Evaluation of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program

On this page

• List of figures
• List of tables
• List of abbreviations
• Executive summary
  • Overview
  • Main findings
  • Recommendation
• Management response and action plan
  • Overall management response
  • Recommendation
  • Response
  • Management action plan
• Introduction
• Program description
  • Program background
  • Program objectives and outcomes
• Evaluation approach
  • Data limitations and mitigation strategies
• Evaluation findings
  • Program implementation
    • Funding recipients were satisfied with the funding allocation process and program management
    • Incomplete information was collected over time to track performance measurement
  • Achievement of Program outcomes: access and benefits
• Conclusion
• Recommendation
• Appendices
  • Appendix A: Overview of the program – Outputs
  • Appendix B: Summary of funded projects by fiscal year
  • Appendix C: Logic model of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program
  • Appendix D: Evaluation approach
  • Appendix E: Performance indicators of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program
  • Appendix F: Bibliography

Alternate formats

Executive summary

Overview

This report presents the findings and recommendation of the formative evaluation of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program.

The Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program supports pre-apprenticeship programs. As such, its goal is to encourage career exploration leading to full-time employment in the skilled trades or an apprenticeship training opportunity.

This Program encourages Canadians, particularly those facing barriers, to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades. Equity-deserving groups include:

• youth
• women
• Indigenous peoples
• newcomers
• persons with disabilities
• racialized communities

The Program funds projects across Canada that seek to:

• build awareness of trades as viable, good-quality careers
• help equip individuals with the skills, supports and work experience they need to pursue a career in the skilled trades, and
• provide opportunities to explore trades

Activities funded under the Program include:

• career exploration opportunities to support well-informed career decisions (for example, career fairs, in school introduction)
• skills training to better prepare individuals for success (for example essential skills training, safety certification)
• work experience to offer hands-on job experience and connections to employers (for example, work placements)

This formative evaluation of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program assesses its design, delivery, and early results. Specifically, the evaluation covers the 13 projects that received funding during the fiscal years from 2018 to 2019 and 2021 to 2022 in order to comply with the Financial Administration Act and the Policy on Results.

Main findings

Almost all funding recipients were satisfied with the funding allocation process and monitoring of the project's implementation.

Almost all funding recipients interviewed expressed satisfaction with the adequacy and timeliness of the funding they received.

Incomplete information was collected over time to track performance measurement.

Due to the absence of data on some indicators, there is a need to adjust the data collection strategy in order to more effectively collect comprehensive data to measure the achievement of Program outcomes.

Activities implemented in the funded projects focused on awareness building, skills training, and work experience to strengthen pre-apprenticeship.

• The Program funded 13 projects included in the scope of this evaluation. Most of them (69%) implemented more than one type of activity
• Among these funded projects, 10 projects (77%) provided skills training, 9 projects (69%) provided awareness activities, and 6 projects (46%) focused on work experience

Participants in funded projects reported that carried out activities helped prepare them to enter a skilled trade.

• During the 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 fiscal years, funded awareness activities reached about 12,700 individuals. In addition, 3,070 participants took part in skills training and 488 participated in work experience activities  
• The majority of participants reported that, as a result of their participation in funded activities, they gained the information, skills, support, and confidence to make a decision to go into and be successful in a career in a trade
• Funded recipients and project participants also said that the funded activities helped to change participants' perceptions of skilled trades

Recommendation

The evaluation found that incomplete information had been collected in 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 to track the Program's performance in terms of its outreach and outcomes, such as increased awareness of skilled trades and increase of skills.

The evaluation recommends that the Program performance measurement strategy ensure the collection and reporting of relevant^{Footnote 1}, accurate^{Footnote 2}, and coherent^{Footnote 3} data and information, facilitated by the mandatory participation of funding recipients in the annual reporting process and data validation.

Management response and action plan

Overall management response

Employment and Social Development Canada's Skills and Employment Branch (SEB) and Program Operations Branch (POB) would like to thank the individuals who contributed to the evaluation of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program, particularly the members of the Evaluation Directorate, as well as all interview participants who provided their insights as part of this evaluation.

The results of the evaluation were generally positive. They accentuated the importance of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program in helping Canadians obtain the information, skills, support, and confidence to make a decision to make a career or to continue working in a trade. The evaluation highlighted that the Program helped to change perceptions of skilled trades, and break down barriers faced by individuals of equity-deserving groups. Finally, the evaluation noted that all funded projects contributed to participants considering pursuit of an apprenticeship or a career in the trades.

Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program is now delivered as an initiative under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy framework. Announced in 2019, the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy aims to support a trades workforce that is skilled, inclusive, certified, and productive, through measures that:

• promote the skilled trades as a good career option
• help Canadians explore, prepare for, participate, and succeed in apprenticeship
• facilitate the participation of employers and unions in apprenticeship, and
• encourage innovative tools and approaches to better prepare pre-apprentices, apprentices and journeypersons for the jobs of tomorrow

Recommendation

The evaluation found that incomplete information had been collected in 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 to track the Program's performance in terms of its outreach and outcomes, such as increased awareness of skilled trades and increase of skills.

The evaluation recommends that the Program performance measurement strategy ensure the collection and reporting of relevant^{Footnote 4}, accurate^{Footnote 5} and coherent^{Footnote 6} data and information, facilitated by the mandatory participation of funding recipients in the annual reporting process and data validation.

Management response

Management agrees with this recommendation.

When the Program was introduced in 2018 to 2019, funding recipients were required to submit 2 different types of quarterly reports:

• reports on progress made in activities, finances, results, and participants' success stories, and
• data reports containing quantitative information gathered in exit interviews and post activity surveys reporting on participation in activities and associated benefits

The data collection process was conducted by phone, email, and posed a significant administrative burden on both the Department and funding recipients. The Department took successive steps to reduce this burden. First, it migrated to online collection of quarterly reporting of quantitative and qualitative results. Later, it implemented an annual results questionnaire to align with Departmental results reporting requirements. This greatly reduced the reporting burden, however due to the successive changes, there was some initial instability in the data collection questionnaires. Consequently, some data elements were inconsistently collected in the early years of the program.

With the shift to delivering the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program (STAR) as an initiative under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy framework, the Program's key performance indicators are being realigned to the new performance measurement strategy. The Skills and Employment Branch will use this opportunity to review the design of the STAR results questionnaire to ensure that the data collected is relevant, accurate and coherent.

