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Skilled Trades Ontario CEO Candice White told delegates attending the recent Ontario Building Trades convention in Windsor that STO has achieved a significant breakthrough in the industry’s never-ending quest to reach potential new apprentices.

The “secret sauce,” said White? Minecraft and Snapchat.

STO’s Apprenticeship Pays campaign was developed to change perceptions of students and parents about the potential of careers in the skilled trades. By placing paid ads on the two platforms, STO has reached 27-million-plus ad views, 386,000 ad clicks and 172,000 visits to the STO website.

White said the program was launched in the spring and STO quickly realized it was “on to something.”

“With our fall launch, we blew that up and essentially put more resources in. We are seeing huge, huge rewards,” she said in an interview at the Building Trades convention. “So I always pass the word on, because anyone who’s trying to reach that youth demographic, it’s in the youths’ best interest to get the information we need them to know.”

STO was inaugurated in January 2022, replacing the often-contentious Ontario College of Trades. Apprenticeship agreements and Certificates of Apprenticeship are now issued directly by STO. White is the agency’s second CEO and registrar, assuming the positions last November.

As of April 2, STO is now the main point for apprenticeship contacts, registration completion and certifying exams in Ontario. White said fundamental changes were put into place that day, which were inevitably accompanied by stresses to the call centre and website capacity.

“A lot of kinks have been worked out since April,” she said. “Things are smoothening out each and every day.”

White outlined several reforms to the system intended to boost recruitment and retention of apprentices, including one major change to exam access.

As of Oct. 17, White announced to Building Trades delegates, STO will begin administering exams at each of the province’s training delivery agents (TDAs) during the final week of school for the apprentices.

“This is the big, exciting announcement today,” said White.

“We will come to you. We will administer exams to your apprentices onsite where they’ve learned, where they’ve received their training, so that they have the highest success possible, so they feel comfortable, reduce that anxiety. We know that is something you’ve been asking for, and it’s yours.”

The program has been piloted since the spring. White said it’s crucial for apprentices to have access to examinations as soon as possible after they finish their courses.

“We are seeing an increase in pass rates when apprentices get that early access,” she said.

White reported there are over 93,000 active apprentices provincewide, of which 14 per cent are women. Among the construction trades, she said, there has been a notable increase in apprenticeships in the electrical trade.

Building Trades business manager Marc Arsenault noted the council has supported STO since its inception.

The Building Trades run approximately 80 TDAs across the province.

“You’ll be able to write your exams on location, so that’s a fantastic update,” he said.