Training_System_Assessment_Report

Transportation Trades Supply and
Demand Committee
Training Systems Assessment:
Four Transportation Trades
Funding provided through the Canada-British Columbia Labour
Market Development Agreement
July 24, 2012
Prepared by Heather Stewart and
Ian MacRae
Sage Transitions
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary! 4
Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO)! 9
Introduction! 9
Recommendations! 9
Overview of ﬁndings! 10
Capacity and capability overview! 10
Capacity! 10
Heavy mechanical trades! 13
Introduction! 13
Summary Recommendations! 14
Detail and rationale to support recommendations! 16
Overview of ﬁndings! 23
Capability overview! 25
Capacity overview! 28
Research methodology! 31
Process! 31
Research representation! 31
Research themes and results! 35
Structural components! 35
Investment in apprenticeship! 37
Recruitment and assessment! 37
Training institutions! 43
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Physical capacity.! 46
Workplaces! 47
TransCDA! 48
ITA and the apprenticeship system! 48
System Considerations! 49
Apprenticeship programs! 50
System of apprentice registration! 50
Registering for training! 51
Coordination in the system! 51
Appendix A - ITA Qualiﬁcations Awarded! 52
Appendix B - Apprenticeship Supply & Institutional Utilization Rates (December,
2011)! 53
Appendix C - Projected Supply and Demand for Transportation Trades, by Region!56
Appendix D - Similarities Between This Study and APPSO! 63
Appendix E - Data Sources and Accuracy! 64
Appendix F - Secondary Research Results! 65
1. Best Practices! 65
2. Primary Training Models! 70
3. Barriers to Program Entry and Completion! 74
Appendix G - Northern BC Labour Market Demand Report! 79
Appendix H - References! 80
Appendix I - Transportation Trades Supply and Demand Committee and Sage
Transitions staff! 83
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Executive Summary
Overview
The transportation trades are an essential component in driving the economy of British
Columbia. Employees, apprentices and journeypersons in the four trades are employed
across many economic sectors of British Columbia including: mining, forestry,
construction and infrastructure. Many employers are already having difficulty finding
skilled heavy mechanical and heavy equipment operator employees, and there are
reports of work and projects being delayed because of the lack of available supply of
these employees. A labour supply gap is forecast in the transportation trades over the
next five years, and increasing demand from neighbouring jurisdictions will make it
more difficult for BC employers to hire the required skilled tradespeople in the
transportation trades.
The current and forecast lack of supply is further exacerbated by a number of issues in
the apprenticeship system for these trades. In the heavy mechanical trades of heavy
duty equipment technician, truck and transport mechanic (commercial transport
mechanic) and diesel engine mechanic, institutions are struggling to provide training
using outdated curricula, equipment and tools. Many employers have lost confidence
in the training system. Some of these employers are reluctant to hire first and second
year apprentices, and some are not participating at all in training and supporting
apprentices. Heavy Equipment Operators (HEO) are a new trade, with only about 44%
participation in the apprenticeship system. The HEO training system is shared by
private and public training institutions, some of whom are ITA designated, many of
whom are not.
These recommendations are drawn from a very large group of research participants.
There were 726 respondents in the Sage Transitions portion of the research and 481 in
the research completed by Weicker.
Report structure
This report provides a detailed analysis of transportation trades training. Included is a
series of recommendations to ensure the apprenticeship system is fit-for-purpose and
able to meet the projected demand for skilled transportation trades workers in the
coming years. A series of changes to the apprenticeship system are required to ensure
the transportation trades industry can continue to facilitate economic growth in a
variety of industries across the province of British Columbia. This report begins with a
brief overview of the system, followed by an outline of recommendations, findings,
capacity and capability for two sub-categories of transportation trades programs. After
the overview, a more detailed description of the research process and results is
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provided. The ﬁnal section provides a comprehensive analysis of the core components,
issues and concerns that affect the transportation trades training systems.
Purpose and objectives
The objective of this research was to assess the training systems of four transportation
sector apprenticeship occupations:
• Diesel Engine Mechanic
• Heavy Equipment Operator
• Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
• Truck and Transport Mechanic (Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic)
The report will meet the following two objectives:
• Assessment of training system. Identify barriers and opportunities within
the post secondary and work-based training systems that inhibit or
contribute to adequate training (quality) and supply (quantity) of skilled
workers to meet the demand
• Training System Adjustment Recommendations. Develop
recommendations to address shortcomings and build on strengths in the
system. Recommendations will incorporate information from the training
system assessment and from the concurrent labour market research project.
The report provides a detailed analysis of:
Capacity
Capacity is the maximum number of apprentices the system can train
and supply to the labour market through training institutions.
Capacity is affected by physical space and resources including
facilities, equipment and machinery.
Capability
Capability describes how successfully institutions and workplaces
prepare apprentices for work. Capability includes factors such as
curriculum, instructional expertise in institutions, and training and
mentoring in the workplace.
Research process
This report was prepared after an extensive research process that began with reviewing
available provincial, national and international research, and was followed by primary
research that combined qualitative and quantitative data collection using in-person,
telephone, focus group and on-line methods. The primary data collection obtained 726
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responses. The very large research sample from primary research provides an accurate
and valid representation of stakeholders in the transportation trades industry. The
results are representative of every region in the province, all transportation trades
occupations and the different sectors including apprentices, journeypersons,
instructors, institutions, employees, employers and other stakeholders.
Supply and demand forecasts
A review of other labour market and human resource planning research completed in
Northern BC suggests that the heightened demand in these regions, will increase the
demand for HEO and heavy mechanical trades. Overall, Weicker suggests “although
there is currently a reasonable balance between supply and demand, conditions will
continue to tighten going forward for most trades to the extent that demand for
workers outpaces supply” (p.iii).
Transportation Trades Supply and Demand Committee
We appreciated the committee’s advice, guidance and wisdom based on their extensive
experience and knowledge of the industry. They provided the contacts, supports and
access to industry members, students, instructors, apprentices, journeypersons, unions
and stakeholders that resulted in large numbers of respondents for all facets of the
research. (Appendix
Heavy mechanical and HEO trades supply and demand
Our most important recommendations relate to overall system capacity and capability.
It appears that increased demand for all four trades, and competition for tradespersons
from Alberta, Saskatchewan and other jurisdictions have, and will continue to,
exacerbate the anticipated shortages of skilled tradespeople in transportation trades in
BC. Labour market forecasts, though variable and affected by local and international
economic conditions, consistently confirm employers are finding increased difficulty in
recruiting and retaining the skilled workers they need. Our research confirms that
employers are having trouble recruiting sufficient employees, and expecting further
labour supply shortages. This issue is worsened by the burgeoning demand in the
interior and Northern BC and the accompanying lack of educational institutional
capacity and capability in Northern BC.
Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) findings and recommendations
The HEO apprenticeship system is very different from that for the heavy mechanical
trades. Thus, the recommendations are different for Heavy Equipment Operators. HEO
apprenticeship training is offered at both private and public institutions. There is a
wide disparity in program content and length among institutions. The trade is new, and
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based on the Weicker report, 56% of those working in the trade are neither apprentices
nor journeypersons. We recommend the following steps:
• Keep industry and institutions advised of the progress toward a Red Seal
designation.
• Develop a joint accreditation process for the public and private institutions.
• Review the process for ITA designation of HEO institutions in BC and
increase capacity by designating more institutions to offer the HEO training.
• Develop an industry-wide campaign to promote the benefits of the
transportation trades apprenticeship system: Encourage and persuade
employers to train and hire apprentices and journeypersons.
Heavy duty mechanical trades findings and recommendations
There are many best practices and opportunities to build on current strengths in public
post-secondary institutions. There appears to be sufficient institutional capacity across
the system, although most schools have wait-lists for all program elements, with the
largest wait lists for Heavy Duty Equipment and Commercial Transport Foundation
programs.
However, the issues of apprenticeship system capability are very complex. Training
requires expensive equipment, tools and facilities and updating curricula to match
technology and innovation in the industry. Most training institutions have difficulty
keeping up with rapid industry changes required for apprentices to be successful in the
workplace.
Employers face similar challenges to training institutions. In employer interviews, all
respondents confirmed some difficulty in hiring apprentices and journeypersons.
Employer and instructor interviews and apprentice focus groups confirmed that some
employers lack the capability to effectively recruit and train apprentices. There appears
to be an industry trend to recruit third and fourth year apprentices, rather than first and
second year apprentices.
This developing lack of commitment to training “new” apprentices results in many
Foundation students and first apprentices experiencing difficulty finding work early in
their career, and consequently leaving BC to work in other jurisdictions or abandon
their trade. A better coordinated system with improved employer engagement could
increase apprentice completion rates and provincial retention of transportation trades
workers.
Continuation and completion rates vary among the heavy mechanical and heavy
equipment operator trades. Continuation refers to those who transition from
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Foundation programs into apprenticeship. Completion rates refer to completion as a
journeyperson.
Continuation from Foundation programs for heavy duty equipment technician and
truck and transport mechanic (commercial transport mechanic) are reported to be from
20 to 30%. Completion rates from the heavy mechanical trades range as follows, (p. 14,
Weicker, June 2012)
• Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic apprentices varied by cohort from a low
of 42% (amongst apprentices who registered in 2006) to a high of 71%
(amongst apprentices who registered in 1998 and in 2003).
• Truck and Transport Mechanic apprentices were similar, with a low of 47%
(amongst apprentices in who registered in 2006) to a high of 72% (amongst
apprentices who registered in 2002).
• Diesel Engine Mechanic apprentices were more varied with a low of 28%
amongst apprentices who registered in 2006) to a high of 90% (amongst
apprentices who registered in 1998).
The greatest opportunities to increase the available supply of heavy mechanical
tradespersons are:
• Build pre-requisites and assessment processes into the Foundation and
apprenticeship programs, and attract better qualified applicants who have
more chance of successfully continuing in and completing their
apprenticeship.
• Provide more training, coaching and support for apprentices in workplaces,
and increase the number of apprentices who successfully complete their
apprenticeship, and stay in BC. Assessment procedures can be used to
identify and support students to obtain all necessary skills for workplace
success during their training.
• Provide support, coaching and assessment instruments for employers to use
in building supervisory and leadership capacity and thereby improving
completion and retention rates; and to meet projected shortages of
managerial/supervisory roles.
• Implement the revised program outlines, and incorporate requirements for
minimum standards of equipment, tools, instructor qualifications and
ongoing instructor professional development.
• Develop Centres of Training Excellence, so that BC becomes recognized for
providing high quality training for these trades.
There are complex systemic issues that need to be addressed to ensure the
apprenticeship system is working efficiently and effectively to meet increasing demand
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in the transportation trades. In HEO and heavy mechanical trades, there is an
immediate opportunity to form a committee of key inﬂuencers to address the system-
wide issues and opportunities in these trades.
Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO)
Introduction
This section of the report addresses capacity and capability for Heavy Equipment
Operators (HEO). Weicker estimates a total of 5,478 employees working in this trade.
This is a growing trade, with a new apprenticeship trade which began in 2006, and for
which there is high demand in the interior and Northern BC.
Weicker, HEO employees in BC
Overall Journeypersons Apprentices Other
Employ ApprenticesEmploy ApprenticesEmploy ApprenticesEmploy ApprenticesEmploy Apprentices
HEO 747 475 214 58
Do Not Employ ApprenticesDo Not Employ ApprenticesDo Not Employ ApprenticesDo Not Employ ApprenticesDo Not Employ Apprentices
HEO 4,731 1,689 3,042
TotalTotalTotalTotalTotal
HEO 5,478 2,164 214 3,101
Recommendations
Red Seal trade status. Provide regular information to employers and apprentices as the
Red Seal designation process continues.
Accreditation. Build capability and capacity by developing a joint accreditation process
between the private and public institutions. The Private Career Training Institutions
Association (PCTIA) has an accreditation process which includes regular institutional
audits, and would serve as a model from which to develop a system-wide accreditation
system.
Capacity and capability. The apprenticeship system has sufﬁcient capacity, but
disparate capability, cost, length and contents of the programs being offered. ITA
currently has seven approved private institutions on their website, with two pending
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approval, and another two that do not appear to be offering HEO programs at this time.
PCTIA has several accredited institutions who appear to have large capacity and strong
capability but are not designated through ITA, and would like the opportunity to offer
the apprenticeship program. The large proportion of private institutions makes it very
challenging to assess capacity of HEO training programs because ITA does not have
capacity data for private institutions (estimates are provided on the following page).
Improved data collection is required for improved capacity estimates.
Encourage employers to hire and train. This is a new apprenticeship program that has
not yet received much traction with employers. There are significant opportunities for
ITA, transCDA, employers, unions, private and public institutions, PCTIA, and
stakeholders to develop a comprehensive industry campaign to encourage employers
to hire and train apprentices. A coordinated effort with improved data collection and
institutional planning would improve both capacity and capability.
Overview of findings
Findings from comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research show the
environment for the heavy equipment operator (HEO) trades is markedly different than
the heavy mechanical trades. HEO and is still awaiting Red Seal approval. Training
programs are primarily offered in private educational institutions, with some
apprenticeship and many non-apprenticeship programs.
Capacity and capability overview
It was difficult to assess the full capability and capacity of the HEO training system, as
there are many more private than public institutions offering HEO training. Some of
these institutions have been designated by ITA, but data about capacity and capability
is only available for public institutions. Private Career Training Institutions Association
(PCTIA) provided support in contacting individual private training institutions, but
there was no summary capacity and capability available.
Capability
Of the training institutions surveyed, there is a wide disparity in curriculum,
equipment, tools and instructor qualifications. Those institutions designated through
ITA follow the Heavy Equipment Operator program outline, but there are many more
non-designated private institutions offering training.
Capacity
WorkBC forecasts 2,280 HEO openings from 2010 to 2015, then declining demand. The
need for workers is highest in Northern BC. Qualitative research with institutions and
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employers conﬁrms that the largest supply gaps are in Northern BC, Northern Alberta
and Saskatchewan.
The following table describes institutional HEO training capacity estimates. ITA does
not track the capacity of ITA designated private institutions. The following private
institution data was collected by direct contact with institutions. Some institutions do
not currently offer apprenticeship training, but provide training on heavy equipment.
HEO Institutional Capacity
Institution Capacity
Students/
year
Program Details ITA
Designated
ITA
Designated
PCTIA
Accredited
Northwest Community
College
36
✔
Vancouver Island University 36 ✔
Thompson Rivers University ✔
International Union of
Operator Engineers (Maple
Ridge)
50 Foundation - 3 weeks
HEO technical - 4 weeks
On their equipment - 5 weeks
✔
Taylor Pro (Kelowna) 50 21 week program
Foundation - 4 weeks
9 weeks of hands-on equipment
training for the endorsements
✔ ✔✔
VanASEP - Aboriginal Skills
a n d E m p l o y m e n t
Partnership
50 Foundation - 3 weeks
Technical - 4 - 6 weeks
Practicum - 1 - 4 months
✔
Christian Labour College
(Kelowna, Northeast BC
and Coquitlam)
- Preparation to write ITA HEO
challenge exam (shorter courses)
✔
Interior Heavy Equipment
Operator School (Lake
Country)
300 Continuous intake course - 10
weeks ✔✔
O’Brien Training (Prince
George)
- Introduction to Construction
Equipment Operator Training -
40 hours
C o n s t r u c t i o n E q u i p m e n t
Operator -125 hours
✔✔
Fox Consulting (Merritt) - Heavy Equipment Operator
Course - 240 hours (6 weeks)
✔✔
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Institution Capacity
Students/
year
Program Details ITA
Designated
ITA
Designated
PCTIA
Accredited
Operator Training Program
(Langley)
- Heavy Equipment Operator
Certiﬁcation (HEOC)
✔✔
The apprenticeship completion data below, shows ITA data about HEO completion. The
lack of formal data collection from private institutions makes it very challenging to
provide exact information about capacity, utilization or completion rates for HEO.
Improving data collection will be crucial for planning and addressing long-term HEO
labour force demand.
Apprenticeship completion - 2006 - 2011
(Labour Market Information Supply & Demand Study, p. 22)
Note: 0 is Foundation, 1 is Technical Training

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Heavy mechanical trades
Introduction
The three heavy mechanical trades of heavy duty equipment technician, truck and
transport mechanic (commercial transport mechanic) and diesel engine mechanic
represent a total workforce of 8,036 (Weicker, June, 2012). Weicker forecasts increased
demand over the next five years in all these trades (p.ii), and in Northern BC, Malatest
(Appendix G) estimates a 46% increase in demand in machinery and transportation
equipment mechanics (ex. motor vehicle) over the next five years. These trades are vital
to the completion of many large projects underway and planned throughout interior
and Northern BC. Without an increase in capacity and capability of the apprenticeship
system, employers will have more difficulty in finding the skilled tradespeople that
they need to complete projects. As large projects move forward, the competition for
heavy mechanical tradespeople will exponentially increase the difficulty all employers
will face in hiring.
Weicker - Total number of employees in heavy mechanical trades in BC
Overall Journeyperson Apprentice Other
Employ ApprenticesEmploy ApprenticesEmploy ApprenticesEmploy ApprenticesEmploy Apprentices
HDEM 4,504 3,444 862 198
TTM 1,582 1,026 457 99
DEM 204 145 56 3
Total 6,291 4,615 1,375 300
Do Not Employ ApprenticesDo Not Employ ApprenticesDo Not Employ ApprenticesDo Not Employ ApprenticesDo Not Employ Apprentices
HDEM 677 618 59
TTM 741 660 81
DEM 327 304 23
Total 1,745 1,582 163
TotalTotalTotalTotalTotal
HDEM 5,181 4,062 862 257
TTM 2,324 1,686 457 181
DEM 531 449 56 26
Total 8,036 6,197 1375 464
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Summary Recommendations
The heavy mechanical summary recommendations are presented in a table format, with
links to more detail and data that supports each recommendation. More speciﬁcs to
support the summary recommendations are included in the section entitled, “Detail
and rationale to support recommendations”. Detailed themes and research results begin
on page 35.
Immediate and high priority recommendations
Recommendations are ordered by priority. Although all the recommendations should
be implemented immediately, some will require more time to complete, such as the
Centres of Training Excellence.
Recommendation Accountability
Implement a set of system-wide pre-requisites, including an assessment
process, to be used by all educational institutions and employers and
include a:
• an initial career assessment process, using one instrument, or a series
of instruments , to assess interests, personality traits and essential
skills
• pre-Foundation and Level 1 assessment process as a prerequisite and
program standard
• career and leadership instruments to support employers in retaining
and promoting employees
Supporting Data
transCDA, post-
secondary institutions,
employers, unions and
stakeholders,
Implement changes to the heavy mechanical and operators trades for an
adapted apprenticeship process and system
Including addressing the following issues: curriculum, assessment,
equipment, consistent exams among institutions, instructor qualiﬁcations
and instructor professional development.
Online survey and focus group results
ITA, transCDA,
employers, unions,
institutions and system
leaders and partners
Implement the updated program outline and include a requirement for
ongoing instructor professional development.
ITA, transCDA,
employers, unions,
educational institutions
and stakeholders
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Recommendation Accountability
Review program and training delivery and explore the opportunities for
creating post-secondary institution Centres of Training Excellence to
increase system capacity and capability. Consider reducing the number
of public post-secondary institutions offering of Levels 1 to 4 of the
apprenticeship program and ensure that the available funding is used for
more high quality training at these institutions. Retain Foundation
program capacity in all institutions.
Supporting Capacity data
Supporting Capability data
transCDA, institutions
Develop a process to increase institutional capability by accrediting
public post-secondary institutions and assessing continuation and
completion rates, and the quality of the training provided. Review
programs accredited in health and business faculties, and through the
National Sector Council (http://www.supplychaincanada.org/en/
accreditations)
Supporting Capacity data
Post-secondary
institutions, BCATTA,
Trades Training
Consortium and
transCDA
Re-regulate the industry so that employers are required to hire
apprentices and journeypersons.
ITA, transCDA
Address the issue of minimum standards for health and safety in the
shops at institutions through the revised Program Outline and
accreditation process. Institutions to seek support from their internal
health and safety ofﬁcers and WorkSafeBC to ensure adequate health and
safety practices in their shops.
Post-secondary
institutions, transCDA
and ITA
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Medium-priority and medium-term recommendations
Recommendations Accountability
Develop and implement an “employer to employer”
communications programs that demonstrates to employers, the
financial, business and societal advantages of hiring apprentices.
Many employers, for many reasons, are reluctant to hire first and
second year apprentices and may be persuaded by their colleagues.
Include resources for employers and stakeholders about the roles of
transCDA and ITA.
transCDA, ITA
Work with industry members and stakeholders to develop support
materials and training for journeypersons to coach, mentor and
train apprentices. Investigate the possibility of hiring
apprenticeship coordinators to support employers and apprentices.
transCDA, ITA,
stakeholders
Promote career opportunities in these trades, and the use of
comprehensive career choice assessments in all parts of the system.
Build strategic partnerships with school districts, post-secondary
institutions, career advisors, employers, unions and associations to
support the use of assessments.
transCDA, ITA,
stakeholders
Implement a data management system that provides timely,
efficient and easily accessible data and reporting.
ITA
Review the current Program Advisory Committee system for these
transportation trades in the public post-secondary institutions.
Develop a process to engage industry in decision-making and
ensure comprehensive connections to and collaboration with
industry members in the apprenticeship system.
BCATTA, transCDA,
industry members
Detail and rationale to support recommendations
The following section provides more detail and data to support each of the summary
recommendations:
1. Review the available research and reports, and convene a group of key influencers
to address the required program-level and structural changes to the
apprenticeship system and programs. The group can use the available research to
improve the capacity and capability of the transportation trades apprenticeship
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system and ensure efficient use of current capacity. Suggestions for participants
include: Ministries of Education; Advanced Education, Jobs, Tourism and
Innovation; ITA; transCDA; ITO’s; employers; unions; secondary and post-
secondary institutions; apprentices and journeypersons.
There needs to be a system-wide review to address these recommendations, and
other research. By bringing key influencers together there are opportunities to
consider the issues across the entire system, rather than a more segregated and
piecemeal approach.
2. Research the opportunities to develop a few post-secondary institutions as Centres
of Training Excellence for the heavy mechanical trades. There are substantial
regional differences for these trades in British Columbia. Many large training
institutions are located in regions with the lowest forecasted employment growth.
Not wanting to move for work is already one of the problems identified in
attracting people into the transportation trades (32% of survey respondents said
that was one of the elements that prevented people from choosing work in the
transportation trades). Regional differences in employment growth and vacancies
will exacerbate this problem over the next decade. Linking students and
apprentices with jobs in different regions will be essential to improve the
capability of educational institutions.
Using the following principles to guide the decisions:
• Maintain access to Foundation programs throughout the province
• Assess the costs of maintaining equipment, tools and materials to offer the
program at each training level
• Address the issue of costs for employers and apprentices to attend
institution-based training away from their workplaces
• Develop and implement an ongoing evaluation of a system-wide
accreditation process for public and private institutions
• Align institutional funding with the results of regular accreditation reviews
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Consider the following options in that process:
• Ensure these institutions are providing sufficient apprenticeship programs to
meet industry needs
• Involve industry in these decisions, to address their competing needs of:
having training available close to their workplace; wanting high quality
training offered in institutions
There are significant opportunities to develop different modes of training to meet
regional demands where there is currently little institutional capacity or capability.
For example, modular training offered in the workplace or in institutions would
offer increased access to apprentices. Front-loaded training offers employers the
opportunity to hire apprentices with all the theory and practice completed prior to
entering the workplace. Partnerships between educational institutions would
provide increased capability by pooling available resources and access to
employer donations for machinery and equipment.
3. Collaborate with system partners to support and encourage quality inputs (the
best candidates) in order to ensure quality outputs (high skilled and qualified
journeypersons). Improve institutional and employer capability to support
increased apprenticeship completion and employee retention. Recruitment,
assessment and selection opportunities are myriad. Our interviews with
employers throughout BC, and especially in Northern BC confirm that the
shortage of skilled tradespersons is approaching critical proportions. Employers in
mining and oil and gas confirm great difficulty in recruiting and retaining skilled
trades. Improving continuation and completion rates may be sufficient to meet
forecasted demand. If the anecdotal reports of 25% successful continuation of
Foundation students into apprenticeship is accurate, an enhanced recruitment and
assessment process would substantially increase the numbers of available
apprentices. If these increases were accompanied by increased hiring of 1st and
2nd year apprentices by employers, it is very likely the capacity issues would be
fully addressed.
Develop a plan and process to provide the best quality candidates for Foundation
and apprenticeship programs, including:
• Initial career assessment for students and potential apprentices who are
interested in a career in these trades
• Comprehensive assessment process to be used as a pre-requisite for program
entry at the Foundation or Level 1
• Based on industry research, use essential skills assessment instruments such
as TOWES, that will provide reliable indicators of student success
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• Identify who may administer and how these assessments will be used and
accessed by educational institutions, employers and other stakeholders
• Work with stakeholders to have a comprehensive set of prerequisites for
entry to Foundation and apprenticeship programs included in the Program
Outlines for each trade
• Ensure that the assessment includes employability skills such as critical
thinking, team work, communications (http://www.conferenceboard.ca/
topics/education/learning-tools/employability-skills.aspx). Several
instruments already exist to assess these skills, and some are being used
within BC institutions
• Develop a path to and support for, training and coaching for potential
candidates who do not meet the prerequisites
• Provide career advice about pathways into and throughout the industry
• Use the same assessment for all entrants to apprenticeship programs
• Use the assessment in high schools, career employment organizations, post-
secondary institutions, employers, employer associations, unions and other
stakeholders
In order to maintain sufﬁcient supply of new entrants to the heavy mechanical
and operator trades, expand recruitment to include: mature, Aboriginal, female
and recent immigrant workers.
Develop and implement a marketing and education program targeted at parents,
students, youth, educational institutions, unions, employers and stakeholders to
encourage entry to the trade. Promote and encourage the use of more effective
recruitment and assessments processes and tools.
4. ITA can demonstrate their leadership by developing, implementing and
evaluating an adapted apprenticeship process and system. There are a number of
ways that
• Approve and implement the revised Program Outline as soon as possible.
• Prepare and engage institutions and stakeholders in implementing the
updated Program Outline once approved.
• Ensure all institutions are using standardized learning outcomes, level and
standardized exams and competencies.
• Collaborate with post-secondary institutions, transCDA, ITA, employers and
trade unions to develop requirements for instructors to complete regular
professional development. Include these requirements in the Program
Outline. Require instructors to work in industry on a regular basis, and to
follow industry professional development requirements. For example,
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require instructors to complete 30 hours of professional development on
current machinery and equipment annually, and return to the work force for
a specified period of time every five years.
5. Develop an efficient and effective data management system. Within the current
system it is difficult to obtain accurate data. Without accurate and accessible data
it is virtually impossible to accurately project future supply, and identify gaps in
supply and demand. Ideally, the data management system would track all
students and apprentices. This system would track individuals from registration,
to post-completion, even between provinces. Data collection is one of the best
practices outlined in Appendix F. Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic
are exemplars of good apprenticeship data collection . The following data
collection needs improvement:
• numbers of Foundation students entering the system and completing and
continuing
• completion rates of apprentices, by year
• numbers of apprentices who are deemed inactive and then return to the
system
• capacity reports that accurately represent numbers of classes, programs and
students at each institution.
Ted Weicker, provided the following information about his concerns and experiences
with the current ITA data systems.
Our major concern is they do not appear to mine the data that they do have to assess
the effectiveness and efficiency of the system and feed into strategic decisions.
With respect to the historical data itself, changing ITA policies and information
requirements combined with modifications of the system over time resulted in
inconsistent collection of data fields in the AIMS. For example, in examining the
targeted CITO trades apprenticeships, we found that only less than 4% of all
apprentice records have citizenship information and less than 9% have records on
Aboriginal identity. Records on education attainment ("Grade Achieved" and
"Graduated") or previous participation in foundation programs such as ELTT,
ACEIT or SSA were also inconsistent as the fields contained many blanks and
"N" (No), which suggests that many of the apprenticeship records were not recorded
or were left at the default value (N). The issue was particularly hindering when
examining the relationship between education attainment and the impact of
foundation programs on completion rates. Likewise, it was noted by ITA staff that
some of the record fields (i.e. gender of the apprentice) had default setting that might
have been overlooked at the time of data entry. As such, while 11% of the apprentice
Page 20