Regarding the mandatory participation of funding recipients in the annual reporting process and data validation, the Department has recently taken measures to:

• provide more information during the information sessions for Calls for Proposals to highlight recipient roles and responsibilities in data collection and reporting
• provide more guidance to the recipient during the negotiations and signing of the agreement, where the content of the agreement including clauses and the reporting requirements, are explained, and
• underscore these responsibilities when the annual questionnaire is distributed

The Skills and Employment Branch and Program Operations Branch will monitor the impact of these changes on improving the response rate for the 2023 questionnaire (to collect 2022 to 2023 results) and make additional adjustments in future years as needed.

Introduction

This report presents the findings and recommendations of the formative evaluation of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program.

This Program encourages Canadians to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades. The objective of the formative evaluation of this Program is to assess its design, delivery, and early results.

This evaluation covers the period from the Program's launch during the fiscal years from 2018 to 2019 and 2021 to 2022. It was completed in compliance with the Financial Administration Act, and the Policy on Results.

This evaluation approach^{Footnote 7} addresses 5 evaluation questions and uses 3 lines of evidence:

1. a document and project files review (including Program performance information^{Footnote 8} from the 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 annual Apprenticeship Programs reporting processes^{Footnote 9}
2. the focus groups
3. key interviews with Program officials and funding recipients

Program description

Program background

The Government of Canada invests nearly $1 billion^{Footnote 10} per year in apprenticeship supports through:

• contributions, grants, loans and, tax credits
• Employment Insurance benefits during in school training
• The Red Seal Program

Budget 2018 announced the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program which is intended to supplement existing apprenticeship programs including:

• the Union Training and Innovation Program^{Footnote 11}, especially Stream 2, the objective of which is to support innovative approaches and strengthen partnerships to address apprenticeship challenges in the Red Seal trades
• the Women in Construction Fund, by providing wrap around supports to women pre apprentices. This Fund ended on March 31, 2022

Through this Program, the Government of Canada aims to fulfill its role in supporting a strong national labour market by supporting innovation, scale up successful pre apprenticeship program models, and provide greater reach across the country.

The Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program is also consistent with the Department of Employment and Social Development's mandate to improve the standard of living and quality of life of all Canadians by promoting a highly skilled and mobile labour force, and an efficient and inclusive labour market.

Specifically, the Program aims to address a gap in governments' programming by increasing participation in pre-apprenticeship programs and addressing barriers preventing people from of entering and being successful in apprenticeships.

These barriers^{Footnote 12} include:

• limited numbers of fully funded places and long waiting lists for registration in programs offered by organizations
• various provincial and/or territorial regulations that inhibit program across jurisdictions
• limited number of places in shops to complete training
• lack of interprovincial recognition for the training of participants wishing to continue their education
• lack of professional development for faculty members
• difficulty for participants to find work placements after participating in pre-apprenticeship^{Footnote 13} programs

The Program encourages Canadians, particularly those facing barriers, to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades. It funds projects across Canada that seek to build awareness, provide opportunities to explore trades, and help individuals acquire skills.

In addition, the Program supports the Government of Canada's commitment to work with provinces, territories and post secondary institutions to develop or expand pre apprenticeship programs offered to varying degrees across Canada. In that regard, the Program helps to fill identified gaps such as:

• the limited number of pre-apprenticeship programs for Indigenous peoples outside the Western provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba)
• the limited availability of pre-apprenticeship programs for newcomers in the provinces and territories

The Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program objective is to build on existing programs to familiarize Canadians with trades, particularly Canadians from equity-deserving groups who face barriers preventing them from going into a trade.

The Program focused on pre-apprenticeship projects that included 3 types of activities.

The Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program-funded activities are in keeping with the description of pre-apprenticeship program components, as presented by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum.^{Footnote 15} The components include:

• essential skills and employability skills upgrading
• safety training
• hands-on experience with tools
• work placement

These activities are important in meeting the goal of pre-apprenticeship programs to encourage career exploration leading to full-time employment in the skilled trades or an apprenticeship training opportunity.

Program objectives and outcomes

The objectives of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program are to:

• build awareness of the trades as viable, good quality careers
• help equip individuals with the skills and supports they need to pursue a career in the skilled trades
• provide opportunities to explore trades

The Program's logic model^{Footnote 16} lists its expected outcomes, as follows.

A variety of organizations are eligible to receive funding through the Program. They include:

• community and not-for-profit organizations
• Indigenous organizations
• employers
• municipal, provincial, and territorial governments
• colleges and training providers
• for-profit organizations: if the nature and intent of the activity is non-commercial, not intended to generate profit, and supports program priorities and objectives

Evaluation approach

This formative evaluation assesses the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program design, delivery, and early results. The evaluation covers the 13 projects that received funding during the fiscal years from 2018 and 2019 to 2021 and 2022. Of these 13 projects: 8 are still ongoing, and 5 have accomplished what they set out to do and are now closed.

From 2018 and 2019 to 2022 and 2023, the Program funded a total of 22 projects. However, 9 projects were not included in the scope of this evaluation because:

• a project proposal (Apprenticeship Manitoba) was approved in 2020 to 2021, but the funding allocation was delayed
• a call for proposals was issued in May 2021 to solicit new project proposals. As a result, 8 projects were recommended for approval; but the timing of the allocation of funds and the implementation of those projects prevented them from being included in the scope of the current evaluation

As shown in Table 1 below, for the purposes of the evaluation, evaluation questions were grouped in 2 themes:

Theme 1: Program implementation

Has the Program been implemented as planned?

Theme 2: Achievement of program outcomes

Awareness

• Have participants, including target groups, had access to information and opportunities to explore the skilled trades as a career of choice?
• Has the Program increased awareness of the skilled trades as a career choice for participants, including target groups?

Skills Training

• Have participants, including target groups, had access to skills training that supports the upgrading of employability skills?
• Has the Program helped equip the participants, including target groups, with the skills and support they need to pursue a career in the skilled trades?

Work Experience

• Have participants, including target groups, had access to work experience opportunities to explore trade careers?
• Has the Program helped the participants, including target groups, gain work experience to explore the trades?

Have the Program's participants, including target groups, intended to pursue apprenticeship or a career in the trades?

