More Than $3 Million in Funding Awarded and 403 Apprentices Hired Since CASP’s Official Launch

Cambridge, ON— After only seven months, the CLAC Apprenticeship Support Program (CASP) has distributed more than $3 million to small and medium-sized Canadian businesses that have registered and hired new first-year apprentices.

At this funding milestone, more than 700 companies have registered with the program, and 299 of those businesses have hired 403 first-year apprentices. More than half of those apprentices self-identified as belonging to one or more underrepresented groups.

“The overwhelming response to our program since its launch has only reinforced the need for such funding in the Canadian construction and manufacturing industries,” says Colin deRaaf, CLAC Ontario training director. “With these funds, Canadian businesses with less than 500 employees are able to add to their workforce while helping to counteract the skilled trades shortage that our country is currently experiencing.”

Funded by the government of Canada’s Apprenticeship Service, CASP provides $5,000 to construction and manufacturing companies that have hired a new first-year apprentice in one of 39 Red Seal trades. An additional $5,000 is available when the apprentice self-identifies as a woman, a newcomer to Canada, an Indigenous person, a person with disabilities, a person belonging to a visible minority group, and/or a member of the LGBTQ2+ community. 

Companies are eligible for funding for two apprentices per fiscal year (April 1 to March 31). Year 2 funding begins April 1, 2023, which means companies that have previously benefitted from the program can once again register new first-year apprentices for financial support.

For more information on how to register your company and your apprentices, visit apprenticesupport.ca.