Canada youth apprenticeship programme draws 85 students as skilled trades gain appeal

Newfoundland and Labrador is seeing growing interest among young people in skilled trades, with 85 high school students and 68 employers participating in the province’s Youth Apprenticeship Summer Program in 2026.

The seven-week programme gives students in Grades 10 and 11 an opportunity to gain practical work experience and apprenticeship hours, helping them explore career options while developing skills that can lead to employment.

Participants receive exposure to a range of trades, including electrical work, plumbing, welding, automotive servicing, cooking, heavy equipment operation and truck and transport mechanics. The experience allows students to understand the demands of these professions and take their first steps towards a career before completing high school.

The programme is administered by Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador and funded through the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Development Agreement and Labour Market Development Agreement.

Employers seek to retain young talent

The programme’s impact is extending beyond the summer. Employers who participated in 2026 have applied for the Youth Apprenticeship Summer Program Extended Subsidy, which would allow them to retain their young apprentices through the fall and winter months.

Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Paul Dinn said the rising participation and positive feedback reflected growing enthusiasm among young people for skilled trades.

He said greater exposure to these careers would help students begin building rewarding professional lives in their home province, while supporting the workforce needed for major projects and future development across Newfoundland and Labrador.

More opportunities to learn trades in school

The summer programme is part of a broader provincial effort to introduce students to skilled trades earlier in their education.

In September, the department expanded opportunities for high school students to explore trades by adding teaching units at 21 schools. The changes are intended to provide greater flexibility in scheduling and give students more options to pursue trades-related learning.

Jobs, Growth and Rural Development Minister Lin Paddock said the programme connects young people with employers while helping businesses identify and develop future talent.

He said practical work experience can build students’ skills and confidence while creating clearer pathways into employment, strengthening the province’s workforce over the long term.

Students and employers interested in participating in the summer 2027 programme can check the provincial government’s official programme page for application timelines and updates.