This evaluation used a multiple-lines-of-evidence approach.

Data limitations and mitigation strategies

Despite efforts to set up an appropriate performance measurement framework and gather data from project reports and the Annual Report on Apprenticeship Program process, the Program performance information was not comprehensive. As a result, the ability to report on the full range of outcomes was limited.

• The project files, especially quarterly activity and quarterly data reports were not all up to date at the time of the review. In addition, the requirement to produce and submit quarterly data reports was replaced with an annual reporting process as of October 2020
• The performance data were available for 2 fiscal years (2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021):
  • not all active funding recipients provided data through the annual reporting process (accuracy and coherence)
  • the total number of individuals reached by the Program remains unknown since one individual could participate in more than one type of activity (awareness, training, or work experience) and the total number of participants was collected by type of activity and during fiscal year 2019 to 2020 only. Consequently, it was not possible to present the total number of participants in all activities combined without overestimating the total participation (accuracy and coherence)
  • the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program questionnaire^{Footnote 17} does not collect information on all of the Program's expected outcomes, unlike to the former data reports. For example, the questionnaire does include specific questions that would seek to inform the change in an individual's awareness of the skilled trades as a career choice before and after their participation (relevance)
  • there was no requirement for the Program to set targets for equity-deserving groups participation. This limited the capacity of the evaluation to report on the success of the Program in encouraging Canadians facing barriers to explore and prepare for careers in the skilled trades (relevance and accuracy)
  • data collected on equity-deserving groups is based on individuals who self‑identified to their funding recipients, and if the funding recipient gathered the information. Consequently, socio-demographic information collected might underrepresent the actual scope of the Program (accuracy and coherence)
• No data were collected directly from project participants^{Footnote 18} (end-users) on the benefits of participation in project activities. Instead, data were gathered from the funded recipients, thereby reducing the ability to obtain information directly from the people affected
• No data collection is planned over time to see whether the intentions of the participants (intermediate outcomes) have led to actual changes (ultimate outcome). See Appendix D for a detailed description of Program outcomes

Despite and because of the above-mentioned limitations, the 2019 and 2020 Annual Report on Apprenticeship Programs and associated data, and the 2020 and 2021^{Footnote 19} annual data on Apprenticeship Programs were used as the sole source of information to examine participation in funded projects.

In addition, the conduct of interviews with all 13 funding recipients and focus group discussions with 30 project participants further inform the achievement of Program outcomes. This evidence was supported by the documents and project files consulted.

Evaluation findings

Program implementation

Key messages

1. Activities in the funded projects included awareness, skills training, and work experience to strengthen pre-apprenticeship programs
2. Funding recipients were satisfied with the funding allocation process and monitoring of the project's implementation
3. Incomplete information was collected over time to track performance measurement

Budget 2018 provided $46M over 5 years including an ongoing $10M per year to support innovation, collaboration, and opportunities in pre-apprenticeship training. This funding is also intended to help Canadians to find out about careers in trades, gain work experience, make informed career choices, and develop the skills needed to find and keep good, well-paying jobs in skilled trades.

The Program invested $36M in expenditures and contributions from 2018 and 2019 to 2021 and 2022. Table 2 provides a breakdown of the funding allocation by fiscal year.

• Source: ESDC, Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program document and project files review Report.

Over the 4-year period from 2018 and 2019 to 2021 and 2022, approximately $36.1M in funding was provided for a total of 13 projects.

The reviewed documents showed that the Program met its initial commitment to sign 10 project agreements in 2018 to 2019, for a total of about $30M. Therefore, the majority (65%) of the available budget was allocated under multi-year funding agreements.

The unspent allocated budget in 2018 to 2019 was reprofiled in new agreements in each of the subsequent years. Interviewed Program officials said that since 2018 to 2019, the funds have been monitored annually to ensure that a judicious selection of projects are funded.

Figure 4 shows that 10 projects agreements were signed in fiscal year 2018 to 2019 for a total multi-year funding commitments of $30.3M. In fiscal year 2019 to 2020, 2 projects were signed (a total of funding commitment of $3.9M), and in 2020 to 2021, there was 1 signed project for a total of $1.9M. These 13 projects were selected through targeted solicitation processes and the funding commitments resulted in expenditures

Activities in the funded projects included awareness activities, skills training, and work experience opportunities to strengthen pre apprenticeship training across Canada.

Overall, the Program funded projects delivered 3 main categories of pre-apprenticeship activities. Out of the 13 projects, 9 delivered more than one type of activity. As shown in Figure 5, out of the 13 projects, 6 projects (46% of projects) provided participants with work experience.

Funded projects covered a variety of skilled trades, including:

• welder
• agricultural equipment mechanic
• equipment technician
• carpenter
• heavy equipment operator
• horticultural technician
• electrician
• construction
• craft worker
• parts technician
• metal fabricator
• auto body and collision technician

The regional distribution of funded projects (a total of 13) demonstrates the Program's commitment to work with provinces, territories, and post secondary institutions to develop or expand existing pre apprenticeship programs offered at varying levels across Canada.

The evidence highlighted that most funding recipients operated their projects in 2 or more provinces or territories to increase and strengthen the Program's coverage across Canada. As shown in Figure 6 below, funded projects operated in Yukon, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Alberta.

There were no funded projects based out of Prince-Edward Island, the province of Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut over the timeframe covered by this evaluation. Due to the small funding envelope of this program ($10M per year), a combination of unsolicited and solicited intake mechanisms was used to fund projects. It is important to note that not all organizations invited to apply submit a proposal.

Funding recipients were satisfied with the funding allocation process and program management

Almost all interviewed funding recipients expressed satisfaction with the appropriateness and timeliness of the funding they received.

In addition, funding recipients reported that the Program funding allowed them to:

• enhance and scale up their activities
• provide hands-on workshops
• develop and facilitate new programs

Funding recipients also reported their satisfaction with Program management, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Funding recipients said in the interviews that their project costs increased during the pandemic because of additional staffing hours, required capacity limits, and supply chain issues. But they also said that Program officials provided them with support by helping and making it easier for them to adjust their project schedules and budgets.

