This program is funded in part by Employment and Social Development Canada
About
In partnership with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), EHRC seeks to implement a number of Pre-Apprenticeship Training Programs for the Canadian electricity sector. These will be designed to increase the number of job seekers, particularly from historically under-represented communities, that can access careers in trades professions in the Canadian electricity industry, while also addressing the shortages of skilled trades in high demand occupations. This will be achieved through a combination of pre-defined technical and employability training necessary to enter the job market.
The program will focus on specific trades, sectors and/or geographic areas experiencing a skills shortage or a high demand, while also seeking to empower workers and job seekers who face higher barriers of entry, and enhance pathways into meaningful and gainful employment, particularly for youth (including youth at risk), women, Indigenous peoples, people of colour, newcomers, LGBTQI2s+ and members of at-risk and/or marginalized communities.
In addition to the proposed in-class training that candidates will receive, the program will partner with various employers within the electricity sector to provide work placements for all eligible candidates to ensure work-integrated learning and increase the likelihood of permanent employment within a skilled trade in the electricity sector.
Project Objectives
The main objectives of the Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program are:
- To address the crippling shortage of skills in high-demand trades in the Canadian electricity sector.
- To increase awareness about opportunities for careers within the skilled trades.
- To support potential entrants to apprenticeship training who require job readiness skills and experience to gain employment as apprentices, with specific emphasis on identified under-represented communities.
- To empower individuals with the skills to either gain employment as apprentices or enter certified trades programs by bridging the gap between their current skills and the various minimum entry requirements.
Required Program Features
Proposed Trade Streams
The trade streams covered are those that are employed and in high demand in the Canadian electricity industry. These include (but are not limited to) electricians, power line technicians, cable workers, power systems operators, boilermakers etc.
The trade/s covered in each program will be informed by both industry needs and committed employer partners to support placements.
Cohort Size
15-25 participants depending on industry need and/or placement opportunities.
Length of Training
10 -12 weeks in class training and/or 12 – 15 weeks work placement.
Eligibility Requirements
- Canadian citizen or permanent resident status
- Canadian high-school diploma or a diploma/degree from a Canadian or international college/university (credential assessment is required or international education)
Minimum age:
- CLB Level 5 for applicants with international credentials
- Commitment of required weeks of full-time training and work placement
NOTE: Selection process will apply a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion lens to ensure prioritization of historically under-represented groups
Program Curriculum
As a minimum, the program curriculum must include the following modules:
- Level 1 Electrical trade curriculum
- Math Prep for the trades
- Professional skills training (soft skills)
- Health & Safety Training: relevant safety training for the trade, e.g. WHMIS, Workplace, Health and Safety, First Aid, to be completed before the work placement
Paid Work Placements
Program must include at least one 8 to 12-week of paid work placement.
Wrap Around Supports
The program shall make provision for additional supports to remove existing barriers and challenges that could impede the successful participation of candidates in the program. The need for these additional supports will be determined on a case-by-case basis, and may include accommodation, travel, childcare, books, materials, disability accommodation supports. This support will be funded by EHRC and/or Employer partners.
The proposed process is summarized in the following diagram:
