Factors associated with the completion of apprenticeship training in Canada

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. [Findings include]: (1) among apprentices who had registered in an apprenticeship training since 2008, few completed their program on time; at the end...  [+] Show more

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.

[Findings include]: (1) 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 per cent of apprentices had obtained their certificate, while 64 per cent were still in their program and 20 per cent had left their program; (2) 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 per cent); (3) 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 per cent) than apprentices who did not receive these credits (31 per cent); (4) 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 per cent) than those who were not (32 per cent); and (5) 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.

Excerpts from publication.