records have no gender information, an overriding ratio of male to female apprentices
(86.5% vs. 2.5%) may suggest certain validity issues in the database.
! The current Direct Access system, despite much more consistent in terms of data
collection, still poses a few issues. One of the expected issues is that there are some
information loss with the data conversion from AIMS to Direct Access. The Direct
Access no longer keeps track of variables such as citizenship, education level
(graduated high school, grade achieved), or information pertaining to sponsor
organization such as number of employees or journeymen at the facility. Data
previously collected in AIMS were not kept in the current system. Furthermore,
data on the start date or created date of converted records from AIMS have been reset
to 20090128 which is the date the record was converted. Another related issue is
that when we tried to cross-reference course results data with the "highest level
achieved" (a new field which should be reflective of the apprentice's current level of
courses), there were some inconsistencies on the converted records - ie. records
already existed before Direct Access would not get updated until a training result is
entered in Direct Access; someone who completed 4 courses and got certified could
have a "highest level achieved" =0 because he/she completed the program before the
system conversion.
6. Return to a regulated system, like that in Alberta, where employers are required to
hire apprentices and journeypersons for these trades. This change would increase
commitment to and participation in the apprenticeship system. Alberta regulates
the heavy mechanical trades, and to “work as a Heavy Equipment Technician in
Alberta, a person must be a registered apprentice, an Alberta-certified
journeyperson, or hold a valid recognized credential”. (http://
tradesecrets.alberta.ca/index.html?page=setting_industry_standards/
ait_board.html). Many employers are reluctant to hire first and second year
apprentices, as they are not satisfied with the skills these apprentices bring to their
businesses. This results in these apprentices in the early stages of their career:
having difficulty finding an apprenticeship, leaving BC to find apprenticeship
opportunities in other jurisdictions, or, leaving the trade entirely. This issue is
already resulting in lack of supply of 3rd, 4th and qualified journeypersons.
Unless employers participate in hiring and training apprentices, the supply issue
can only worsen.
7. Provide support and training to journeypersons in training and coaching
apprentices in the workplace. There are currently many employers and
journeypersons who lack the supports and resources to provide appropriate
workplace training to apprentices. There are opportunities for transCDA to
Page 21

collaborate with other Industry Training Organizations, and jurisdictions that
have implemented training for employers (sponsors) and journeypersons to help
them fulfill their role in training, coaching and mentoring apprentices in the
workplace.
8. transCDA can take the lead, with employers and institutions, and work together
to actively involve employers in program design and delivery. The current public
post-secondary institutional Program Advisory Committee system does not
appear to be working effectively. Employers and institutions both reported feeling
disconnected from each other. Apprentices suggested that institutions could
benefit from stronger connections to industry.
9. Develop and implement a communications and education plan to help system
participants better understand transCDA and ITA roles and responsibilities.
10. Collaborate with BC Association of Trades and Technology Administrators
(BCATTA), the Trades Training Consortium, Ministry of Advanced Education and
educational institutions to develop a process to address issues with institutions
that do not meet the minimum accreditation requirements.
11. Industry leaders can encourage and persuade other employers to hire and train
apprentices by sharing best practice examples and methods of overcoming
challenges. Employers have the influence to collaboratively build a culture that
promotes the benefits of workplace training and support for apprentices.
transCDA can develop a communication and information plan, with tools for
employers and stakeholders to use at conferences, trade shows, industry meetings
to promote apprenticeship continuation and completion.
12. Unions play an integral role in these trades and need to be involved in each of
these elements. The unions are strongly connected to many tradespeople and have
developed a number of best practices. The unions have the opportunity to share
these with employers, other unions and through BC Federation of Labour.
13. Review the current system by which apprentices and employers attempt to find
the best option for their ongoing schooling. Develop and implement a system that
makes better use of the available spaces. In BC there was a central registration
system to which many survey respondents suggested a return.
Page 22

Overview of findings
The research findings are an excellent representation of transportation stakeholders
from across the transportation trades.
Respondents Numbers
Quantitative (online survey) from apprentices,
journeypersons
312
Qualitative (focus groups with students and
apprentices at institutions)
332
Employers 42
Instructors 28
Stakeholders 12
Total respondents 726
This data combined with that completed, over the same time period by Weicker , who
interviewed 466 employers and 15 subject matter experts, provided a large and
representative sample from which to make recommendations.
Regional capacity and capability is mapped in this section. Capacity maps are provided
by trade, because there are significant regional differences in both capacity and labour
demand between trades. Maps are sorted into three categories:
• Diesel Engine Mechanic & Heavy Duty Equipment Technician
• Truck and Transport Mechanic (Commercial Transport Mechanic)
• All Foundation Students
Heavy Equipment Operator capacity is not mapped due to the lack of data for capacity
in private institutions. HEO capacity estimates from private institutions are based on
our primary research.
Capability maps show different measures of capability for all transportation trades
combined. There were no significant differences between regional ratings of capability
between the transportation trades.
There were many positive comments and best practices in our research. Each part of the
system has examples of effective and efficient processes that support students and
apprentices and meet employer needs. Institutions and instructors have worked hard
Page 23

to supplement out-dated curriculum to better train students and apprentices for the
workplace. Unions have training coordinators who support apprentices and their
school and workplace training. Employers provide training, coaching, mentoring and
they provide funding for schooling, tools and professional development. ITA has an
online information system that works well for apprentices and employers. However
there are ways to enhance the system so that it draws on the current strengths and best
practices.
We were asked to assess the capacity and capability of the system. The majority of our
primary research through focus groups, interviews and online surveys, addressed
capability. However, there are capacity findings that are important to this discussion,
and included in this report. Capacity is addressed primarily through secondary
research, and supplemented, when required by primary quantitative research. Many of
the quantitative findings have capacity implications.
Throughout the document we’ve used terms as follows:
• “Institution’ to describe public post-secondary institutions
• “High school students” for who attend dual credit programs such as ACE-IT and
CTC
Finally, as in any qualitative research, where large numbers of participants have the
opportunity to express their views, there are many comments that we would expect and
might define as “typical” or “ just venting”. In order to respect those many survey
participants who provided thoughtful, reasoned and articulate comments, we have
developed themes that reflect the most frequent comments.
Page 24

Capability overview
Nechako
Northeast
Cariboo
Kootenay
North Coast
Vancouver Island/Coast
Okanagan
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast
Thompson
Transportation Trades Regional Capability Rankings
"Quality of Instruction"
Legend
Quality of Instruction
4.18 - Northern BC
4.22 -Mainland/Southwest
4.44 - Kootenays
4.54 - Vancouver Island/Coast
4.56 - Okanagan
4.57 - Thompson-Cariboo
0 150 300 45075
Kilometers
¡
Map Produced June, 2012
Data Collected by Sage Transitions
Boundries from BCStats
NAD 1983 BC Environmental Albers Projection
Colour regional light/darkness relative to absolute score
Statistically significant differences between regions
F(6,295) = 2.42, p < 0.05
Page 25

Nechako
Northeast
Cariboo
Kootenay
North Coast
Okanagan
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast
Thompson
"Overall Quality of Training"
Legend
Equipment Quality Rating
3.40 - Northern BC
3.56 - Okanagan
3.67 - Lower Mainland
3.78 - Kootenays
4.00 - Vancouver Island
0 150 300 45075
Kilometers
¡
F(6,295) = 2.84, p < 0.05
Page 26

Nechako
Northeast
Cariboo
Kootenay
North Coast
Okanagan
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast
Thompson
"Quality of Facilities"
Legend
Facility Quality Rating
3.63 Okanagan
3.67 - Northern BC
3.70 - Lower Mainland
4.20 - Vancouver Island
4.44 - Kootenays
0 150 300 45075
Kilometers
¡
F(6,295) = 4.99, p < 0.01
Page 27

Capacity overview
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
12
11
10
Foundation Capacity &
Projected Unfilled Job Vacancies 2010-2015
Legend
Supply/Demand Gap
3% - Mainland/Southwest
5% - Cariboo
10% - Northeast
12% - Vancouver Island/Coast
12% - Thompson-Okanagan
15% - Kootenay
21% - North Coast & Nechako
Foundation Capacity
84
Enrolments
Unfilled Capacity
0 150 300 45075
Kilometers
¡
Sage Transitions
Capacity from ITA; Labour Force Projections from WorkBC
See Appendices for Associated Tables
Note: Projected Unfilled Job Vacancies (% of vacancies)
Average of all Transportation Trades
1 British Columbia Institute of Technology
2 Camosun College
3 College of New Caledonia
4 College of the Rockies
5 Northern Island College
6 Northwest Community College
7 Selkirk College
8 Okanagan College
9 Thompson Rivers University
10 University of the Fraser Valley
11 Vancouver Island University
12 Vancouver Community College
Page 28

VCC
BCIT
Okanagan College
College of the Rockies
Northern Lights College
Northern Island College
College of New Caledonia
Thompson Rivers University
Vancouver Island University
Northwest Community College
Heavy Duty Equipment Technician* Apprentice Capacity &
Legend
Supply/Demand Gap
4% - Cariboo
9% - Northeast
11% - Kootenay
12% - Thompson-Okanagan
24% North Coast & Nechako
0 150 300 45075
Kilometers
¡
Sage Transitions
*Includes Diesel Engine Mechanic
Note: Projected Unfilled Job Vacancies (% of vacancies)
NOC 7312
430
Enrolment
Capacity
Page 29

VCC
BCIT
Okanagan College
Northern Lights College
College of New Caledonia
Thompson Rivers University
Truck and Transport Mechanic Apprentice Capacity &
Legend
Supply/Demand Gap
7% - Cariboo
11% - Northeast
12% Thompson-Okanagan
19% - North Coast & Nechako
Kootenays
0 150 300 45075
Kilometers
¡
Sage Transitions
Note: Growth Rates for Automotive Service Technicians,
Truck & Bus Mechanics and Mehanical Repairers (NOC7321)
240
Enrolments
Capacity
Page 30

Research methodology
Process
The primary research process used qualitative and quantitative methods to assess the
training system of the four trades. Initial interviews with committee members were
completed in January and February 2012 to provide context and background to the
industry research. The qualitative research (interviews and focus groups) began April 3,
2012 and was completed on May 16, 2012. The quantitative research (online survey)
was launched on April 7th, and closed on May 11th. The primary research was
completed using an iterative process that began with a series of questions developed for
each audience, and then added questions to follow-up on developing themes. Online
survey respondents were also asked if they would be available to provide additional
information. Speciﬁc respondents were contacted to provide more information, and
further inform the interpretation of data.
Research representation
There were 644 quantitative and qualitative research participants from across British
Columbia and the four occupations and related stakeholders. An overview of the
respondents is provided below.
Page 31

*Of the respondents who completed training in BC (298); 14 quantitative respondents completed training
outside of BC
Figure 2. Overview of qualitative research participants
Audience Locations Number of
participants
Apprentices and
Foundation students
Lower Mainland, Kamloops, Kelowna,
Prince George, Vancouver Island
275
Employers Northeast, Central BC, Kootenays,
Thompson/ Okanagan, Vancouver
Island, Lower Mainland
42
Instructors Northeast, Central BC, Kootenays,
Thompson/ Okanagan, Vancouver
30
0
75
150
225
300
Lower Mainland Thompson-OK Vancouver Is. Northern BC Kootenays
14
30
56
164
82
10
464650
146
Figure 1. Total* responses from qualitative and quantitative research
Quantitative Qualitative
Page 32

Audience Locations Number of
participants
Stakeholders Northeast, Central BC, Kootenays,
Thompson/Okanagan, Vancouver
12
Total 346
Figure 3. Geographic representation of quantitative participants
Sample Distribution*Sample Distribution* Provincial Distribution
Lower Mainland 49% 146 41%
Thompson-Okanagan 17% 50 17%
Vancouver Island 15% 46 10%
Northern BC 15% 46 21%
Kootenays 3% 10 6%
*Of the respondents who completed training in BC (298); 14 completed training outside of BC
Page 33

Figure 4. Occupational distribution of quantitative participants
N Sample Provincial Distribution
(ITA Programs)
Diesel Engine Mechanic 68 22% 2%
Heavy Equipment
Operator
46 15% 8%
Heavy Duty Equipment
Mechanic
176 56% 58%
Truck and Transport
Mechanic
167 54% 32%
Percentages are over 100% because some respondents ﬁt into multiple occupations.
Some trades intentionally over-represented in the quantitative results to provide sufﬁcient numbers for
statistical analyses
Figure 5. Distribution of Respondents by Occupation and Group
Student Apprentice Journeyperson Non-Apprentice
Employee
Diesel Engine
Mechanic
14 21 29 4
Heavy Equipment
Operator
33 65 71 7
Heavy Duty
Equipment
Mechanic
9 19 10 8
Truck and
Transport
Mechanic
16 74 70 7
Page 34

Research themes and results
This section provides more information about the themes that were developed from
primary research, and from which we built our recommendations. By describing the
structural components of the system through text and image, the need to implement a
system-wide review become apparent, and the following topics logically followed.
Structural components
The following model represents the transportation trades industry as an interconnected
machine. The core of the engine requires all parts of the system to work smoothly to
function effectively. If all elements of the system were to function optimally, it would
create a system that produced sufﬁcient, high quality apprentices and workers to meet
labour market needs. Our research found evidence that each stage of training quality
subsequently impacts quality of future training. For example, there was a strong
correlation (0.33) between how well apprentices felt their training prepared them for
work, and how they ranked their workplace training. In other words, good in school
training substantially improved the experience and quality of workplace training.
Page 35

Collaboration, cooperation and communication between system members at the core of
the system is vital to its efficiency. In order to provide sufficient and high quality
apprentices and journeypersons to meet industry needs, each part of the system needs
to run at peak performance.
BC has a culture that does not encourage or value trades occupations and training as
much as it does academic education and occupations. Unlike countries like Germany,
Switzerland and Austria that highly value and respect tradespeople and their work, we
tend to encourage our young people to follow academic careers.
“ I would never encourage my son to work as a mechanic in BC. There is a distinct
lack of respect for tradesmen here, beginning with the top levels of government,
and that permeates all of society here. When I moved from Alberta where a good
tradesman is highly revered, I went into culture shock. How can the system
improve? Respect. Respect your tradesmen. Respect. Respect. Respect”.
! - Journeyperson, 57.
Due to this bias in our culture, parents, counsellors, advisors and other key influencers
seem less supportive of those interested in pursuing a career in trades
Many responses about the apprenticeship system, were positive. Apprentices and
employers stated that their contact with ITA, or institutions was fully satisfactory. There
were comments such as, “I have been an apprentice for two years now. I learn everyday
and make good money doing so”
There was a common theme though in employer and stakeholder interviews that the
apprenticeship system is disconnected from industry and apprentices. There are issues
about the lack of oversight of institutions, workplace and organizations involved in
apprenticeship. There were concerns expressed about the overall functioning of the
apprenticeship system and the support available for all of its participants.
Page 36

Investment in apprenticeship
The combination of continuation and completion rate data and anecdotal information
suggest that the apprenticeship system for these trades is expensive, and yielding fewer
qualified journeypersons than expected. The Labour Market Report prepared by
Weicker demonstrates the issues with continuation and completion rates in the heavy
duty mechanical trades.
There is insufficient data to confirm the numbers of Foundation students who
successfully continue to work and move into apprenticeship. Anecdotally, institutions
and instructors suggest that only 20% to 25% of Foundation students obtain work in the
industry. This percentage was surprisingly consistent among the instructors with
whom we talked.
The reasons for low continuation and completion rates are myriad, and are detailed in
the remaining findings. However, these are system-wide issues and consequently,
system-wide solutions are required.
Recruitment and assessment
A few employers interviewed complete assessments and interviews when hiring
apprentices, or promoting employees to apprentices. Other employers and unions have
training programs and/or training coordinators who support and manage workplace
training, and the transition from work to school and school to work. In our research we
interviewed employers and employees who were very satisfied with their training and
experience. Some apprentices provided compelling evidence that their interests,
abilities and personality traits were well-suited to these trades.
Institutions are using a variety of assessment instruments, and work to chose the best
candidates for the training. These assessments include: Accuplacer, ABLE Math and
English Trades tests, and institutionally developed instruments. These instruments
encouraged some candidates to upgrade before they enter programs, or in some cases,
alert instructors to potential issues.
However, there is generally insufficient assessment of students or apprentices as the
enter institutions or workplaces. High school students, who account for up to a quarter
or more of Foundation classes, are not generally assessed before entry, and frequently
lack the maturity, aptitude and essential skills required. Institutional funding and
policies encourages putting “bums in seats” and there is an institutional conflict
Page 37

between having sufﬁcient funding to operate programs and completing rigorous
student assessment. While institutions do fail students and apprentices, instructors
conﬁrm that they are encouraged to pass students and apprentices as much as possible
as large numbers of non-continuers and non-completers are seen negatively in the
system.
What respondents think prevents people from entering the occupation
Reason
Aren’t interested in working in the trade 60.0%
Lack of information about the trade 37.2%
Lack of information about employment opportunities 36.2%
Don’t think they have the right skills 35.9%
Don’t want to move for work 32.1%
Don’t think they have the right personal attributes 22.1%
Employers are equally challenged to complete pre-employment assessments as the
nature of their business means they use standard interview processes.
Figure 6 (below) shows the reasons people choose their occupation.
Figure 6. Reasons for choosing occupation
Question Question
Range
Mean Standard
Deviation
95%
CI
Chose because of interest 1-5 4.64 0.57 ±0.08
Chose because of pay 1-5 4.36 0.76 ±0.10
Chose because of friends 1-5 3.09 1.23 ±0.17
Chose because of family 1-5 2.80 1.34 ±0.19
Chose because of career counsellors 1-5 2.21 1.08 ±0.15
Page 38

It is clear that career counsellors are not major inﬂuences in encouraging students to
enter the transportation trades. As can be seen below (Figure 6) a majority (56%) of
respondents Strongly Disagree (1) or Disagree (2) they entered into their occupation
because of a career counsellor. This is likely reducing the number of entrants into
transportation trades programs.
Figure 7. Ratings of occupation choice, inﬂuenced by career counsellor
Conversely, an overwhelming majority (98%) report they Agree (4) or Strongly Agree
(5) they chose the occupation because of interest, and 93% Agreed or Strongly Agreed
that they chose the occupation for an opportunity for a well-paying job.
Page 39

Figure 8. Ratings of occupation choice, inﬂuenced by interest in occupation
Page 40

Figure 9. Ratings of occupation choice, inﬂuenced by opportunity for well-paying job
Friends and family were common reasons for choosing the occupation. Entrants to the
transportation trade tend to be inﬂuenced by informal sources.
Page 41

Figure 10. Ratings of occupation choice, inﬂuenced by friends
Page 42

Figure 11. Ratings of occupation choice, influenced by family
Training institutions
During the research there were many positive and appreciative comments about the
knowledge and experience of instructors and their linkages to the industry. Many
employers approach institutions when they are searching for apprentices, and trust
instructors to provide them with qualified candidates.
There were no significant differences between ratings of different transportation trades
training programs, however there were substantial regional differences in training
quality. Overall ratings of training were generally positive, as shown in Figure 9 below.
Regional differences are mapped on the capacity and capability overview (pages 21 -
26) and in the charts below.
Page 43

Many students and apprentices were dissatisfied with poor facilities and equipment
used in institutions. They understood the challenges colleges face in keeping their
equipment and facilities up-to-date. The institutions are faced with little funding for
capital equipment, and an industry where shop equipment and machinery is very
expensive. Rapid advances in equipment and machinery make it more challenging for
institutions to stay up-to-date. The qualitative results confirm this issue. School facilities
and equipment had the lowest overall quality ratings (between Neutral and Good).
Figure 11 below shows this is consistent across all regions in British Columbia.
Of 203 responses to the online survey question, “What suggestions do you have to
improve training at the institution? If you have attended more than one institution,
please make suggestions for all institutions”. 70% of the respondents suggested
updated curriculum and equipment were necessary to have the program meet industry
standards. The focus group participants and instructor interviews confirmed these
comments. The most common and consistent theme among focus group participants
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Classroom Training
3.76
3.883.90
4.06
4.34
Figure 12. Average ratings of in-school training
Instruction Quality Class Size Quality of Facilities
Preparation for Work Quality of Equipment
Page 44

were issues with curriculum, equipment and instruction. Some examples of these
conversations included:
• Reviewing theory and completing practical assignments on engines and
components that are not currently used in industry
• Completing out-dated equipment and machinery
• Lack of current industry experience by some instructors
Curriculum at some schools needs to be updated. Employers, students and instructors
commented on the difﬁculty institutions face in using old equipment and curriculum to
train students and apprentices for an ever-changing and developing industry. Several
instructors expressed concern about over-crowded institutional shops, which they felt
were not safe. This online survey comment describes this issue, “I think that the ITA'S
course curriculum is not up to date as a lot of the info covered is out-dated and does not
reﬂect what is being done in the work place. Although the older equipment is on the
roads it is not the majority of what is out there, it still needs to be covered but so does
the more recent equipment getting experience on the latest equipment is an asset not
only to the apprentices but also to the employer”.
3
4
5
Thompson-OK Vancouver Is. Kootenays Lower Mainland Northern BC
3.4
3.68
3.78
43.98
3.673.7
4.44
4.24.22 4.18
4.23
4.44
4.544.56
Figure 14. Ratings of in-school training by region
Quality of Instruction Quality of Facilities Quality of Equipment
Page 45