Incomplete information was collected over time to track performance measurement

When the Program was introduced in 2018 to 2019, funding recipients were required to collect data and submit:

• quarterly activity reports with information on progress made in activities, finances, results, and participants' success stories
• quarterly data reports containing quantitative information gathered in exit interviews and post activity surveys reporting on participation in activities and associated benefits

In October 2020, the Program Operations Branch and the Skills and Employment Branch of the federal Department of Employment and Social Development agreed to replace quarterly data reports^{Footnote 21} with annual data gathering to compile information on the Apprenticeship Program using the specific questionnaire for the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program.^{Footnote 22}

Although this annual reporting process has helped streamline the Program's data collection while reducing the number of reporting requests,^{Footnote 23} the data collected is not sufficient for informing and tracking project performance. For example, not all funding recipients completed the annual questionnaire in 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021.

The questionnaire used for this annual reporting process gathers data related to whether participants became interested in continuing with an apprenticeship program and eventually going into a trade. However, the effects of the funded activities for participants, such as the increase of their awareness of the skilled trades and their skills level is not covered by this reporting instrument.

Interviewed funding recipients interviewed said that the annual reporting process was seamless and easy to follow. However, feedback from Program officials corroborated concerns about the process identified in this evaluation:

• under-estimated socio-demographic data (equity-deserving groups) because funding recipients were unaware of the need to collect such information
• the 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 annual performance information that was collected did not report sufficiently on the Program's overall reach:
  • because most of the funding recipients provided more than one type of activity to the same participants, the total number of participants in each type of activity does not represent the actual number of individuals reached by the Program
  • to avoid overestimating the reach of the Program, it is important to distinguish between the number of individuals affected by a funding recipient and the number of individual participants in each type of activity
• frequent follow-up with funding recipients by Program officials is often required to increase response rates, request missing data and validate the collected data

Achievement of program outcomes: access and benefits

According to the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program annual data,^{Footnote 24} 12,701 participants were involved in the funded awareness activities. In addition, 3,072 and 488 participants, respectively, took part in the funded training and work experience activities in fiscal years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021.

• Source: ESDC, 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 annual Program data.

The total number of people reached by the Program remains unknown since an individual can participate in more than one activity.^{Footnote 25} This information is not comprehensive because only 75% (n=9 out of 12) and 90% (n=9 out of 10) of active funding recipients, respectively, completed the questionnaire in 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021.

The reviewed documents and annual Program data indicated that 86% (9,367 out of 10,947) of participants were individuals who only took part in awareness activities delivered by a single funded project in 2020 to 2021, and they did not participate in training and work experience activities.

In addition, the annual data suggested that all participants in work experience activities would also have had access to awareness and skills training opportunities; providing these participants with a comprehensive pre-apprenticeship experience and increased their readiness for employment in a trade.

Annual program data also demonstrated that members of the intended equity-deserving groups participated in project activities, as shown in Figure 7 below.

Access to and benefits of awareness activities

Key messages

• A total of 12,701 participants had access to career exploration activities from 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. The Program exceeded its target (Figure 7)
• A majority of participants consulted in project activities said they had the information they needed to go into and be successful in a trade
• Awareness activities helped to change participants' perceptions of skilled trades, a benefit they would not have had without the Program

Access to awareness activities

The Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program funded 9 projects that provided awareness activities, including the following:

• Introductory classes and exploratory workshops
• Summer trade-based camps
• Presentations to students
• Communication and marketing campaigns

Figure 8 below shows that the Program exceeded its target of reaching 2,000 participants in career exploration (awareness) activities for this 2-year period^{Footnote 26}.

Of the 9 projects providing awareness activities, 7 projects also provided either training or work experience activities. Out of the total of 12,701 participants, 10,034 were from one single project whose activities included career discovery events in numerous cities and hands-on workshops.

The Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program annual data (Figure 8) also showed that members of targeted equity-deserving groups, especially women, youth, and Indigenous peoples, had access to information about trades because of the Program.

It is important to note that many participants were members of one or more groups and that one funding recipient who reported 9,367 participants in 2020 to 2021 (out of 10,947 in 2020 to 2021) did not provide a breakdown of its data by equity deserving groups. The total number of participants in awareness activities was 1,754 in 2019 to 2020 and 1,580 in 2020 to 2021.

Benefits of participation in awareness activities

Participants in awareness activities reported increased knowledge of skilled trades as a result of their participation.

According to the focus groups held with project participants, the majority (64%) of them said that they had more knowledge relative to going into and being successful in a trade. They also commented that they received information in a timely manner about the industry, workflow in the workplace and equipment required to work in a trade, after they participated in activities.

The majority of interviewed funding recipients also said that participants obtained more information about trades through their activities than they would have otherwise.

In addition to increased knowledge of the workplaces where trades are practised and the equipment required, focus group participants pointed out that the activities in which they participated had provided them with specific information about Red Seal certification and the role of unions, detailed requirements for getting high-paying jobs in trades, and various pathways to getting employment in a skilled trade.

The majority of focus group participants (71%) pointed out that the workshops were helpful in setting them up for success in a trade. One fifth of participants (22%) identified as women commented that the introductory classes provided them with opportunities to explore skilled trades and make an informed decision about their career.

Funded awareness activities helped change participants' perceptions of skilled trades, a benefit they would not have had without the Program.

Projects file reviews and focus groups findings indicated that project participants changed their perceptions of skilled trades and were now acknowledging that going into a trade was also profitable career option, such as in the field of engineering.

For example, a participant identified as a newcomer, reported having agreed that occupations in trades were not low-level occupations and were suitable for everyone, regardless of socio demographic characteristics, education, or experience.

Among focus groups participants, 36% were women. Although all of them reported having previously experienced discrimination^{Footnote 27} and discouragement in regard to working in a trade, they said that they felt encouraged and motivated to go into a trade because of their participation in funded activities.

These activities provided them with access to female instructors and they saw other women working in a trade. These participants pointed out in the end that the awareness activities had given them confidence about going into a trade and had also helped change their perceptions of jobs in a trade considered as male jobs.

One quarter of funding recipients who participated in the annual Apprenticeship Programs reporting process commented that recruiting newcomers for their activities had been challenging because of language barriers. These recipients collaborated with organizations, such as newcomer support organizations, to make it easier for most newcomer participants to obtain language proficiency certification that they would otherwise have been unable to afford.

Consequently, the majority of focus groups participants who self-identified themselves as newcomers and members of racialized communities (70%) said that the funded activities helped them to deal with barriers preventing them from entering the workforce employed in trades. These barriers included language obstacles, and lack of knowledge of Canadian culture.

