Hertfordshire, England — A report by the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) confirms what some Canadians have worried about–apprenticeship recruitment isn’t rising.
The total number of automotive apprentice certificates issued in the U.K. in 2021 Q3 was 25,862, 34 percent higher than 2020 Q3. However, comparing this quarter to pre-pandemic levels, certificate numbers are still 32 percent lower.
Similarly, U.K. apprenticeship numbers have surpassed pre-pandemic levels by 16 percent but this comes from already low apprenticeship numbers before the pandemic.
This trend in the United Kingdom follows Canada’s dwindling number of trade workers across multiple provinces, including Ontario, B.C. and Alberta.
In 2022, the Federal government expected 700,000 workers to retire between 2019 and 2028. Meanwhile, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce notes a current shortage of 25,000 to 60,000 skilled workers.
