ALBERTA LEARNING, APPRENTICESHIP AND
INDUSTRY TRAINING. Alberta's apprenticeship and
industry training system is an industry-driven system
that ensures a highly skilled, internationally competitive
workforce in over 50 designated trades and occupations.
Industry (employers and employees) establishes training
and certification standards and provides direction
to the system through an industry committee network
of over 800 members and the Alberta Apprenticeship
and Industry Training Board. The Alberta Apprenticeship
and Industry Training System is a true collaboration: industry
takes the lead and the Alberta government provides
the legislative framework and administrative support
for the system.
In addition to setting training and
certification standards, industry plays an essential
role in training Alberta's approximately 40,000 apprentices. While
Alberta has only 10% of Canada's labour force, it trains
approximately 20% of the country's apprentices. Apprenticeship
starts with choosing a trade and finding an employer
willing to hire an apprentice. On-the-job training
and work experience accounts for 80 per cent of an
apprenticeship program, with the other 20 per cent
spent on in-class technical training.
