Canada

I can't really speak to what is happening in Canada. My experience with the trades takes place in NY. After the 2008 crash and no luck finding jobs, I took the test to become a unionized carpenter's apprentice. Part of the program was attending classes and being TAUGHT. The other part involved getting thrown jobs and those work hours got logged towards attaining your credentials and continued participation in the program. I attended classes, and the teaching involved, "build this thing," with no instruction or guidance on how to properly build it. The few jobs I did get involved dry walling, and scaffold building. I wasn't being given enough work to sustain myself outside of the apprentice program, but I had to be available at a moment's notice to accept jobs to stay in the program. Then there was the sexism. After about 6 months, I said, "fuck it," and started spending my energy finding other work.