Overview

 

What it means to be an employer sponsor

When you hire on an apprentice you are committing to train and develop them into a Tradesperson. In return, the apprentice will be completing projects, tasks and jobs that are critical to the success of your business.

Ready to sponsor an apprentice?

Sponsoring an apprentice is a mutual agreement between an apprentice and an employer/sponsor. Here are the steps:

  1. Find and hire an apprentice.
  2. Fill out the Apprentice and Sponsor Registration Form
  3. Email the form to customerservice@skilledtradesbc.ca. They will send you an SkilledTradesBC ID and login for the SkilledTradesBC Portal, a platform you can use to manage your organization’s information as well as apprentices. 
  4. A Registration Card will be mailed to you that needs to be signed and passed on to the apprentice
  5. Manage apprentices by signing up for the SkilledTradesBC Portal.

NOTE: Between September to November 2022, we are in the process of moving our customer self-service platform from Direct Access to the SkilledTradesBC Portal.

Download the Employer Guidebook

Hiring an Apprentice: A Smart Business Move

Hiring an apprentice is a smart business move in more ways than one. One third of Canada’s workforce will retire in 2030. This means competition will get tough for employers looking to attract and retain good workers. The Canadian Apprenticeship Forum  talked to employers across Canada about how hiring an apprentice benefited their businesses. Here’s what they said:

  • Employers receive an ROI of $1.47 for every $1 they invest in apprenticeship training.
  • Apprenticeship is a tried and true method of recruiting and maintaining talent.
  • Apprentices become journeypersons with better health and safety performance, greater overall productivity, and fewer mistakes.
  • Apprentices learn your business first. That means they learn the way you do things and the unique, specialized skills that best serve your business.
  • A journeyperson who has done their apprenticeship with your organization will be a better fit, and will build good relationships with your customers.
  • Employers with apprentices enjoy higher sales and profits.

As the employer sponsor, you will be responsible for:

  • Training the apprentice in their chosen trade under the supervision of a certified tradesperson or an employee with Sign-Off Authority
  • Registering the apprentice and your organization
  • Tracking and reporting the apprentice’s work based training hours
  • Allowing the apprentice time off to attend school
  • Evaluating and recommending the apprentice for certification