Backgrounder: Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy – Investments in Training Equipment

The Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy aims to support a trade workforce that is skilled, inclusive, certified and productive. It includes initiatives formerly under the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP), which supports apprenticeship training through three funding streams:
 

• The Investments in Training Equipment stream helps unions and training providers improve the quality of training through the purchase of equipment and materials that meet the latest industry standards, or by investing in new technology needed to train workers in the Red Seal trades.
• The Innovation in Apprenticeship stream supports innovative approaches and partnerships between unions to address apprenticeship challenges that are limiting equity deserving groups from succeeding in an apprenticeship. It supports unions to recruit and retain apprentices in Red Seal trades, including women, newcomers, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people and racialized individuals, through activities such as mentorship, career services, wraparound supports and job matching.
• The Sustainable Jobs stream funds projects that support unions and their partners in leading the development of green training for workers in the skilled trades. It supports the Government’s Sustainable Jobs Plan that will help to reduce Canada’s emissions.

Quebec organizations are not eligible to apply for funding through the UTIP given that unions in the province are not directly involved in apprenticeship training. In Quebec, this training is solely undertaken in the public school system prior to an individual registering with an employer as an apprentice.

To account for specificities in Quebec’s apprentice training system, the UTIP is implemented in Quebec through a separate agreement with the provincial government. Under the agreement, Employment and Social Development Canada is providing $39.4 million over five years, beginning in 2023–24, to the Government of Quebec to support the objectives of the UTIP. Between 2,000 and 5,000 Red Seal apprentices, including individuals from equity-deserving groups, are expected to benefit from this funding each year in Quebec.

In the September 13, 2024, announcement, nine projects are receiving funding through the Investments in Training Equipment calls for proposals from 2022 and 2023:

Projects that received funding under the 2022 call for proposals:

1. Organization: Insulators’ Training Trust Fund of Alberta
   Project title: Insulator Training Trust Fund Online Orientation Program
   Description: This project will purchase 10 Lenovo Workstations so apprentices can expand their skills to effectively install industrial and commercial insulation on piping and equipment systems.
   Region: Edmonton
   Funding Amount: $10,880
   
   
2. Organization: International Union of Operating Engineers Local 955 Training Trust Fund
   Project title: Investments in New Training Equipment
   Description: This project will support the purchase of new heavy equipment to allow Local 955 to provide consistent and up-to-date training on the models that their contracted employer partners are currently using in the field.
   Region: Edmonton
   Funding amount: $1,828,970
   
   
3. Project title: Investments in New Training Technology
   Organization: International Union of Operating Engineers Local 955 Training Trust Fund
   Description: This project will purchase simulators and classroom technology upgrades to make training in the heavy equipment trade more accessible to members of the local.  Region: Edmonton, Fort McMurray
   Funding amount: $292,666
    

Projects that received funding under the 2023 call for proposals:

1. Organization: International Union of Operating Engineers Local 955 Apprenticeship and Education
   Project title: Tower Crane Apprenticeship Training Project
   Description: This project will purchase equipment, such as a tower crane. The new equipment will make it easier for apprentices to complete their training without having to travel to a different province.
   Region: Edmonton
   Funding amount: $383,756
   
   
2. Organization: Saskatchewan Construction and General Workers’ Training Trust Fund
   Project title: Remote Training Innovations
   Description: This project will purchase equipment, such as a demolition machine, to promote new technology training for construction craft worker apprentices in remote communities, and incorporate new specialty equipment training.
   Region: Edmonton, Beardy’s & Okemasis Cree Nation/Duck Lake
   Funding amount: $153,194
   
   
3. Organization: Electrical Industry Education Trust Fund of Alberta
   Project title: Electrical Apprenticeship Training
   Description: This project will purchase equipment and materials required for the development of the electrician training lab modules, and will support the existing training curriculum.
   Region: Edmonton
   Funding amount: $64,194
   
   
4. Organization: Alberta Ironworkers’ Apprenticeship & Training Trust Fund
   Project title: Local 725: Investing in Training Equipment
   Description: This project proposes to purchase equipment, such as a mobile elevated work platform and a rough-terrain forklift. This additional equipment will support the increasing demand in training and allow apprentices to be trained on up-to-date equipment.
   Region: Edmonton
   Funding amount: $143,811
   
   
5. Organization: Insulators’ Training Trust Fund of Alberta
   Project title: Apprenticeship Training
   Description: This project will purchase various equipment and materials to allow insulator (Heat and Frost) apprentices to experience practical instruction in different situations.
   Region: Edmonton, Fort McMurray
   Funding amount: $28,000
   
   
6. Organization: Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ Local 222
   Project title: Concrete Finisher Apprenticeship Training Equipment Modernization
   Description: This project will purchase equipment, such as power trowels and precision laser levelers, for training purposes. This additional equipment will help increase the number of registered apprentices and journeypersons in the trade.
   Region: Edmonton
   Funding amount: $18,924

For more information, visit https://search.open.canada.ca/grants/