding is something you should do, with CAS or any other initiatives we report on. Monies have been set aside for you so, if you’re hiring a first-year apprentice anyway, why not take advantage?

Meantime, with its knowledgeable guests and robust Q&A period, this was a truly informative session. You can watch the edited recording above or on our YouTube channel.

Final advice: don’t delay. The CAS program is ongoing, but concludes March 2024.

– Anthony Capkun, acapkun@ebmag.com.

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