Canada has a record number of apprenticeship registrations. But registrations don’t build homes or hospitals. Completions do. On that front, our system is failing far too many young people.
Nowhere is that clearer than in Ontario. Fewer than half of registered apprentices eventually complete their programs and only about one in five achieves certification within the expected timeframe.
At the same time, the province is staring down a projected shortfall of 52,000 construction workers by 2034.
We are investing heavily in getting people into apprenticeships but, to our detriment, we are paying far less attention to getting them through the training. The result? A leaky pipeline whereby thousands begin training, but far too many fall out before becoming certified journeypersons.
Equally disturbing, as shortages worsen at home, an increasing number of skilled tradespeople are being pulled south of the border by higher wages, simpler regulation and more attractive immigration pathways in the United States.
There are proven models that do better.
Austria, Germany and Switzerland operate the world’s most successful apprenticeship systems.
Their outcomes stand in stark contrast to ours. Final exam pass rates in those countries range from roughly 80 to 95 per cent. Dropout rates are typically in the low teens, and in Switzerland, closer to five per cent.
Ontario, by comparison, posts a Certificate of Qualification exam pass rate of just 44.5 per cent. That means many apprentices who complete four or five years of on‑the‑job and in‑school training still fail at the final hurdle. Long exam waits – sometimes months – only worsen the problem.
However, Canada can not simply copy the model of these Germanic countries wholesale. Those systems rest on institutional foundations built over generations. They have employer groups that organize and oversee training, deeply integrated school‑to‑work pathways and a cultural respect for vocational education equal to – or greater than – a university degree.
However, there are specific, transferable elements from those systems that Ontario can adopt to materially improve apprenticeship completion rates.
We must start with the bottlenecks we already know exist.
With only a limited number of test sites province‑wide, apprentices who are ready to write can be left waiting far too long. Expanding exam locations, eliminating scheduling backlogs and scaling high‑quality exam preparation supports would immediately improve outcomes. Just as importantly, the exam design itself should be reviewed. Persistently low pass rates raise questions about the test itself.
Next, in the Germanic systems, apprentices are paid continuously, including during classroom training.
In Ontario, the in-school block means weeks without income. For older apprentices, many with families or mortgages, that gap is a problem. Targeted income top‑ups or wage‑bridging supports during mandatory training are practical tools to prevent dropouts.
Training capacity also matters. Wait times for in‑school instruction stretch apprenticeships longer than necessary and disrupt lives.
Expanding capacity through colleges, unions and accredited providers is a relatively straightforward fix with a fast return.
In Switzerland, students encounter vocational education as a respected pathway in their early teens, often with hands‑on workplace exposure.
In Ontario, the average apprentice enters the system around age 30 – frequently as a second or third career choice.
Embedding credible, structured trades guidance as early as Grade 8 is a lesson that can be learned from Europe.
Small and medium‑sized firms that are the backbone of the construction sector also need support as they often lack the administrative capacity to manage apprenticeships. European systems address this collectively.
Ontario should establish dedicated employer support units, simplifying compliance and piloting group sponsorship models that share training responsibility.
Mentorship is another glaring gap. Austria’s system provides structured, third‑party coaching for apprentices at risk of dropping out.
In Ontario, too many navigate challenges alone.
Finally, Ontario must modernize how it uses data. Without real‑time tracking, the system identifies at‑risk apprentices only after they leave. A data system that flags problems early and triggers intervention is essential.
Governments are starting to respond.
Ottawa’s recent $6‑billion commitment to skilled trades recruitment, wage subsidies, training capacity and apprentice income supports is a welcome step.
But money alone will not solve a structural problem.
Without reforms that focus on completion – not just entry – we will continue to lose talent, both domestically and to the U.S.
If we don’t raise apprenticeship completion rates, it will mean higher construction costs, delayed projects, stalled infrastructure and lost opportunities for youth in stable, well‑paid careers.
In Austria, Germany and Switzerland, the apprenticeship systems are designed to help people finish. Ours must do the same.
Richard Lyall is president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON). He has represented the building industry in Ontario since 1991. Contact him at [email protected].
