Heavy Equipment Apprenticeship experience
Local 793 Heavy Equipment apprentice, went through the operating engineers training institute of ontario a couple of years ago.
Since then I have had approximately one week of work and zero hours of machine time- just put on a skidsteer.
I’ve been in communication with other apprentices in my area- they will be put on a rocktruck or a packer, work a few weeks, get a couple weeks on their machine, and then they’re gone. Back on the list. At this rate you can expect to get your 2000 hours just in time for retirement.
Every year we pump out more apprentices through the school. We all pay union dues. Employers have a growing supply of apprentice labour. It is not in the union members interest to grow the labour pool indefinitely while theres no work. Its in the employers interest, and the administrators interest.
The analogy I would draw is the same thing happening in my union is what has happened in the Canadian workforce broadly. Bringing in people to keep labour costs down and keep the economy growing at the expense of the existing workforce.