Wednesday, April 9, 2025

From Apprentice to Journeyperson: CLAC Sponsorship Helps Navigate Your Journey

Supportive program fosters winning outcomes for apprentices and employers

By Nuha Mahdi, Apprenticeship Coordinator

Local 63 member Simon Moran recently earned his journeyperson Red Seal Welder designation—the first apprentice to do so through the Alberta CLAC Sponsorship program.

Simon started his welding apprenticeship in 2020. Even though there was an entire year where classes were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he still felt that his apprenticeship went by really fast.

“When you’re starting, it might be daunting to think it takes four years, but it actually goes very fast,” he says.

Although Simon had experience in the trades prior to his welding apprenticeship, he still had difficulties navigating Apprenticeship Industry and Training (AIT) to progress.

“I guess challenging the AIT exam was the struggle for me, because there was no direction of what you needed to know,” says Simon. “The only way you're confident enough to go into the AIT exam is if you know all the modules—and I think for the first year there was 60 modules. There was so much information, it was overwhelming.”

CLAC Sponsorship has been running in BC since 2013 but is brand new in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. The program is designed to support apprentice progression and create more qualified journeypersons. This is a win-win-win scenario, as members get the education and wages they deserve, companies get the high-quality skills of an educated journeyperson, and CLAC maintains its highly skilled and qualified membership.

Help is available to members whose employer signs up for CLAC Apprenticeship Support Program. Simon’s employer signed up for the program while he was in his final year of apprenticeship. While he was working, he found it hard to think or talk about progression or studying.

“I’m not sure if it’s the same in every trade,” he says. “You do have your mentors and journeypersons who are there, but at the end off the day, it’s work, work, work. Companies don’t need apprentices; they need journeypersons, and fair enough—they’re hiring you to get through. They would rather you progress at a faster rate, but that’s as far as that goes. Nobody was on you to progress.”

Simon appreciated the support he received from the CLAC Apprenticeship Team.

“I was taken aback that somebody had interest in your apprenticeship and had your back, essentially,” he says.

Even though CLAC Sponsorship is a newer service in most provinces, feedback from employers has been encouraging. Stephanie, a recruiter at a CLAC-signatory employer, says CLAC Sponsorship has been extremely beneficial to the apprentices as it has motivated them to finish their apprenticeship after coasting for too long. The personalized service from CLAC means they have someone to answer their questions.

This relationship opens the door for them to communicate more with CLAC in general. Stephanie mentioned that apprentices have felt more motivated to call about their benefits and training options as well. They are improving their own work-life balance through positive connections with their union.

With CLAC Sponsorship, Simon feels he has the support he needs to pursue dual ticketing in another trade in the future.

“To be able to lend a hand in another trade if the opportunity comes up, I would love to do another apprenticeship,” he says. “I wouldn’t stop welding, but it would be an extra piece of education.”

As a journeyperson, Simon is eager to share with his apprentices the support he received from CLAC through his progression. He lets them know they do not have to walk their journey alone and is happy to help them connect with CLAC.

“It was completely alien to me that someone would have an interest in my apprenticeship and would say, ‘Best of luck on your studies.’”

What’s next for you?

Whether your apprenticeship is sponsored by CLAC, or by a CLAC employer, support is available. Call 1-888-700-7555 Ext 2112 or email us at apprenticeshipwest@clac.ca.

From Apprentice to Journeyperson: CLAC Sponsorship Helps Navigate Your Journey

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