Instructors possess a range of qualifications and many are very passionate about and
committed to these trades. They support and care about student success. Most have
teaching credentials such as Professional Instructor Diploma. However, there doesn’t
appear to be a requirement for regular upgrading or professional development for
instructors.
Physical capacity.
There are currently 10 institutions offering HDET, 8 offering DEM, 13 institutions
offering Truck and Transport Mechanic (Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic), in an
industry where it’s very expensive to deliver programs, and maintain up-to-date
equipment on which students and apprentices can work.
Lack of capacity is a complex issue
Our review of the data suggests there does appear sufficient capacity in the system in
terms of available spaces for students. However the facilities and equipment do not
provide the kind of current and high quality instruction that industry requires. Many
institutions have shops that are small and confined, without the physical space for the
size of machinery and equipment these trades require.
The institutions we visited confirmed that they are working with equipment and tools
that are insufficient and out-of-date. Many colleges have received donations from
industry, but these are inadequate to their needs. The shops are frequently crowded,
and several instructors suggested they were concerned about health and safety in shops
where several instructors, and many students at many levels were working in very
close quarters, or spread out in yards and in shops. Some institution operate multiple
Foundation and apprentice intakes at the same time, thus increasing crowding in shops
and classrooms. Instructors and apprentices have confirmed they are concerned that
institutions are not meeting WorkSafeBC requirements for numbers of instructors/
supervisors in the shops.
The data suggests there are sufficient entrants to the system through Foundation and
apprenticeship programs to meet employer needs. However, the institutional
continuation and completion rates, combined with apprentices in first and second year
struggling to find sponsors, has left a system with fewer and fewer apprentices
completing their certificates of qualification, and insufficient journeypersons to meet
employer needs.
(See Appendix B for Utilization Rates).
Page 46

The current funding system
The current funding systems seems to encourage filling classes, rather than ensuring
appropriate candidates are entering programs. Institutions are seeking to fill classes,
and assessment and selection appear to be a second priority. Employers are faced with
economic and business challenges that frequently don’t permit hiring and training
apprentices. Journeypersons are becoming harder and harder to find, with the result
that many employers don’t have the capacity to hire and train apprentices.
Institutional review and oversight
When the system was changed in 2003, public post-secondary institutions were
“grandfathered” into the system, and there is no longer any oversight. They are not
audited or reviewed for any portion of their program delivery.
Workplaces
Some employers have excellent on-site training programs, training committees and they
send apprentices to specialized training on the employer’s equipment and machinery.
These employers hire, train and support apprentices. Some employers pay their
employees while they’re in training, provide allowances for travel and accommodation,
and help with tool purchases. Others don’t hire first and second year apprentices, poach
third and fourth year apprentices and journeymen, and provide little training or
support to their apprentices. There are some employers who occupy the spectrum
between the very good and the very poor.
Unionized employees may receive additional support through their unions.
International Union of Operating Engineers has apprenticeship advisors who support
apprentices at each stage of their training.
The economics of staying in business means that employers are working very hard,
with insufficient numbers of qualified journeypersons to keep their businesses running
efficiently and effectively. Employers suggest they are in “Catch 22”, they need to
provide service to customers, they have too much work to manage and little time or
ability to hire and train apprentices, especially first and second year apprentices. Many
employers said they miss the support they had historically received from apprentices
counsellors/advisors or through tools such as log books.
Apprentices reported having a range of experiences with their employers. Some
apprentices were very satisfied with their workplace training and support from
journeypersons. Other apprentices provided many examples of issues in the workplace:
• Little or no supervision, training or coaching from journeypersons
Page 47

• Journeypersons don’t have the time or ability to train, coach or mentor
apprentices;
• Spending several years of their apprenticeship performing a few routine
tasks and learning little of what was required
• Concern that their inability to learn the full scope of the trade would prevent
them from advancing in or completing their trade qualification
• Lack of submission of their hours of work, leading to delay in their progress
• Employers who promised to send them to school, but then did not find a
convenient time to do so
Many employers seem to lack current knowledge of the apprenticeship program. Some
are unsure of their full responsibility as sponsors, or the requirements to provide on-
the-job training and support for their apprentices. In our interviews, employers
confirmed their frustration with institutions who are training students and apprentices
with out-dated curriculum, equipment, tools and shops. They feel employers are
disconnected from the institutions and ITA.
TransCDA
There was little knowledge about the role or function of TransCDA as the Industry
Training Organization (ITO) for the transportation trades or about ITA. There are
several roles that TransCDA could fulfill that would support industry, institutions,
employers, students, apprentices and ITA. The discontinuance of apprenticeship
counsellors was identified by many research participants as a hindrance to the system.
Institutions have apprenticeship coordinators on staff, whose role has expanded to
support apprentices and sometimes employers manage the administration of their
apprenticeship. Employers reluctance to hire apprentices is a situation that will only
worsen the current shortage of journeyperson.
ITA and the apprenticeship system
The apprenticeship system in BC is faced with many challenges posed by a shortage of
journeypersons, low continuation and completion rates, and lack of knowledge and
understanding of the apprenticeship programs, even by those currently participating in
the system. The youth programs that provides dual credit for high school students to
enter apprenticeship have resulted in many issues throughout the system. Many school
districts are not recruiting and assessing students with an interest in and ability to be
successful in school or in the trade. The institutional funding process and system seems
to mitigate against high quality inputs and outputs. Curriculum is outdated, meaning
the students and apprentices are not receiving training that meets current employer
needs. While these issues are comparable to those being faced in other Canadian
Page 48

jurisdictions and other countries, there are models in other Provinces, and in
Germanphone countries that are working more effectively.
“When I went through my apprenticeship, there was an apprenticeship board. I
have limited information on how the new system runs but I believe it was a
great loss when the board was abandoned. I suspect that the reason our
province lacks tradespeople in many trades is because of this. There seemed to
be a lot more public advertising back then if I remember correctly. The only
advertising I have seen lately is being done on Global news. Hope this has been
of some help at least. Thanks”. (From online survey respondent).
Inadequate data collection and reporting from ITA has made this research project even
more complex, and the data on continuation and completion rates have substantial
gaps.
System Considerations
There were many comments and suggestions that did not fit within the narrower
confines of the earlier part of this report, and where the recommendations apply
system-wide.
Foundation programs
There is inconsistent curriculum, program length and evaluation processes and
methods among institutions. Although the Foundation program is a prerequisite to
enter apprenticeship in these trades, some employers obtain written exemptions so
their apprentices do not attend the Foundation programs. Most employers prefer
apprentices to have completed the Foundation level, and are supportive of the
requirement for this level of training, before entering the apprenticeship program. A
few employers would prefer to hire from within, and are opposed to a long and
expensive program for their apprentices. Interviews with many respondents suggest
that ITA is becoming less supportive of Foundation or “pre-apprenticeship” programs.
Continuation rates from Foundation are anecdotally reported to be low, but there is lack
of data to quantify program results. Employers and instructors confirm that
Foundation is the best way for many apprentices to enter the trade, rather than
receiving letters of exemption or challenging exams. Some employers reiterated that
apprentices needed to “learn the basics” before entering the workplace. Many
employers confirmed that with expanded scope of work in this trade, Foundation is
very important and needs to remain as a prerequisite. However, the mixed maturity,
skill and experience levels of Foundation students, with the addition of high school
Page 49

students, has contributed to challenging program delivery and low continuation and
completion rates.
The lack of recruitment and assessment tools and processes may be the most profound
in this program. The following table (Weicker Work Plan Prepared for the
Transportation Trades Supply and Demand Committee and presented at the February 8,
2011 meeting, p 14) suggests that an average of 42% of the current apprentices in the
system have completed Foundation programs, and first and second year apprentices
account for another 32% of apprentices in the system. This data suggests that 75% of
the apprentices in the system are at levels 0 through 2. If the continuation rates of
Foundation students are as low as 25%, and if first year and second year apprentices
encounter great difficulty in finding sponsors and work, the industry will soon be
facing even more severe shortages.
Heavy Duty
Equipment
Technician (Heavy
Duty Equipment
Mechanic
Heavy Duty
Equipment
Technician (Heavy
Duty Equipment
Mechanic
Heavy Duty
Equipment
Technician (Heavy
Duty Equipment
Mechanic
Truck and Transport
Mechanic
(Commercial
Transport Vehicle
Mechanic)
Truck and Transport
Mechanic
(Commercial
Transport Vehicle
Mechanic)
Truck and Transport
Mechanic
(Commercial
Transport Vehicle
Mechanic)
Heavy Equipment
Operator
Heavy Equipment
Operator
Heavy Equipment
Operator
Diesel Engine
Mechanic
Diesel Engine
Mechanic
Diesel Engine
Mechanic
Active Inactive Total Active Inactive Total Active Inactive Total Active Inactive Total
Number of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of ApprenticesNumber of Apprentices
N= 922 580 1,502 30 32 62 231 296 527 68 63 131
Highest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level CompletedHighest Level Completed
0 42% 59% 49% 36% 64% 47% 47% 54% 51% 56% 38% 47%
1 17% 18% 17% 16% 13% 15% 53% 46% 49% 31% 41% 36%
2 15% 9% 13% 14% 10% 13% 0% 0% 0% 13% 21% 17%
3 11% 2% 8% 23% 6% 16% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
4 15% 12% 14% 10% 7% 9% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Apprenticeship programs
After hearing from 644 focus group and survey respondents, we can only highlight, in
this report, some of the issues and concerns raised by students, apprentices and
journeypersons. Perhaps, the most important theme is that students, apprentices and
journeypersons feel they have no voice. They had many well-articulated and
thoughtful comments about the system. They were positive and appreciative about
many elements of the apprenticeship system, but there were many examples and stories
that demonstrated the lack of support and attention they feel they receive from
employers, institutions and ITA.
System of apprentice registration
While there may not be an overall lack of capacity, the numbers of apprentices in years
0 - 2, suggest that there will be more competition for spaces in years one and two
because of the volume of apprentices in those years of the training. In addition, there
Page 50

appears to be no overall institutional management system to identify gaps in training
spaces, or to ensure that training is available for each apprentice to move through the
next stage of their training.
Registering for training
Apprentices sometimes find it difficult to obtain information to ensure their progress
through the system is seamless and effective. If apprentices register for their training
late they miss timely completion of their in-school training. If employers and
apprentices are not diligent and knowledgeable about the requirements for recording
workplace training hours, the apprentice may find issues with the timely completion of
their apprenticeship.
Coordination in the system
In order for the system to work effectively and efficiently, each part of the system needs
to be clear on their roles and responsibilities. One of the most consistent themes in our
research, was the disparate nature of this system, where there is insufficient
communications and collaboration between system partners.
Page 51

Appendix A - ITA Qualiﬁcations Awarded
Year Qualiﬁcation Type Commercial
Transport Vehicle
Mechanic
Commercial
Transport Vehicle
Mechanic
Diesel Engine
Mechanic
Diesel Engine
Mechanic
Heavy Duty
Equipment
Mechanic
Heavy Duty
Equipment
Mechanic
2007/2008
Apprentice C of Q 81
123
8
8
133
180
2007/2008 Challenger C of Q 42
123
0
8
47
180
2007/2008
C of C 119119 1313 166166
2008/2009
202
5
5
129
190
202
0
5
61
190
2008/2009
C of C 136136 2929 229229
2009/2010
130
12
12
194
260
130
0
12
66
260
2009/2010
C of C 104104 5353 245245
2010/2011
124
9
9
194
266
124
0
9
72
266
2010/2011
C of C 285285 1414 308308
Page 52

Appendix B - Apprenticeship Supply & Institutional
Utilization Rates (December, 2011)
Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic Apprentices
BCIT CNC COTR NIC NLC NWCC OC TRU VIU VCC Total
Level 1
Enrolments
21 16 14 10 8 16 15 14 - 16 130
Level 1 Capacity 32 16 16 16 8 16 16 16 - 32 168
Level 2
Enrolments
29 31 14 - 21 - 31 26 32 23 207
Level 2 Capacity 32 32 16 - 32 - 32 32 32 32 240
Level 3
Enrolments
30 43 40 - 10 - 24 16 32 40 235
Level 3 Capacity 32 48 48 - 16 - 32 16 32 48 272
Level 4
Enrolments
32 16 - - 15 - 24 16 32 32 167
Level 4 Capacity 32 16 - - 16 - 32 16 32 32 176
Overall
Enrolments
112 106 68 10 54 16 94 72 96 111 739
Overall Capacity 128 112 80 16 72 16 112 80 96 114 826
Utilization Rate 87.5% 94.6% 85% 62.5% 75% 100% 83.9% 90% 100% 77.1% 89.4%
CTVM: Commercial Transport Vehicle Mechanic
HDEM: Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic
HEO: Heavy Equipment Operator
AST: Automotive Service Technician
BCIT: British Columbia Institute of Technology
CNC: College of New Caledonia
COTR: College of the Rockies
NIC: Northern Island College
NLC: Norther Lights College
NWCC: Northwest Community College
OK: Okanagan College
SEL: Selkirk College
TRU: Thompson Rivers University
VCC: Vancouver Community College
VIU: Vancouver Island University
Page 53