Access to and benefits of skills training activities

Key messages

• 3,072 participants had access to skills training activities from 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. The Program exceeded its target (Figure 10)
• Training activities helped to increasing participants' skills and make them more employable
• Participants in funded training activities, particularly members of equity-deserving groups, acquired skills to make a career working in a trade

Access to skills training activities

Skills training activities provided as part of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program focused on:

• academic skills such as reading, writing, numeracy, oral communication skills and, computer literacy
• industry-oriented training, such as working with tools and training facilitated by industry representatives
• work and life skills training, including working with unions, managing emotions, and finances

Based on the annual Program reports, a total 3,072 participants had access to skills training activities in 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. The data suggested that nearly half of these participants also took part in awareness and/or work experience activities.

As shown in Figure 10, the Program exceeded its target of 950 participants^{Footnote 28} in training activities for this 2-year period.

Training activities were organized in 3 phases, ranging from 3 weeks to 6 months: in class theory instruction, practical learning in workshops, and work placements.

According to data collected from funding recipients through the annual reporting process, members of equity-deserving groups had access to training activities, especially women, youth, and Indigenous peoples.

The reviewed documents also corroborated that members of equity-deserving groups participated in large numbers in the skills training activities.

For example, 810 students were enrolled in the Creating Opportunities for Entry into Trades Program, from December 2018 to March 2022, held by Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Of these students, 250 completed their training. The equity-deserving groups were:

• Indigenous peoples (32%)
• women (26%)
• newcomers (15%)
• persons with disabilities (14%)
• youth (13%)

Benefits of participation in skills training activities

Interviewed funding recipients and focus group participants agreed that the training activities help to improve trade-related skills and increase employability

Many funding recipients reported successfully working with employers to provide industry-oriented training in order to better prepare participants. Some employers representing their respective sectors facilitated training sessions, which led to direct hires and apprenticeship placements.

All focus groups participants involved in training activities (13 out of 30 participants) consistently reported an increase in their trade-related skills as a result of their participation. In addition, the majority of focus group participants (64%) who took the skills training pointed out that the work placements that followed their training helped them improve their skills in their respective trade-related occupations such as welder, electrician, construction craft worker, and horticultural technician.

In addition, participants in focus groups on training commented that they received additional supports from funding recipients to help them succeed in their pre-apprenticeship activities and secure gainful employment:

• some of them (40%) pointed out that trainers had helped them in their job searches by giving them instructions on resume writing, differentiating between jobs with or without unions, and interpreting a skilled trade job advertisement
• the majority of these focus group participants (64%) were provided with basic trade related equipment and financial assistance, which was highlighted as a key factor in decision to register and complete the training. Otherwise, the training would not have been affordable, and they would not have considered working in a trade as a viable career option
  • The 2018 ePanel Update^{Footnote 29} also demonstrated that trade-related equipment is an obstacle to getting employment in a trade, and the financial assistance provided for participants is essential in helping them get started in their career. In fact, 68% of the 2018 ePanel Update respondents reported that employers expected them to own their trade specific tools when they started their apprenticeships
  • Among those expected to own tools, 47% spent less than $1,000; 30% spent $1,001 to $2,500; and 8% spent more than $5,000

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic caused temporary shutdowns^{Footnote 30} to the majority (75%) of projects. However, project files and interviews revealed that some funding recipients improved their practices in order to fulfill their commitments and achieve project outcomes. They mostly introduced online or blended learning settings, and limited participant numbers to comply with social distancing measures.

Participants in funded training activities, particularly members of equity-deserving groups, acquired skills to help them pursue a career in a trade.

The majority of funding recipients acknowledged that participants from equity-deserving groups had access to employment opportunities previously unavailable to them.

Through partnerships with employers and community-based organizations, opportunities for employment in industry were created for Indigenous peoples, women, and newcomers to be hired in the industry.

Half (55% of N=9 participants) of focus group participants who self-identified as members of racialized communities and newcomers pointed out that their participation in skills training had helped them develop their skills. The training also helped newcomers improve their cultural skills to be able to effectively and confidently navigate Canadian workplace culture.

Access to and benefits of work experience opportunities

Key messages

• 488 participants had access to work experience opportunities from 2019 to 2020 to 2020 to 2021. The Program exceeded its target (Figure 12)
• Participants in work experience activities increased their preparedness for a career in a skilled trade

Access to work experience opportunities

• Between 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021, 488 participants attended work experience activities provided in 6 funded projects
• The Program exceeded its target of having 250 participants in work experience activities during this 2-year period^{Footnote 31}

Reviewed Program and project documents, and interviews with funding recipients revealed a lack of clarity in some descriptions of work experience activities.

As a result, there is a disparity between the activities actually provided in the projects providing work experience and the Program design: these activities range from a 1-day job shadowing to a paid internship.

Some funding recipients and project participants said that the work experience activities consisted of work placements or internships in trade-related companies with specializations in areas such as: construction, ship building and campus landscaping.

Annual Program data indicated that members of equity-deserving groups had access to work experience activities between 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021.

It should also be noted that data for youth and racialized communities were not gathered during the 2019 to 2020 annual Apprenticeship Programs reporting process.

Benefits of work experience opportunities

The documents consulted and feedback received from funding recipients and participants demonstrated that work experience activities helped increase awareness of trades, promoted skills training, and helped meet expectations to register as an apprentice.

All funding recipients whose projects included work experience activities reported that participants had increased their preparedness for a career in a skilled trade:

• they enhanced what they had learned by acquiring hands-on experience in a job in a trade
• they were bridged to employment after making connections with employers in a trade and with unions and other tradespeople

For example, the funded "Pathways to Shipbuilding for African Nova Scotians" project, implemented by the Irving Shipbuilding Centre of Excellence in Nova Scotia, provided a 15-week pre apprenticeship welding course for 20 participants between March 2019 and June 2020. They were all subsequently employed in the welding industry after completing the work experience activities that followed the training.

While the majority of participants said that their work placement really prepared them for work in a skilled trade, a few of them also commented that they expected to be assigned meaningful duties and responsibilities during their assignments.

