Network encouraging apprenticeship in Sarnia-Lambton, Chatham-Kent

Smaller businesses that employ tradespeople sometimes need to get creative when it comes to hiring and retaining apprentices, says the co-chair of a local network encouraging apprenticeship.

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“For example, living allowances or transportation allowances,” said Joel Van Bynen with the Southwest Apprenticeship Network.

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“One employer gave their apprentice a truck to get back and forth to work … all things that are outside-of-the-box thinking,” he said.

The 2019-formed network that includes 27 agencies in Sarnia-Lambton and Chatham-Kent recently recognized efforts like those at its third annual employer awards gala.

Five awards total were given out, one each to employers in the industrial, service, motivated power and construction sectors, Van Bynen said, as well as a rookie of the year award to an employer newer to apprenticeship.

“The harsh reality is not enough employers do this,” he said about apprenticeship, estimating nationally only about one in five of small and medium-sized businesses that could take on apprentices do.

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“Right now there’s a critical shortage across the trades … they’re all in huge demand,” Van Bynen said.

And as tradespeople in smaller ventures retire without passing their knowledge on, that knowledge is lost, he said.

The network that includes local school boards and Lambton College, where Van Bynen is an associate dean, the Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development, Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership and others, including job placement and employment agencies, was established to encourage more to get involved, he said.

While larger corporations may now about government apprenticeship grants and have the time to apply, smaller businesses often don’t, he said.

So the network provides encouragement and help going through that process, he said.

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Examples include via school boards working with local employers for co-op placements, or skill upgrading through organizations like Literacy Lambton — another network member — for help with trade documentation and report filing, he said.

The network is technically a sub-committee of the Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development Board, and extends to Chatham-Kent because the school boards include both counties, he said.

Van Bynen also helped establish a similar network in the London area 24 years ago.

Efforts at both networks have made a difference, he said.

“We need to keep continuing to push the message and keep promoting opportunities and also supports for employers to do this work,” he said, arguing boosting skilled labor supply in the area can help when companies may be choosing between the region and other locations.

Helping small and medium-sized employers retain apprentices is also an issue, he said, given they often leave for larger companies with more money.

“And so the small guys have really had to become creative in the way they compensate apprentices, or the way they provide supportive environments for their learning.” Van Bynen said.

“The awards that we hand out are directly related to the great work that these smaller employers do in that area.”

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