The Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board has reviewed a change to the 1:1 journeyperson to apprentice ratio. Through this ratio, each apprentice is assigned a journeyperson mentor on the worksite to ensure that apprentices learn their skills with appropriate supervision and in a safe environment. Supervised on-the-job training and work experience are a critical component of an apprentice�s training.

I am pleased to report today that the Provincial Government has accepted the proposed change as recommended by the Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board. This will give employers greater flexibility and will result in an increase in the number of apprentices able to gain valuable worksite training.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), for every 1:1 ratio an employer currently has, an additional final year apprentice can now be hired. In addition, if the employer�s current MOU is already with a final year apprentice, the employer can hire a first, second, or third year apprentice.

The Provincial Government has been working diligently to build a highly-qualified labour force to meet the needs of the many large-scale development projects on the province�s horizon. The change to the journeyperson to apprentice ratio stems from the recommendations of the Skills Task Force, a partnership initiated by this government, of industry, labour, business, education and other stakeholders, to identify needs and ensure a responsive training system.

Since 2006, significant advances have been made. Changes to the apprenticeship system last year allow apprentices to receive credit for on-the-job training they do in Alberta. The Provincial Government has invested over $53 million in the areas of apprenticeship, science and technology, programming, training and infrastructure. This includes funding to hire apprentices within government departments and agencies as well as to conduct significant renovations and equipment upgrades at College of the North Atlantic. This helps ensure students have the most modern and relevant learning resources.

As a result, more people in the province are actively involved in skilled trades. At the end of last month, there were 4,704 active registered apprentices - a 15 per cent increase since 2007. I am especially pleased to note that since 2004, the number of women registering for apprenticeship programs in non-traditional trades is up by 35 per cent.

I would like to acknowledge the role of the Provincial Apprenticeship and Certification Board in this latest improvement to the apprenticeship system. I look forward to continuing to work with our partners to build a strong skilled labour force for our province.

2008 12 03                                                  2:15 p.m.