Intention to pursue an apprenticeship or a make a career in the trades

Key messages

• Increased self-confidence and ability to make informed decisions about finding a job in a trade resulted from participation in projects
• The majority of participants in awareness (2020 to 2021), training and work experience activities reported that they intended to register for an apprenticeship program
• Participants in funded activities suggested that funding recipients should promote project activities more to achieve greater outreach  

Evidence from annual Program data, interviews with funding recipients and focus groups with participants pointed to the fact that all funded projects contributed to participants considering pursuing apprenticeship or a career in the trades.

Funding recipients and project participants commented on the impact of project activities.

According to annual Program data:

• one third of funding recipients said that their projects had increased apprenticeship continuation rates and secured employment for their participants
• almost a third of them mentioned more employer engagement and partnerships: they recruited and trained new apprentices in a timely manner in the hands-on skills training

Focus group participants reported:

• increased ability to make informed decisions:
  • more than half of focus groups participants said that participation in activities gave them more facts and information to consider about working in a trade, resulting in a more realistic perception

• better prepared to find a career:
  • almost half of the focus groups participants reported that their participation in funded activities had resulted in better employment opportunities for them. These activities provided them with education, skills, knowledge, experience, and necessary references for finding a job in a trade
• increased confidence:
  • one third of focus group participants said that the skills they learned, and their work experience prepared them to enter the workforce employed in trades

Annual Program data indicated that project participants intended to register in an apprenticeship program.

The Program targeted between 15% and 25% of the total number of participants who intended to continue with apprenticeship training and register in an apprenticeship program; and that between 5% and 10% of the total number of participants intended to enter into a trade.

According to the 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 editions of the Annual Report on Apprenticeship Programs, the Program is meeting its expectations. Data collected through this annual reporting process specifically indicated that the majority of participants said they intended to continue in a trade or in an apprenticeship program as a result of their participation in the funded activities^*.

Feedback gathered from focus group participants about continuing with an apprenticeship is consistent with the annual Program data. The large majority of participants (80%) were enrolled in an apprenticeship program when the focus groups were held.

However, a few of them (10%) reported having difficulty finding a sponsor^{Footnote 32} for the rest of their training, which was not covered by the Program. Completion of this training is a prerequisite for continuing an apprenticeship.

The cost of training was also an issue, as reported by 35% of respondents in the 2018 Apprentices of Canada ePanel Updates who found it difficult to find an employer sponsor to cover the cost. This survey also reported that 79% of pre-apprentices were trying to pursue an apprenticeship at the time they completed the survey, but 64% could not find an employer sponsor to achieve this goal.

Data collected through the annual Apprenticeship Programs reporting process, interviews with funding recipients, and focus groups with participants provided evidence of equity-deserving group participants' experiences related to entering, navigating, and continuing in a trade.

Information on equity-deserving groups included in the Program's annual data is only available if participants have self-identified to funding recipients. Consequently, socio-demographic information collected by the Program may underrepresent the reach of the Program for these groups. This limitation impeded the ability to conduct an in-depth gender-based analysis+; however, interviews and focus groups helped to address this gap.

Funded recipients and project participants also commented about continuing to implement recruitment strategies to engage more people, as well as members of equity-deserving groups.

Almost half of the funding recipients indicated in the 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 annual Program data that they had had difficulty recruiting:

• Indigenous peoples: the need to offer activities close to their communities to avoid transportation and childcare issues
• women: lack of a role model, which has led to the trades being seen as an unsustainable career option
• persons with disabilities: accommodation, as many employers are unwilling or unable to make the necessary changes for those who may need them in the trades
• newcomers: language barriers, especially in relation to learning English

Based on the strategies implemented to overcome their respective difficulties, all of them said that inclusive marketing plans and targeted advertising were some of their best practices:

• inclusive marketing plans: collaboration with respective community organizations, unions, local support groups, and other partners to promote project activities
• targeted advertising: developing and using materials that featured specific groups. Also implies using targeted media to promote activities: brochures, flyers, posters, videos, and social media

Nearly half of the focus group participants found out consistently about funded project activities from social media advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. In addition, more than one third of the participants heard about the activities from friends and family members who had taken similar training programs, as well as from high-school guidance counsellors.

All focus group participants were satisfied with their involvement in the funded project activities. Based on their experiences, they commented on the need to continue promoting funded activities, because the Program may be useful to others who do not see the current postings.

Conclusion

The formative evaluation of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program consisted in assessing the design and delivery of the Program, as well as the results of the 13 projects funded between 2018 to 2019 and 2021 to 2022.

• Document and project files review, interviews with funding recipients and focus groups with participants provided evidence that the Program was implemented as planned
• Although these lines of evidence also indicated that the Program has achieved its intended outcomes, the limitations identified in the Program performance data prevented the evaluation from specifically reporting in full on the actual extent of the preliminary results
• Moreover, the fact that the Department did not collect data directly from participants in funded projects also limited the ability to fully report on the impact of funded projects
• The evaluation found that the Program was implemented as planned. The budget announced in 2018 was effectively allocated to fund projects that provided access to career exploration activities, skills training and work experience activities in the trades
• Funding recipients were satisfied with the funding allocation process and monitoring of the implementation of projects. Almost all funding recipients interviewed expressed satisfaction with the appropriateness and timeliness of the funding they received
• Incomplete information was collected over time to track performance measurement. There is a need to adjust the data collection approach to more effectively collect comprehensive data for measuring the achievement of program outcomes
• The funded projects provided participants with opportunities to participate in activities related to skilled trades
  • These activities helped raise awareness of skilled trades as a career of choice, provided participants with the skills required by industry, and prepared them to enter workforce employed in trades
  • The Program funded 13 projects. Most of them implemented more than 1 type of activity. Among these funded projects:
    • 10 projects provided skills training
    • 9 projects provided awareness activities
    • 6 projects focused on work experience
  • According to the interviewed funding recipients and consulted participants, the majority of participants in these activities reported having the information, skills, the support and confidence to make a decision to make a career or to continue working in a trade. The majority of them said they intended to register in an apprenticeship program and go into a trade

Recommendation

The evaluation found that incomplete information had been collected in 2019 to 2020 and 2020 2021 to track the Program's performance in terms of its outreach and outcomes, such as increased awareness of skilled trades and increase of skills.

Despite efforts to set up an appropriate performance measurement framework and gather data from project reports and the Annual Report on Apprenticeship Program process, the Program performance information was not comprehensive (rationale and detailed information are provided in the section: Data limitations and mitigation strategies).

