FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2005

VANCOUVER… The Building Trades Council has responded to a press release from the Industry Training Authority that announces a 29% growth of registered apprentices over the last year. According to the Building Trades the numbers have little bearing on the reality of trades training in the province.

“This is little more than smoke and mirrors,” said Wayne Peppard, Executive Director of the BCYT-BCTC. “Without any staff to validate or inspect apprenticeship registrations, there is no way the ITA can claim that there is growth in apprenticeship” Peppard said.

“The ITA now keeps apprenticeship registrations in its computer system long after the apprentice has been laid-off by an employer. The apprenticeship contract is terminated by the employer, not the ITA” Peppard said. “If an apprentice indicates an intent to finish their training they can stay registered indefinitely even though they don’t have an employer to sponsor their training” Peppard said.

“We have also heard that the number of apprenticeship classes are down since the establishment of the ITA. Without sequencing and co-ordination between employers and the colleges, a feature of the old apprenticeship model, colleges have no way to plan for and book space for classes” Peppard said.

“This announcement is a desperate attempt by the government to cover the disaster they created in trades training. The number of certificates issued has fallen and the national standards are being watered down,” Peppard concluded.

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For further information contact Wayne Peppard at (604) 916-0027 (cell)

For further information contact 

the BCYT-BCTC office:  604-291-9020

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