Proposal
Accelerated Apprenticeship Pathway Consultation
Regulation Number(s):
Instrument Type:
Proposal
Bill or Act:
Education Act
Summary of Proposal:
Amendments to the Education Act made by the Better Schools and Student Outcomes Act, 2023 received Royal Assent on June 8, 2023. These changes will help to ensure that all boards across the province are focused on delivering on the government's priority of addressing labour market needs for the skilled trades and helping students enter the skilled trades faster by enabling students to pursue an accelerated apprenticeship pathway, starting in Grade 11, pending the feedback received over the course of the consultations.
The Ministry of Education is proposing two models for consideration to implement the accelerated apprenticeship pathway. While these models may not be the only approaches to implementing an accelerated apprenticeship pathway, they are being proposed through the consultation for the purposes of supporting stakeholders in providing targeted feedback and input. The two models being proposed for consideration by stakeholders are:
• Equivalent Apprenticeship Learning whereby the student remains a student of their school board while pursuing apprenticeship learning full time.
• Employer Supervised Apprenticeship whereby the apprentice would no longer be a student of the school board and would be excused from attendance at school while pursuing apprenticeship learning full time.
The ministry will then consider stakeholder feedback to develop the approach to implement the accelerated apprenticeship pathway.
The parameters for both models under consideration include the following:
• Students would participate after having completed 16 credits (i.e., after completing Grade 10).
• Students would need to have a Registered Training Agreement in place and would be working towards their Certificate of Apprenticeship.
This consultation paper is focused on a full-time apprenticeship pathway outside of opportunities that currently exist, including Specialist High Skills Majors and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program or Dual Credit Level 1 Apprenticeship training, towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Ontario Secondary School Certificate.
For more information on both models, please refer to the attached Accelerated Apprenticeship Pathway Consultation Paper document.
The Ministry of Education is proposing two models for consideration to implement the accelerated apprenticeship pathway. While these models may not be the only approaches to implementing an accelerated apprenticeship pathway, they are being proposed through the consultation for the purposes of supporting stakeholders in providing targeted feedback and input. The two models being proposed for consideration by stakeholders are:
• Equivalent Apprenticeship Learning whereby the student remains a student of their school board while pursuing apprenticeship learning full time.
• Employer Supervised Apprenticeship whereby the apprentice would no longer be a student of the school board and would be excused from attendance at school while pursuing apprenticeship learning full time.
The ministry will then consider stakeholder feedback to develop the approach to implement the accelerated apprenticeship pathway.
The parameters for both models under consideration include the following:
• Students would participate after having completed 16 credits (i.e., after completing Grade 10).
• Students would need to have a Registered Training Agreement in place and would be working towards their Certificate of Apprenticeship.
This consultation paper is focused on a full-time apprenticeship pathway outside of opportunities that currently exist, including Specialist High Skills Majors and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program or Dual Credit Level 1 Apprenticeship training, towards the Ontario Secondary School Diploma or Ontario Secondary School Certificate.
For more information on both models, please refer to the attached Accelerated Apprenticeship Pathway Consultation Paper document.
Analysis of Regulatory Impact:
The proposed models are not expected to create significant, additional administrative requirements for school boards. Processes for excusing students from attending school or assisting with apprenticeship opportunities are already in place. The Ministry of Education will work with school boards to support implementation. The Ministry of Education will also consider if any further amendments to the Education Act and/or its regulations are required to support the models under consideration. Both models under consideration will not create any significant fiscal impacts for the provincial government.
Further Information:
Accelerated Apprenticeship Pathway Consultation Paper
Proposal Number:
23-EDU014
Posting Date:
October 11, 2023
Comments Due Date:
November 24, 2023
Contact Address:
Student Achievement Division, Ministry of Education, 315 Front Street West, 13th Floor, Toronto ON M5V 3A4