Truck and Transport Mechanic Apprentices
BCIT CNC NLC OC TRU VCC Total
Level 1
Enrolments
47 - 6 - 12 16 81
Level 1 Capacity 48 - 8 - 16 16 88
Level 2
Enrolments
60 - 10 6 9 28 113
Level 2 Capacity 64 - 16 16 16 32 144
Level 3
Enrolments
44 - 11 9 13 14 91
Level 3 Capacity 48 - 16 16 16 16 112
Level 4
Enrolments
47 6 - 10 31 27 121
Level 4 Capacity 48 16 - 16 32 32 144
Overall
Enrolments
198 6 27 25 65 85 406
Overall Capacity 208 16 40 48 80 96 488
Utilization Rate 95.25 37.5% 67.5% 52.1% 81.3% 88.5% 83.2%
Page 54

All Foundation Programs
BCIT CAM CNC COTR NIC NLC NWCC OC SEL TRU UFV VIU VCC Total
CTVM
Enrolments
32 - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
CTVM
Capacity
32 - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
CTVM/HDEM
Enrolments
- 18 - - - 12 - - - - - - - 30
CTVM/HDEM
Capacity
- 18 - - - 18 - - - - - - - 36
CTVM/HDEM
ACE-IT
Enrolments
- - 12 - - 15 - - - - - - - 27
CTVM/HDEM
ACE-IT
Capacity
- - 16 - - 16 - - - - - - - 32
DEM
Enrolments
31 - - - - - - - - - - - - 31
DEM
Capacity
32 - - - - - - - - - - - - 32
HDEM
Enrolments
48 - - - - - - - - - - - - 48
HDEM
Capacity
48 - - - - - - - - - - - - 48
HDEM/CTVM
Enrolments
- - 16 16 16 - 14 49 18 31 19 33 46 258
HDEM/CTVM
Capacity
- - 16 16 16 - 16 54 18 32 18 36 48 270
Overall
Enrolments
111 18 28 16 16 35 14 49 18 31 19 33 46 426
Overall
Capacity
112 18 32 16 16 44 16 54 18 32 18 36 48 450
Utilization
Rate
99.1% 100% 87.5% 100% 100% 79.5% 87.5% 90.7% 100% 96.9% 106% 91.7% 95.8% 94.7%
Page 55

Appendix C - Projected Supply and Demand for Transportation
Trades, by Region
Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Mainland/
Southwest
Total
Demand
10,508 10,624 10,774 10,903 11,176 11,472 11,804 12,042 12,129 12,136 12,159
Mainland/
Southwest
Total
Supply
10,688 10,810 10,998 11,116 11,380 11,595 11,774 11,907 11,961 11,984 12,014
Mainland/
Southwest
Supply Gap -180 -186 -224 -213 -204 -123 30 135 168 152 145
Mainland/
Southwest
Job
Openings
465 428 465 449 594 620 660 568 419 340 354
Mainland/
Southwest
Job
Seekers
645 614 689 662 798 743 630 433 251 188 209
Thompson-
Okanagan
Total
Demand
3,580 3,467 3,534 3,558 3,618 3,658 3,703 3,749 3,782 3,803 3,821
Thompson-
Okanagan
Total
Supply
3,639 3,572 3,498 3,600 3,617 3,635 3,665 3,706 3,747 3,786 3,818
Thompson-
Okanagan
Supply Gap -59 -105 36 -42 1 23 38 43 35 17 3
Thompson-
Okanagan
Job
Openings
472 23 200 156 189 167 169 167 151 137 133
Thompson-
Okanagan
Job
Seekers
531 128 164 198 188 144 131 124 116 120 130
Vancouver
Island
Total
Demand
3,194 3,235 3,332 3,425 3,473 3,470 3,430 3,371 3,353 3,349 3,342
Vancouver
Island
Total
Supply
3,230 3,249 3,304 3,365 3,408 3,428 3,419 3,390 3,371 3,355 3,338
Vancouver
Island
Supply Gap -36 -14 28 60 65 42 11 -19 -18 -6 4
Vancouver
Island
Job
Openings
17 159 213 209 163 111 72 51 89 101 97
Vancouver
Island
Job
Seekers
53 173 185 149 98 69 61 70 107 107 93
Kootenay
Total
Demand
1,487 1,475 1,554 1,598 1,648 1,627 1,600 1,588 1,584 1,588 1,598
Kootenay
Total
Supply
1,505 1,489 1,548 1,570 1,597 1,599 1,591 1,585 1,582 1,582 1,582
Kootenay Supply Gap -18 -14 6 28 51 28 9 3 2 6 16
Page 56

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020Kootenay
Job
Openings
197 42 133 99 105 34 25 39 46 53 59
Kootenay
Job
Seekers
215 56 127 71 54 6 16 36 44 47 43
Cariboo
Total
Demand
2,077 2,145 2,175 2,215 2,235 2,225 2,209 2,190 2,173 2,158 2,150
Cariboo
Total
Supply
2,093 2,139 2,165 2,196 2,216 2,221 2,214 2,220 2,183 2,166 2,149
Cariboo Supply Gap -16 6 10 19 19 4 -5 -30 -10 -8 1Cariboo
Job
Openings
186 134 97 108 89 57 51 47 48 51 55
Cariboo
Job
Seekers
202 128 87 89 70 53 56 77 58 59 54
Northeast
Total
Demand
929 952 993 1,018 1,028 1,028 1,031 1,040 1,051 1,064 1,074
Northeast
Total
Supply
956 956 986 1,014 1,026 1,037 1,046 1,055 1,064 1,071 1,077
Northeast Supply Gap -27 -4 7 4 2 -9 -15 -15 -13 -7 -3Northeast
Job
Openings
69 48 66 52 37 27 30 36 40 41 29
Northeast
Job
Seekers
96 52 59 48 35 36 45 51 53 48 32
North
Coast &
Nechako
Total
Demand
993 1,014 1,125 1,198 1,214 1,192 1,146 1,115 1,101 1,114 1,156
North
Coast &
Nechako
Total
Supply
1,020 1,040 1,094 1,145 1,183 1,188 1,173 1,170 1,161 1,152 1,152
North
Coast &
Nechako
Supply Gap -27 -26 31 53 31 4 -27 -55 -60 -38 4
North
Coast &
Nechako
Job
Openings
-27 63 153 117 60 21 -5 9 25 52 80
North
Coast &
Nechako
Job
Seekers
0 89 122 64 29 17 22 64 85 90 76
Overall
Total
Demand
22,768 22,912 23,487 23,915 24,392 24,672 24,923 25,095 25,173 25,212 25,300
Overall
Total
Supply
23,131 23,255 23,593 24,006 24,427 24,703 24,882 25,033 25,069 25,096 25,130
Overall Supply Gap -363 -343 -106 -91 -35 -31 41 62 104 116 170Overall
Job
Openings
1379 897 1327 1190 1237 1037 1002 917 818 775 807
Page 57

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Overall
Job
Seekers
1,742 1,240 1,433 1,281 1,272 1,068 961 855 714 659 637
Page 58

Heavy Equipment Operator (Except Crane)
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Mainland/
Southwest
Total
Demand
4,898 4,980 5,088 5,123 5,225 5,364 5,543 5,700 5,732 5,713 5,711
Mainland/
Southwest
Total
Supply
4,989 5,063 5,189 5,248 5,322 5,421 5,526 5,630 5,652 5,643 5,644
Mainland/
Southwest
Supply Gap -91 -83 -101 -125 -97 -57 17 70 80 70 67
Mainland/
Southwest
Job
Openings
149 203 232 162 232 273 315 296 173 122 140
Mainland/
Southwest
Job
Seekers
240 286 333 287 329 330 298 226 93 52 73
Thompson-
Okanagan
Total
Demand
3,245 3,119 3,147 3,140 3,175 3,206 3,284 3,373 3,439 3,477 3,496
Thompson-
Okanagan
Total
Supply
3,320 3,216 3,206 3,179 3,175 3,184 3,243 3,327 3,401 3,456 3,491
Thompson-
Okanagan
Supply Gap -75 -97 -59 -39 0 22 41 46 38 21 5
Thompson-
Okanagan
Job
Openings
247 -20 132 96 135 128 175 185 160 132 114
Thompson-
Okanagan
Job
Seekers
322 77 191 135 135 106 134 139 122 111 109
Vancouver
Island
Total
Demand
2,422 2,408 2,586 2,731 2,844 2,847 2,768 2,606 2,510 2,428 2,380
Vancouver
Island
Total
Supply
2,439 2,423 2,555 2,675 2,783 2,812 2,764 2,633 2,534 2,441 2,283
Vancouver
Island
Supply Gap -17 -15 31 56 61 35 4 -27 -24 -13 97
Vancouver
Island
Job
Openings
130 66 258 225 195 85 3 -82 -18 -8 25
Vancouver
Island
Job
Seekers
147 81 227 169 134 50 -1 -55 6 5 -72
Kootenay
Total
Demand
1,581 1,618 1,664 1,747 1,843 1,794 1,751 1,736 1,727 1,734 1,759
Kootenay
Total
Supply
1,618 1,631 1,661 1,715 1,782 1,766 1,743 1,733 1,726 1,728 1,740
Kootenay Supply Gap -37 -13 3 32 61 28 8 3 1 6 19Kootenay
Job
Openings
38 92 102 138 152 7 13 40 45 60 77
Kootenay
Job
Seekers
75 105 99 106 91 -21 5 37 44 54 58
Page 59

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Cariboo
Total
Demand
1,000 1,056 1,033 1,054 1,034 1,027 1,010 990 968 953 946
Cariboo
Total
Supply
1,013 1,051 1,031 1,046 1,028 1,026 1,013 996 975 957 945
Job
Openings
48 97 18 61 19 31 19 16 13 18 25
Cariboo
Job
Seekers
61 92 16 53 13 30 22 22 20 22 24
Northeast
Total
Demand
1,153 1,230 1,274 1,360 1,396 1,388 1,384 1,394 1,413 1,433 1,453
Northeast
Total
Supply
1,193 1,232 1,265 1,349 1,389 1,399 1,404 1,415 1,429 1,442 1,456
Job
Openings
36 111 79 122 73 29 33 48 56 58 58
Northeast
Job
Seekers
76 113 70 111 66 40 53 69 72 67 61
North
Coast &
Nechako
Total
Demand
626 621 931 1,129 1,236 1,194 1,064 919 830 816 850
North
Coast &
Nechako
Total
Supply
646 639 880 1,062 1,193 1,191 1,098 997 885 847 848
North
Coast &
Nechako
Supply Gap -20 -18 51 67 43 3 -34 -78 -55 -31 2
North
Coast &
Nechako
Job
Openings
-48 22 336 230 141 -6 -95 -115 -62 9 58
North
Coast &
Nechako
Job
Seekers
-28 40 285 163 98 -9 -61 -37 -7 40 56
Overall
Total
Demand
14,925 15,032 15,723 16,284 16,753 16,820 16,804 16,718 16,619 16,554 16,595
Overall
Total
Supply
15,218 15,255 15,787 16,274 16,672 16,799 16,791 16,731 16,602 16,514 16,407
Overall Supply Gap -293 -223 -64 10 81 21 13 -13 17 40 188Overall
Job
Openings
600 571 1157 1034 947 547 463 388 367 391 497
Overall
Job
Seekers
893 794 1,221 1,024 866 526 450 401 350 351 309
Page 60

Automotive, Truck and Transport Mechanic*
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Mainland/
Southwest
Total
Demand
15,730 15,862 15,958 16,230 16,758 17,291 17,864 18,168 18,304 18,312 18,337
Mainland/
Southwest
Total
Supply
14,995 16,142 16,303 16,613 17,049 17,465 17,810 17,970 18,051 18,083 18,119
Mainland/
Southwest
Supply Gap 735 -280 -345 -383 -291 -174 54 198 253 229 218
Mainland/
Southwest
Job
Openings
545 510 484 667 934 952 1,003 745 581 459 478
Mainland/
Southwest
Job
Seekers
-190 790 829 1,050 1,225 1,126 949 547 328 230 260
Thompson-
Okanagan
Total
Demand
3,919 3,856 4,943 3,975 4,056 4,112 4,147 4,175 4,193 4,208 4,230
Thompson-
Okanagan
Total
Supply
3,966 3,964 4,012 4,022 4,053 4,085 4,104 4,129 4,157 4,190 4,226
Thompson-
Okanagan
Supply Gap -47 -108 931 -47 3 27 43 46 36 18 4
Thompson-
Okanagan
Job
Openings
591 34 184 130 178 156 134 128 119 116 124
Thompson-
Okanagan
Job
Seekers
638 142 -747 177 175 129 91 82 83 98 120
Vancouver
Island
Total
Demand
3,711 4,002 4,049 4,152 4,157 4,172 4,159 4,171 4,216 4,277 4,305
Vancouver
Island
Total
Supply
3,781 3,997 4,020 4,081 4,085 4,121 4,142 4,186 4,231 4,277 4,295
Vancouver
Island
Supply Gap -70 5 29 71 72 51 17 -15 -15 0 10
Vancouver
Island
Job
Openings
-361 386 148 206 111 121 94 119 153 170 138
Vancouver
Island
Job
Seekers
-291 381 119 135 39 70 77 134 168 170 128
Kootenay
Total
Demand
824 824 847 866 884 880 870 863 860 860 863
Kootenay
Total
Supply
841 832 845 852 858 864 864 861 859 857 854
Kootenay Supply Gap -17 -8 2 14 26 16 6 2 1 3 9Kootenay
Job
Openings
38 24 47 43 42 20 12 17 20 23 26
Kootenay
Job
Seekers
55 32 45 29 16 4 6 15 19 20 17
Page 61

