News Release

MONCTON (GNB) – Four new apprenticeship incentive programs designed to engage employers and support apprentices were announced today. Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Jody Carr made the announcement at the New Brunswick Apprenticeship Summit, in Moncton, hosted by the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum.

“These incentives will support apprentices and encourage employers to hire them in the skilled trades,” said Carr. “Our government is committed to enhancing apprenticeship opportunities which will help address labour market challenges as outlined in the Labour Force and Skills Development Strategy 2013-2016.”

The new initiatives are being introduced under the apprenticeship incentive program.

Apprenticeship Employer Incentive Grant

●    New Brunswick employers who hire apprentices registered under the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Act may be eligible for this taxable cash grant which is available to the employer once an apprentice successfully completes a block of training. Employers who meet the eligibility criteria may be entitled to receive a $1,000 taxable cash grant. However, employers of (a) females and/or (b) aboriginal apprentices may be eligible for an increased grant of $1,500 per block.

Apprenticeship Tuition Rebate

●    A tuition rebate of $85 per week (an average of $600 per block) will be available to registered apprentices once they have completed a level of block training.  

Out-of-province Apprenticeship Strategy

●    This strategy aims to help apprentices working outside of New Brunswick by enabling residents of the province to (a) register into a New Brunswick apprenticeship program and work out-of-province for an out-of-province employer, (b) accumulate working hours while out-of-province which will be credited towards the required hours for completion, and (c) attend technical training in New Brunswick.  

Provincial Government Hiring Apprenticeship Initiative

●    This initiative aims to increase opportunities for apprentices to work in provincial government departments and agencies.

“We are very pleased to have these incentives introduced,” said Scott Toner, chair of the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Board. “This will encourage increased participation in the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification program and will benefit all stakeholders, in particular apprentices and employers.”

These incentives will help to encourage employers to register and employ apprentices in the skilled trades, encourage them to attend and progress through their program, facilitate apprentices working outside of New Brunswick and increase the opportunities for them to work within the public service.

“The province is dedicated to growing a skilled workforce,” said Carr. “Our approach will help ensure that New Brunswickers are given the support they need to meet the current and future demands of the province's labour force. Having a sufficient supply of skilled trades people to meet the demand is an important part in our goal to rebuild New Brunswick's economy.”

Apprenticeship is a long-standing part of the training and post-secondary education system in New Brunswick. It is a structured program consisting of workplace training and technical instruction where the apprentice masters the skills of an occupation by spending 80 per cent of the time learning on-the-job and 20 per cent in a classroom where qualified instructors provide the technical block training.

“Our government fully supports apprenticeship and the skilled trades, which is why we want to remove barriers to ensure that appropriate opportunities exist to meet industry requirements,” said Carr. “Apprenticeship training is a gateway to many well-paid and exciting careers in the skilled trades. The possibilities are endless and I urge more New Brunswickers to explore these opportunities and to take advantage of the incentive programs.”

More information on the incentives is available on the Apprenticeship and Trades website.