NEW APPRENTICESHIP ACT CONSULTATIONS

Released on November 18, 1998

Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training Minister Maynard Sonntag

today announced public consultations will take place in nine

communities across Saskatchewan to help develop a new provincial

Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Act. This is an integral part

of the renewal of the apprenticeship system and a key element of the

Saskatchewan Training Strategy: Bridges to Employment.



Apprenticeship training is a way to learn job skills while earning

money. It combines hands-on learning where experts in a trade (called

journey persons) pass on their knowledge and expertise to employees

(called apprentices) right on the job.



The Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Program has been steadily

growing to 44 in 1998, with growing involvement of non-traditional

apprenticeship sectors such as agriculture and tourism. There were

5,003 registered apprentices in the province on June 30, 1998, an

increase of 24 per cent from 4,044 on June 30, 1996.



"This growth reinforces the provincial government's commitment to

apprenticeship renewal to meet the training and certification needs of

Saskatchewan workers and their employers in the next century," the

Minister noted. "The development of a new Act is fundamental to this

objective."



This builds on the earlier industry-led consultations which

identified the need for a more responsive apprenticeship system

in Saskatchewan, including a greater decision-making role for

business and labour in its operation.



"As we announced last May, a new commission will be established

to manage the renewal of apprenticeship," said Sonntag.

"Apprenticeship renewal includes the provincial government's

commitment to backfill for the federal funding withdrawal in

apprenticeship training, provide a greater role for business and

labour in decision making, provide increased access to

apprenticeship training and strengthen industry/SIAST

partnerships to ensure high quality responsive training, and

increase promotion of apprenticeship as a quality option for

young people."



The public consultations will take place in November and

December, 1998. They will be based on a discussion paper, A

Vision for a New Apprenticeship Act and Regulations, which was

jointly developed by Post-Secondary Education and Skills Training

and the Provincial Apprenticeship Board. The discussion paper is

also being mailed out to approximately 500 industry groups who

are known to have involvement with apprenticeship.



Copies of the discussion paper may be obtained by calling

1-800-597-8278 or at www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/P/appshipactvision.html

on the Internet.



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For more information, contact:



Wayne McElree

Post-Secondary Education and

Skills Training

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-2093





APPRENTICESHIP RENEWAL

PUBLIC MEETING SCHEDULE

all meetings run from 7:30 - 10p.m.





November 18, 1998 (Wednesday) Moose Jaw Heritage Inn 1590 Main St. N.



November 19, 1998 Thursday Regina Centre of the Arts

Jackie Shumiatcher Room

200 Lakeshore Dr.

(use southwest Entrance

Jubilee Theatre)



November 30, 1998 (Monday) Estevan Derrick Hotel 125-4th St.



December 1, 1998 (Tuesday) Saskatoon Park Town Hotel

924 Spadina Cr. E.



December 2, 1998 (Wednesday) La Ronge La Ronge Motor Hotel & Outdoor Adventure Resort

1120 La Ronge Ave.



December 3, 1998 (Thursday) Prince Albert Prince Albert Inn

3680-2nd Ave. W.



December 7, 1998 (Monday) Yorkton Harvest Room

100 Broadway E.



December 9, 1998 (Wednesday) North Battleford Tropical Inn

1001 Hwy 16bypass



December 10, 1998 (Thursday) Swift Current Imperial 400

1150 Begg St. E.