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Cariboo
Total
Demand
1,470 1,551 1,575 1,597 1,606 1,602 1,600 1,597 1,595 1,596 1,599
Cariboo
Total
Supply
1,482 1,544 1,566 1,584 1,593 1,598 1,601 1,603 1,602 1,600 1,597
Job
Openings
88 113 56 58 44 32 34 33 35 36 40
Cariboo
Job
Seekers
100 106 47 45 31 28 35 39 42 40 38
Northeast
Total
Demand
724 703 732 740 744 743 745 750 756 764 771
Northeast
Total
Supply
740 710 727 738 742 749 755 761 766 769 773
Job
Openings
96 -4 44 22 19 14 17 20 21 23 23
Northeast
Job
Seekers
112 3 39 20 17 20 27 31 31 28 25
North
Coast &
Nechako
Total
Demand
555 580 614 641 644 644 634 630 632 645 666
North
Coast &
Nechako
Total
Supply
569 593 600 614 629 641 648 660 666 666 664
North
Coast &
Nechako
Supply Gap -14 -13 14 27 15 3 -14 -30 -34 -21 2
North
Coast &
Nechako
Job
Openings
-27 40 50 43 19 16 6 11 19 28 37
North
Coast &
Nechako
Job
Seekers
-13 53 36 16 4 13 20 41 53 49 35
Overall
Total
Demand
26,933 27,378 28,718 28,201 28,849 29,444 30,019 30,354 30,556 30,662 30,771
Overall
Total
Supply
26,374 27,782 28,073 28,504 29,009 29,523 29,924 30,170 30,332 30,442 30,528
Overall Supply Gap 559 -404 645 -303 -160 -79 95 184 224 220 243Overall
Job
Openings
970 1103 1013 1169 1347 1311 1,300 1073 948 855 866
Overall
Job
Seekers
411 1,507 368 1,472 1,507 1,390 1,205 889 724 635 623
Page 62

Appendix D - Similarities Between This Study and APPSO
Data StudyStudy
Sage Transitions APPSO
Number of Responses
Four Transportation
Trades
Medium and Heavy Duty Mechanics
Number of Responses
312 160
Rating of Workplace
Training
Quality Satisfaction
Rating of Workplace
Training
32% Very Good 31% Very Satisfied
Rating of Workplace
Training
41% Good 61% Satisfied
Rating of Workplace
Training
15% Neutral -
Rating of Workplace
Training
9% Poor 8% Dissatisfied
Rating of Workplace
Training
2% Very Poor 0% Very Dissatisfied
In-school
Instruction
90% Good or Very
Good
77% Satisfied or Very Satisfied
In-school
Tools and Equipment
68% Good or Very
Good
60% Satisfied or Very Satisfied
Preparation Success
52% Said preparation
was very useful in
getting ready for the
certification exam
21% Said training prepared them
very well for work in their occupation
Preparation Success
52% Said preparation
was very useful in
getting ready for the
certification exam 52% Said training prepared them well
for work in their occupation
Page 63

Appendix E - Data Sources and Accuracy
Industry Training Authority (ITA) Capacity Data
ITA has capacity and utilization numbers for apprentices, the data on Foundation
students is limited. Foundation students are only tracked in ITA’s system once they are
sponsored by an employer. It is currently not possible to track the number of
Foundation students who complete programs.
Furthermore, ITA has capacity data from public training institutions but does not have
capacity or utilization data for private schools. This is not an issue for most of the
transportation trades, but there are more private than public Heavy Equipment
Operator institutions.
Finally, apprentices are classed as inactive if they leave the province for more than 18
months. Some completion rate estimates may be conservative because some apprentices
may complete their training in other provinces
It is strongly recommended that data be collected that allows ITA to track Foundation
students and apprentices throughout the training irrespective of public or private
institution, apprentice or Foundation student and province.
Labour Force (WorkBC)
WorkBC Labour Market Outlook 2010-2020 uses projections from the Statistics Canada
Labour Force Survey, 2006 Census, BC Stats, BC Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of
Jobs, Tourism, and Innovation. The labour market outlook provides detailed region
projects. However, not all NOC codes conform to the four transportation trades.
Page 64

Appendix F - Secondary Research Results
1. Best Practices1
This section outlines best practices in vocational education training which are relevant
to the transportation trades in British Columbia. Each best practice provides examples
of countries or regions that are good examples of the practice. The primary research will
help to identify practices that are most needed and most viable for improving capacity
and capability in British Columbia. The ﬁnal report will use case study evidence from
the corresponding countries to illustrate how these practices could be implemented in
British Columbia.
1.1 Early Interventions
Early career guidance and support. Career guidance from an early age can signiﬁcantly
affect student’s career choices. For example, information about wage levels and
probability of getting a job can alter student’s decisions about career paths (Borghans,
De Grip & Heijke, 1996). This is especially pertinent for transportation trades, where
wages are relatively high and there is, and will be, strong labour market demand.
Examples: South Carolina, Germany
Page 65
1 These recommendations are heavily drawn from OECD Learning for Jobs: OECD Reviews of Vocational
Education and Training and European Centre for the Development of Vocational Education and Training
research papers.

Figure 1. Proportion of students who receive some training with local businesses, age 15
Mitigate dropout as early as possible. Disengagement in school starts relatively early.
Failure to learn basic numeracy, literacy, problem solving and other basic skills
compounds problems later in education. These problems lead to difﬁculties progressing
through education and increased likelihood of dropping out or not obtaining
educational qualiﬁcations. Interventions are required throughout primary and
secondary education to ensure students get the help and support they need, and to
meet basic educational requirements. Dropout can also be mitigated early in
apprenticeship training. Proper selection procedures and assessment can identify those
at risk of dropping out. Then, it may be possible to provide additional support to those
who may need it, and are likely at greater risk of dropping out.
Examples: Sweden, Czech Republic
Early improvement of numeracy, literacy and science. Highly related to reducing
dropout. Programs to ensure all students are meeting minimum requirements for basic
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skills such as numeracy, literacy and basic science. This is a systemic issue for the public
school system.
Examples: Korea, Norway
Subsidizing apprenticeship training commensurate to training quality. Research from
Switzerland suggests subsidizing employers and provide incentives increases
participation in apprenticeship training (Mühlemann et al., 2005). In Switzerland
incentives had little or no effect on employers who already take part in the
apprenticeship training system; however incentives were effective for employers who
had not previously participated in the apprenticeship system. Mühlemann et al. (2005)
suggest subsidizing employers who do not currently participate in the system would be
an effective (although expensive) way of increasing the number of apprenticeship
places. If politically and practically feasible, the most cost effective method would be
offering subsidies only to employers who do not currently participate in the
apprenticeship system.
Examples: Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland see Figure 2 (below)
Figure 2. Example of public funding and employer contributions in workplace training
Source: OECD, 2009.
1.2 Improvements to Training
Apprenticeship trainers/supervisors require necessary training. This can either be
encouraged by credentials or ﬁnancial incentives. Credentials could be required to train
apprentices or subsidizing apprenticeship training can be dependent on the trainers/
supervisors complete a certain level of training. Training apprenticeship trainers
improve the quality of apprentices (Harris, Simons and Bone, 2000). Until recently all
German apprenticeship trainers were required to pass a national exam. This was
temporarily suspended, and research suggests untrained apprenticeship trainers have
higher dropout rates, decreases the overall perception of the vocational training and its’
Page 67

quality. However, employers find this process demanding (Hippach-Schneider et al,
2008).
Examples: Germany, Switzerland, Austria
Strong data collection and analysis procedures. Strong data collection and analysis
should be used to measure progress against student outcomes and industry objectives.
This allows a thorough analysis of whether education and training is meeting labour
market needs. It can help to inform student choice and inform career counsellors about
the facts in the industry. Strong data collection is critical to setting objectives, measuring
their success and assessing short- and long-term changes in the industry and in
training. Strong data collection and analysis is critical to quality control.
Examples: Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Texas
Strengthening industry involvement. Strong and formal, structural relationships with
industry helps to ensure training programs are targeted to industry needs. Ad hoc and
informal partnerships between institutions and employers are useful for meeting some
labour market needs. However, more systematic structural relationships help to ensure
curriculum can be developed that improve mobility for apprentices between different
employers and regions. Informal and unstable partnerships between education
institutions and employers can be adaptive and successful when industry needs are
being met. However, these informal relationships are less able to respond to large scale
demographic and labour market changes. It is important to build on existing bodies
and organizations to create more formal structure of networks between educational
institutions, policymakers, industry associations and employers.
Examples: England and Wales, Germany, South Carolina, Switzerland, Czech Republic,
Austria, Australia
Group Training Organizations (GTOs). Organizing shared training for small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In Australia GTOs are non-profit organizations that
focus on training in a specific industry or region. GTOs receive public funding and
charge employers a small fee. GTOs select apprentices to fit into a particular
organization then arrange and monitor the training. In this system, apprentices may
work with multiple employers to ensure they receive the required range of training.
Examples: Australia, Switzerland, Norway, British Columbia
Mechanisms for quality control. Systems for quality control throughout the system are
important for maintaining a high standard of training, for increasing the reputation of
training in the industry, and for ensuring all apprentices are being trained to the same
standards. Quality control mechanisms should ensure the standards are well known by
all industry stakeholders, including apprentices, employers and educators. Quality
Page 68

control should focus on providing constructive feedback so trainers are receptive to
feedback and improvement. This is heavily dependent on data collection and analysis.
Examples: Switzerland, Australia, Germany, Austria
1.3 Public and Industry Links
Improve perceptions of vocational education training. In many countries with the
comprehensive high school model (discussed further in the next section) such as
Canada, many US states and the United Kingdom, vocational training and
apprenticeships are viewed as a “lower class” of education. This is rooted in historical
reasons, the structure of training programs and educational requirements. For example,
in many European countries vocational training starts at age 15 and vocational training
occurs very structured and closely regulated training environments. Consequently,
these routes are seen as rigorously assessed training programs to develop highly
specialized skills that are economically, socially and culturally valued. In addition,
vocational training can be an additional path (instead of a barrier) to many post-
secondary educational programs.
This perception has significant effects, including on many of the primary entrance
methods to career paths. School advisors who view trades as skilled professions that
require high levels of ability and expertise encourage appropriate students to pursue
that path as a valued and respectable option. Parents offer similar advice. Finally stigma
related to vocational training and careers has the potential to discourage capable,
skilled students who may enjoy, and perform very well in, a vocational path.
Changing perceptions and providing information is essential to recruiting skilled
workers in the future.
Examples: Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden
Training programs are responsive to innovation and local industry needs. Flexible
training structures, combined with incentives for meeting industry needs helps to
ensure training meets labour market demands. Canada has one of the least strict
employment protection atmospheres of any OECD country (see Figure 3, below). This
has the potential to increase adaptability of employers, but can also be related to higher
worker turnover and less investment in employee training and retention.
Coordination at different administrative levels may provide more room for flexibility
and innovation. For example in Sweden, municipalities have significant control of
training allowing regional differences to meet local labour market needs. In Australia
(and BC) Group Training Organizations operate on a relatively small scale to balance
Page 69

the needs of apprenticeship training with groups of local small businesses. This allows
relatively ﬂexible and responsive training environments without sacriﬁcing training
quality.
Examples: Australia, Switzerland, Sweden
Figure 3. Strictness of employment protection
2. Primary Training Models
2.1 Model 1: “Dual Approach”
Youth apprentices alternate between classroom and workplace training, separate from
academic education. In Germany, there are about 60 hours of vocational classroom
training each year, which is typically spent in 1-2 week blocks throughout the year.
Workplace training occurs with employers, and may be complemented by training from
guilds or chambers of commerce to provide a wider range of practical experience. In
France, the dual system involves equal time in classroom and workplace-based
training.
In Germany about 350 occupations are recognized and about 60% of the young people
participate in the dual system. The dual model has been very successful, especially in
countries like Germany and Switzerland where vocational training is highly valued and
Page 70

there is much less stigma attached to vocational training as countries like Canada, the
United States and United Kingdom.
Many countries with the dual model have a highly structured, strictly regulated
training system with close ties with business and market dependence. The system is
standardized from entrance to completion and is generally perceived to produce high
quality graduates with the necessary skills to meet industry needs. There is also
mobility between the dual system and post-secondary education. About one-ﬁfth of
post-secondary entrants completed education in the dual system. So, in this model
vocational training is not a barrier to future post-secondary training. A comprehensive
review of Germany’s dual system is available at: http://www.bmbf.de/pub/
germanys_vocational_education_at_a_glance.pdf
Page 71

