Manitoba’s Jobs Minister Jamie Moses announced Friday that apprentices accounted for 21 percent of labor hours on a series of large construction projects, a figure roughly twice the level mandated by the province’s apprenticeship participation rule.
The projects highlighted include four school construction sites spread across the province and the expansion of the emergency‑room at Winnipeg’s Victoria Hospital. On each of these sites, the share of apprentice‑performed work surpassed the minimum percentage that the government requires for publicly funded construction contracts.
The provincial government tracks the involvement of apprentices in construction work to ensure training opportunities are available and to support skilled‑trade development. By setting a baseline percentage of hours that must be completed by apprentices, the policy aims to create a pipeline of qualified workers for future projects. The recent data shows that the actual apprentice contribution on the highlighted sites is significantly higher than that baseline.
Minister Moses said the results demonstrate that the apprenticeship program is delivering on its objectives and that the construction sector is responding positively to the government’s expectations. The ministry will continue to monitor apprentice participation across all major projects to maintain progress toward its workforce development goals.