Therefore, the evaluation recommends that the Program performance measurement strategy ensure the collection and reporting of relevant^{Footnote 33}, accurate^{Footnote 34} and coherent^{Footnote 35} data and information, facilitated by the mandatory participation of funding recipients in the annual reporting process and data validation.

Appendices

Appendix A: Overview of the Program – Outputs

Appendix B: Summary of funded projects by fiscal year

Projects funded during fiscal year 2018 to 2019

Organization name: Canadian Apprenticeship Forum^*

Description of project: Evaluating Success in Pre-Apprenticeship

• Identify successful practices, measurements and outcomes from various pre-apprenticeship programs through a national/regional level discussion with apprenticeship stakeholders

Province or Territory: national

Types of activities: awareness (research activities, conferences, consultations)

Equity-deserving groups targeted: n/a

Organization name: Canadian Welding Bureau Welding Foundation^*

Description of project: 30-Hour Pre-Employment Program and Women of Steel

• Develop a 30-hour Pre-Employment Program for participants to explore the welding trade with hands-on experience. Expand a targeted social media outreach to women through the Women of Steel initiative

Province or Territory: national

Types of activities: awareness (research activities, conferences, consultations), pre-apprenticeship training, work experience

Equity-deserving groups targeted: women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, underemployed individuals

Organization name: Skillplan and British Columbia Colleges

Description of project: Enhancing the Essential Skills Training System to Increase Pre-Apprenticeship and Apprenticeship Success

• Develop and design a structured essential skills training system by enhancing existing and new pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programming to better support Red Seal success for both traditional and non-traditional learners (such as youth, older workers, low-skilled workers, women, new Canadians, racialized persons and Indigenous Peoples). 30-Hour Pre-Employment Program and Women of Steel

Province or Territory: British Columbia

Types of activities: awareness, essential skills training

Equity-deserving groups targeted: youth, older workers, low-skilled workers, women, newcomers, racialized persons, and Indigenous peoples

Organization name: Western Joint Electrical Training Society

Description of project: Workplace Alternative Trades Training

• Recruit, train and facilitate paid on-the-job experience with a focus on under-represented groups in the electrical sector

Province or Territory: British Columbia

Types of activities: awareness, essential skills training and applied skills training, work experience

Equity-deserving groups targeted: women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, persons with disabilities and youth

Organization name: Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (Agency of the Government of Saskatchewan)^*

Description of project: Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship Program

• Expand the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship Program which gives high school students a chance to start building a portfolio to showcase their skills and experience while they are still in school. Aims to increase the proportion of under-represented participants, particularly female and Indigenous students in the program

Province or Territory: Saskatchewan

Types of activities: awareness (social media outreach, conferences), work experience

Equity-deserving groups targeted: Indigenous peoples and women

Organization name: Saskatchewan Polytechnic^*

Description of project: Creating Opportunities for Entry into Trades

• Provide under-represented groups the opportunity to access and gain experience through a new and innovative method, where a portion of their technical training will be provided through online materials for 8 skilled trades. Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship Program

Province or Territory: Saskatchewan

Types of activities: awareness, pre-apprenticeship training, work experience

Equity-deserving groups targeted: Indigenous peoples, newcomers, women, and persons with disabilities

Organization name: Conestoga College

Description of project: Increasing Canada's Prosperity through Skilled Trades

• Deliver a 33-week full-time pre-apprenticeship program to help participants from key groups (women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, persons with disabilities and youth) prepare for a successful welding career. The program will also assist in addressing the needs of industry and combating the shortage of skilled welders regionally and across Canada. Creating Opportunities for Entry into Trades

Province or Territory: Ontario

Types of activities: essential skills and pre-apprenticeship training

Equity-deserving groups targeted: women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, persons with disabilities and other under-represented groups

Organization name: Mohawk College and Marshall School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship

Description of project: Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Training

• Deliver pre-apprenticeship training from a mobile classroom to members of marginalized communities in Hamilton, Ontario. Aim to bridge the gap between these individuals and employers

Province or Territory: Ontario

Types of activities: awareness, pre-apprenticeship training

Equity-deserving groups targeted: women, Indigenous peoples, youth, newcomers to Canada, residents in priority neighborhoods, and residents of rural communities

Organization name: Irving Shipbuilding Centre of Excellence^*

Description of project: Pathways to Shipbuilding for African Nova Scotians

• Support African Nova Scotian students through a 15-week pre-apprenticeship Welding diploma program at the Nova Scotia Community College with possible employment outcomes at Irving Shipbuilding Inc. Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Training

Province or Territory: Nova Scotia

Types of activities: essential skills and pre-apprenticeship training

Equity-deserving groups targeted: Africans

Organization name: Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology

Description of project: Level Up: Build a Career in the Skilled Trades

• Deliver pre-apprenticeship training in the Greater Toronto Area to underrepresented groups, such as incarcerated and low-income women, racialized youth and newcomers, through 3 different streams: Horticultural Technician for Low-Income Women, Horticultural Technician for Incarcerated Women and Electrician

Province or Territory: Ontario

Types of activities: essential skills and pre-apprenticeship training, work experience

Equity-deserving groups targeted: incarcerated and low-income women, racialized youth and newcomers

Projects funded during fiscal year 2019 to 2020

Organization name: Colleges and Institutes Canada

Description of project: Pre-Apprenticeship Programming in Canadian Colleges and Institutes

• Identify pre-apprenticeship programs for the trades that lead to a certificate. Capture the best practices in these programs that will be made available to apprenticeship stakeholders throughout Canada. Develop a pilot program that will be conducted to gather further information regarding best practices and lessons learned within apprenticeship programs in Canada

Province or Territory: national

Types of activities: awareness (research activities), essential skills and pre-apprenticeship training

Equity-deserving groups targeted: women, Indigenous peoples, newcomers, youth and persons with disabilities

Organization name: Build A Dream

Description of project: Career Exploration Expansion

• Expand Build a Dream's trades initiatives (such as career expos, career guide, information sharing database, Dream Network Digital Experience, podcasts, hands-on exploratory workshops, Workforce Innovators Network and curriculum-related materials) and raise awareness of the skilled trades among female high school students from grade 9 to 12 and their parents