Figure 4. Overview of the German Dual Education System
Source: Federal Ministry of Education and Research
2.2 Model 2: Vocational High Schools
Vocational high schools are a separate track from academic high school that award
vocational diplomas. For example, in Finland, there are separate academic secondary
schools and vocational secondary schools. Each high school stream is 3 years and can
lead to post-secondary education and training. In the Finnish system, training is
legislated by the Federal government and local governments and training associations
are responsible for education standards. Apprenticeships in the Finnish system involves
4 days per week working with an employer and 1 day in the classroom.
Figure 4. Overview of Finnish education system
Page 72

This vocational preparation in combination with other education and training
is present in many European countries (Eg. France, Finland) and other countries such as
China, Korea and Mexico.
2.3 Model 3: “Comprehensive” High Schools
Comprehensive high schools involve minimal vocational education and training in high
school. In this model, vocational training primarily takes place in post-secondary
education or after mandatory secondary school training is complete. For example in the
United Kingdom (similar to BC) there are fundamental divisions between academic and
vocational qualifications. Educational qualifications, especially vocational qualifications
are fragmented because the regional governments England, Scotland Wales and
Northern Ireland each set their own educational legislation (similar to provincial
governments in Canada). Within each region there are many accrediting bodies that
must fit into the national requirements for accreditation. Therefore, there is a general,
Page 73

overarching framework but qualifications vary widely between occupations and
regions.
The development of qualifications tends to be formed on an ad hoc basis with no
central planning (unlike the dual system or vocational high school systems). In this
system learning takes place in an unregulated environment, and a large part of the
responsibility for training falls to individual employers. This can create disparate
standards of training between regions, institutions and occupations. This can be
advantageous when it allows schools or programs to be responsive to local labour
market needs and economic changes. However, it can also be a contributing factor to
negative perceptions of vocational training, mixed opinions and mixed information
about industry and training.
3. Barriers to Program Entry and Completion
3.1 Overview
Low program completion rates are an issue for apprenticeship training in British
Columbia and in Canada, whereas other countries have higher completion rates. In
Canada about 30%-50% of apprentices complete their program (depending on
occupation and length of program, see Figure 5. Heavy duty equipment technicians
have one of the highest completion rates (67%). Although specific occupational
completion rates are not available, average apprenticeship completion rates are slightly
higher (50-60%) in Australia, notable higher in the UK (50-70%) and substantially
higher in Europe. Completion rates are about 80% in Austria, France, Switzerland and
86% in Germany. Laporte & Mueller (2011) also suggest that while apprenticeship
enrolments have been increasing in Canada, completion rates have been decreasing.
International comparisons suggest these higher completion rates are strongly linked to
better career guidance and advice, as well as supported transitions from early
education to completion of apprenticeship programs.
This topic will be explored in much more depth, with more information specific to the
transportation trades in British Columbia in the final report.
Page 74

Figure 5. Percentage of completers in Canada by nominal program duration in number
of years and major trade group, 1995 cohort
Source: Desjardines (2010) Statistics Canada.
Page 75

Figure 6. Percentage changes in enrolment and completion of apprentices and
undergraduates in Canada
Source: Laporte & Mueller, 2011
3.2 Demographic
There is some evidence that having friends or family in trades make it more likely for a
person to enter the trades, however there is no evidence having friends or family in the
trades increases completion. Other factors that increase the likelihood of completion:
• Finding an employer willing to take on an apprentice
• Being a union member
• Having a journeyperson present at training
• Taking on technical training
• Working with medium-sized employers.
• Increasing age (up to early 40s)
• Having children
• Being in a relationship/married
It is important to note all of these relationships are modest and should be interpreted
with caution.
Page 76

3.3 Perception of Vocational Education Training
One of the major barriers to entry in the transportation trades is the general perception
of trades and vocational education. In British Columbia, and generally across Canada
vocational training tends to perceived as a less desirable alternative to academic
education. This is rooted in many complex issues including:
• Lack of standardization between industries, provinces, institutions and
employers.
• Lack of information/knowledge about the complex skills and abilities
required to work in transportation trades
• Lack of knowledge about the industry, labour market, compensation, etc.
• Cultural and historical values
• Mixed and sometimes incorrect information from friends, parents, career
counsellors, teachers
Not all the issues that cause negative perceptions of vocational education training can
be changed. However, one of the key aspects that can be influenced is lack of good
information. Information and communication policies could address the current
misunderstandings about the transportation trades. This issue, along with specific
recommendations will be described in detail in the final report.
3.4 Recruitment & Retention
One of the issues addressed in the Canadian apprenticeship system is lack of
standardized entrance requirements or assessment procedures. This issue is present in
other countries including Korea, the United Kingdom and many American states. This
is an issue that is present in British Columbia, and preliminary results from the primary
research suggest this needs to be addressed to improve the capability of transportation
trades training in British Columbia.
Extensive personnel and selection research suggests intelligence (Bertua, Anderson &
Salgado, 2005; Schmidt, 2002) and personality characteristics (Barrick et al., 2001) can be
used to predict future job performance and success in training. Intelligence is predictive
of career performance and success irrespective of occupation. In a thorough meta-
analytic review Bertua et al. (2005) found most specific measures of intelligence (for
example verbal, numerical, perceptual) where as valid at predicting job performance as
measures of general mental ability. They also found measures of intelligence were
strong predictors of success in training.
Research on personality training success and job performance finds more mixed results.
However, it appears personality characteristics are much more industry- or occupation-
Page 77

dependent (Barrick et al., 2001) than measures of intelligence. Personality characteristics
that determine success may also vary within occupations. For example, Furnham,
Crump & Chamorro-Premuzic (2007) found significantly different personality
characteristics between managers and non-managers.
There is a large body of research on personnel selection, intelligence and personality.
However, one of the key gaps in literature is predictive ability of personality testing
within and between specific occupations. There are strong empirical and theoretic
reasons to investigate this area further (Costa & McCrae, 1992; Hough, 1992; Barrick et
al., 2001; Furnham et al., 2007). The transportation trades in BC would significantly
benefit from valid psychometric intelligence and personality testing for recruitment and
selection.
Page 78

Appendix G - Northern BC Labour Market Demand
Report
Northern BC Resources Human Resources Committee, Final Labour Market Demand
Report, R.A. Malatest & Associates Ltd., November 17, 2011, (p.iii)
NOC Select
Occupation
2010
(Baseline)
2020
(Projected)
New
Jobs
Replace-
ments
Total
Openings
% Baseline
81 Managers in
primary
production (ex.
agriculture)
768 935 168 362 530 69%
122 Administrative
and regulatory
occupations
2,907 3,223 316 1,204 1,521 52%
212 Life science
professionals
1,204 1,340 136 363 499 41%
724 Electrical trades
and
telecommunicatio
n occupations
2,142 2,218 76 865 942 44%
725 Plumbers,
pipeﬁtters and
gas ﬁtters
1,130 1,247 117 391 508 45%
727 Carpenters and
cabinetmakers
2,527 2,692 166 864 1,030 41%
731 Machinery and
transportation
equipment
mechanics (ex.
motor vehicle)
3,999 4,379 381 1,476 1,857 46%
741 Motor vehicle and
transit drivers
8,446 9,517 1,071 2,927 3,998 47%
742 Heavy equipment
operators
2,780 3,249 470 1,135 1,605 58%
824 Logging
machinery
operators
1,439 1,686 247 376 623 43%
921 Supervisors,
processing
occupations
1,020 1,105 85 497 582 57%
923 Central control
and process
operators in
manufacturing
and processing
1,053 1,271 217 385 602 57%
Page 79

Appendix H - References
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Africa: A comparative study. Cape Town, South Africa: Human Sciences Research
Council.
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Atkins, L., Flint, K., Oldfield, B. on behalf of the City & Guilds Centre for Skills
Development. (2011). Practical matters: What young people think about vocational
education in England. City & Guilds Centre for Skills Development.
Ball, K. National Centre for Vocational Education Research (2004). Factors influencing
completion of apprenticeships and training. Austrialian labour Market Research
Workshop on 6-7 December 2004 at the Centre for Labour Market Research: The
University of Western Australia.
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beginning of the new millennium: What do we know and where do we go next?
Personality and Performance, 9, 9-29.
BC Stats. (2011). Trades Outlook 2010-2020 Highlights. Business Indicators December 2011:
BC Stats.
Bertua, C., Anderson, N., & Salgado, J. F. (2005). The predictive validity of cognitive
ability tests: A UK meta-analysis. Journal of Occupational and Organizational
Psychology, 27 387-409.
Borghans, L., A. De Grip, A., & Heijke, H. (1996). Labour market information and the
choice of vocational specialisation, Economics of Education Review, 15(1), 59-74.
Costa, P. Jr., & McCrae, R. Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and NEO Five-
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Assessment Resources.
Desjardins, L., (2010). Completion and discontinuation of registered apprentices: Does
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Office of the European Union.
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in vocational education and training. The role of accrediting VET providers.
Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.
Collett, K., (2008). Vocational training in community groups: Social capital, education
and equality. City & Guild Centre for Skills Development.
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (2003). Germany’s Vocational Education at a
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Federal Ministry of Education and Research. (Accessed March, 2012). Regulation of
Vocational Education. http://www.bmbf.de/en/6535.php
Finnish Board of Education (Accessed March, 2012). Education System. http://
www.ammatillinenkoulutus.com/main.php?sivu_id=56
Furnham, A., Crump, J., & Chamorro-Premuzic (2007). Managerial level, personality,
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Harris, R., Simons, M., & Bone, J. (2000). More than meets the eye? Rethinking the role of the
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and Training: Germany. OECD Publishing.
Hogarth, T., Gambin, L., Hasluck, C., de Hoyos, M., Owen, D. (2010). Maximising
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United States: South Carolina. OECD Publishing.
Kuczera, M., Field, S., Hoffman, N., & Wolter, S. (2009). Learning for Jobs OECD Reviews
of Vocational Education and Training: Sweden. OECD Publishing.
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registered apprentices: Who continues, who quits, and who completes programs?
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Vocational Education and Training: Korea. OECD Publishing.
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Reviews of Vocational Education and Training: Norway. OECD Publishing.
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ammatillinen_koulutus/?lang=en
Page 81

Morissette, D. Statistics Canada. (2008). Registered apprentices of 1993, a decade later,
comparisons with the 1992 cohort. Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education
Studies.
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First results and technical report. OECD Publishing
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Demand for Apprentices, CESifo Working Papers, No. 1417, February.
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the European Union.
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there cannot be a debate. Human Performance, 15, 187-210
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Resource Planning Group Inc. (2007). Capacity reviews for trades training in BC.
Ministry of Advanced Education & Ministry of Economic Development.
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development of intermediate level skills and apprenticeships. UK Commission for
Employment and Skills Evidence Report 42(2).
Weicker, T. (2012). Transportation career development association: Labour market
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WorkBC. (2010). British Columbia Labour Market Outlook 2010-2020.
Page 82

Appendix I - Transportation Trades Supply and Demand
Committee and Sage Transitions staff
The following individuals provided support and advice throughout the project, and
were invaluable in providing feedback on themes, recommendations and next steps.
Transportation Trades Supply and Demand Committee
Allan Cullen
Bill Currie
Brian Cochrane
Frank Carr
Don Wright
Valerie Dickson
Gary Macey
Dave Vallely
Guff Muench
Jason Wheeler
Jen Rasmussen
Jim Beiderwieden
Jay Notay
Steve Perry
Joe Elworthy
John Nicholls
Kate Tognotti
Sandra Bailey
Kent Brownlow
Krista Bax
Lloyd Stamm
Oksana Exell
Ray Chappell
Russel Robertson
Roger Berryman
Rita Gunkel
Rob Simpson
Susan Ruskey
Victor Grigoletto
Wayne Tebb
Greg Shorland
Kent Orrock
Page 83

Greg Tolliday - Chair
Sage Transitions contractors
• Terry Lockhart
• Kerry Rempel
Page 84

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