The British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) is offering double the funds to construction companies if they hire apprentices who self-identify as being part of an “equity deserving group.” The program is funded by the federal government.
BCCA’s Apprenticeship Service project pays companies $5,000 for every first-year apprentice they register in one of 39 Red Seal trades, according to a BCCA news release. The organization then offers double the funds, or $10,000, for every first-year apprentice registered who “self-identifies” as a woman, indigenous, disabled, or from the LGBT community. “Continuing to improve diversity within BC’s construction industry remains a critical goal of this project,” says the release.
“An additional $5,000 is issued if the apprentice self identifies as part of an equity deserving group, as part of an effort to redress underrepresentation in the trades.”
The program is funded by the Government of Canada through the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy’s Apprenticeship Service initiative. “Canada needs more skilled trades workers. We need more women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people, racialized Canadians, and individuals from the 2SLGBTQI+ community to join the skilled trades,” Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault said in the release.
The BCCA said in a statement that it’s acting as the administrator of the government-funded program, which has specific eligibility requirements that the organization needs to adhere to.
“Funding and rules around eligibility were not set by BCCA, but by the Government of Canada’s Apprenticeship Service program. All other organizations who received the same funding abide by the same rules,” the BCCA said.
It added that the vast majority of the workforce in the construction industry is “male and mostly white,” and that more diversity is needed.
“The goal of BCCA’s Apprenticeship Services initiative is to attract more people to the construction industry, and that includes encouraging employers to diversify their apprenticeship registration,” the organization said.
“The construction industry is facing a significant skilled worker shortage. It is about 95% male and mostly white. We need to get enough people skilled up to replace the tens of thousands who are retiring in the next few years in BC. One way to do that is to be more diverse about who we hire and train, and a way get employers on board with that is to provide meaningful financial incentives for doing it.”
According to the BCCA, about $6 million in funding has gone to B.C. employers with first-year apprentices in carpentry, construction, electricity, and plumbing.
The Apprenticeship Service project launched in Sept. 2022 and has funded 1,329 apprenticeships to over 700 companies, the BCCA says.
Employers are permitted to register two apprentices a year, for up to $20,000. BCCA says about 51 percent of apprentices have self-identified as part of an aforementioned group, qualifying their employers for double the money.
Editor’s note: This article was updated on Sept. 29 to add a statement issued by the BCCA.