Province or Territory: Ontario

Types of activities: awareness (blogs, podcasts, conferences)

Equity-deserving groups targeted: women

Projects funded during fiscal year 2020 to 2021

Organization name: ACCES Employment

Description of project: Trades Connections – Construction Trades Project

• Provide essential skills training, as well as employment, job placement and retention services to newcomers interested in working in construction trades in the York Region. Career Exploration Expansion

Province or Territory: Ontario

Types of activities: essential skills, work experience

Equity-deserving groups targeted: newcomers and members of racialized communities

Organization name: Apprenticeship Manitoba^{Footnote 36}

Description of project: Develop and launch a new Digital Content Program for pre-apprentices in high school that focuses on increasing the participation of underrepresented groups in the apprenticeship system

Province or Territory: Manitoba

Types of activities: awareness activities

• ^* completed projects

Appendix C: Logic model of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program

Appendix D: Evaluation approach

Evaluation questions

1. Has the Program been implemented as planned?
   1. Have the Calls for Proposals been implemented as planned?
2. Has the Program increased participants' awareness of the skilled trades as a career choice?
3. Has the Program helped equip the participants with the skills and support they need to pursue a career in the skilled trades?
4. Has the Program provided the participants with opportunities to explore the trades?
5. Has the Program contributed to participants' intentions to register in an apprenticeship program or to enter the trades' workforce?

Lines of evidence

Document and project files review

• Official documents: planning documents, logic model, updates and briefing notes
• Project documents: contribution agreements, quarterly activity reports, quarterly project data reports, final reports
• The 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021 editions of the Annual Report on Apprenticeship Programs and reports

Key informant interviews

• 24 interviews with key informants
  • 6 representatives of Program officials
  • 25 representatives of 13 funded projects

Focus groups with project participants

• 30 participants in funded activities participated in the focus group discussions: 14 in awareness, 13 in training, and 3 in work experience opportunities
• Equity-deserving groups consisted of the following:
  • youth: 12
  • women: 11
  • racialized communities: 5
  • newcomers: 4
  • persons with disabilities: 3
  • Indigenous peoples: 1
  • n/a: 3

There were 8 groups: 3 on awareness, 2 on training, 1 on work experience and training, and 2 on awareness and training.

Appendix E: Performance indicators of the Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness Program

Outputs

Output 3.1

Contribution agreements containing awareness, skills training and work experience activities are signed to strengthen pre-apprenticeship in Canada.

Performance indicator:

• number of contribution agreements signed per fiscal year

Immediate outcomes

Immediate outcome 4.1

Participants including equity-deserving group have access to information and opportunities to explore skilled trades as a career of choice.

Performance indicator:

• total number of participants in projects, including those from target groups, that offer awareness and exploration activities

Immediate outcome 4.2

Participants including equity-deserving group have access to skills training that support the upgrading of employability skills.

Performance indicator:

• total number of participants in projects, including those from target groups, that offer skills training or enhancements

Immediate outcome 4.3

Participants including equity-deserving group have access to work experience opportunities to explore trade careers.

Performance indicator:

• total number of participants in projects, including those from target groups, that offer work experience opportunities

Intermediate outcomes

Intermediate outcome 5.1

Participants including equity-deserving group have increased awareness and/or intend to pursue apprenticeship or a career in the trades.

Performance indicators:

• total number of individuals participating in funded projects, including those from target groups, who report they have an increased awareness of the skilled trades as a career choice
• total number of participants who reported they intend to register in an apprenticeship program, intend to enter the trades' workforce, or intend to pursue further education

Intermediate outcome 5.2

Participants including equity-deserving group have had an increase in skills and/or intend to pursue apprenticeship or a career in the trades.

Performance indicators:

• total number of individuals participating in funded projects, including those from target groups, who report an increase in skills
• total number of participants who reported they intend to register in an apprenticeship program, intend to enter the trades' workforce, or intend to pursue further education

Intermediate outcome 5.3

Participants including equity-deserving group have gained work experience and/or intend to pursue apprenticeship or a career in the trades.

Performance indicators:

• total number of individuals participating in funded projects, including those from target groups, who report they have gained work experience
• total number of participants who reported they intend to register in an apprenticeship program, intend to enter the trades' workforce, or intend to pursue further education

Ultimate outcome

Ultimate outcome 6.1

Participants, including target groups, experience improved labour market outcomes in the skilled trades and apprenticeship.

Performance indicators:

• total number of new apprenticeship registrations in Red Seal trades
• participants, including target groups, report having experienced improved labour market outcomes single and multiple years after the end of the program

Appendix F: Bibliography

Colleges and Institutes Canada. 2020. "Inclusive Pre-Apprenticeship Pathways Environmental Scan of College and Institute Pre-Apprenticeship Programs in Canada."

Colleges and Institutes Canada and Canadian Apprenticeship Forum. 2020. "Inclusive Pre-Apprenticeship Pathways Environmental Scan of College and Institute Pre-Apprenticeship Programs in Canada."

Employment and Social Development Canada. 2019. "Attitudes and perceptions of Canadian youth towards careers in the trades: Results from the 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)."

Employment and Social Development Canada. 2022. "Evaluation of the Union Training and Innovation Program."

2022. "Infographic for Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness (STAR) Program." GC InfoBase. 09 20. https://www.tbs-sct.canada.ca/ems-sgd/edb-bdd/index-eng.html#infographic/program/HRSD-BGO22/related

2022. "Skilled Trades Awareness and Readiness program." Canada.ca. 07 25. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/skilled-trades-awareness-readiness.html

Statistics Canada. n.d. National Apprenticeship Survey: Canada Overview Report 2015. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-598-x/2017001/sect02-eng.htm

The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum - Forum canadien sur l'apprentissage (CAF-FCA). 2018. "Apprenticeship Snapshot ePanel Update 2018."

The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l'apprentissage (CAF-FCA). 2020. Evaluating Success in Pre-apprenticeship In Canada: Consultation Summary Report. The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l'apprentissage (CAF-FCA).

The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l'apprentissage (CAF-FCA). 2019. Promoting Careers in the Skilled Trades to Indigenous Youth in Canada. The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum – Forum canadien sur l'apprentissage (CAF-FCA).

The Social Research and Demonstration Corporation. 2021. "Research report to support the launch of Skills for Success: Structure, evidence, and recommendations."