May 25, 2023 – A Vancouver Island construction company found itself in the spotlight this week as it received what turned out to be the 5 millionth dollar paid out so far under one of the most far-reaching Red Seal apprenticeship drives undertaken in British Columbia.
The company, The Muchalat Group of Companies, has registered four first-year apprentices through the B.C. Construction Association (BCCA) Apprenticeship Services, and received a total of $40,000 in financial incentives as a result. The fourth payment hit the $5 million milestone at BCCA.
The BCCA will pay employers $5,000 for each first year apprentice registered in any of 39 construction Red Seal trades, and an additional $5,000 if the apprentice self identifies as part of an equity deserving group, with funding received from the Government of Canada Apprenticeship Service. BCCA, which launched its program in October 2022, has already sent payments to 469 employers who have registered a total of 692 apprentices in BC so far.
So far, the BCCA program has registered apprentices in 33 trades, with the most registrations happening for carpenters, construction electricians and plumbers. The apprentices are from across B.C., range in age from 16 and up and are 47.8 per cent equity deserving groups. Adding diversity to B.C.’s construction industry, which is 96 per cent male, is one of the goals of the program, but the funding is available to support all new apprentices regardless of demographics.
The Muchalat Group of Companies has operated on Central Vancouver Island since 1979 with a reputation for the highest standards in both residential and commercial projects, qualified to provide General Contracting Services, Construction Management Services, and Building Envelope Renovations.
This opportunity is funded by the government of Canada’s Apprenticeship Service, which has provided $21M in funding to the B.C. Construction Association to operate as an intermediary with employers.