BCCA’s Apprenticeship Services is a major industry-wide drive supporting small and medium construction employers to hire and register first-year apprentices.
Employers can receive cash payments for hiring and registering first-year apprentices in any of these 39 Red Seal Trades.
In addition to these financial incentives, BCCA’s Builders Life campaign has already attracted applications from over 6,000 job seekers across BC, since it launched in October 2022. Our expert advisers are standing by to connect you with the right applicant for your opportunity.
BCCA Apprenticeship Services is open for applications, read the news release on September 27, 2022
Read the official funding announcement for this initiative, released on August 24, 2022
Employers* can receive payments for:
- Hiring a new employee & registering them as a first-year apprentice
- Registering an existing employee as a first-year apprentice
- Switching an existing apprentice or journeyperson into a different Red Seal trade as a first-year apprentice
*Only employers with less than 500 employees are eligible
Payments will be:
- $5,000 for hiring and/or registering a first-year apprentice
- An additional $5,000 for contributing to workforce diversity by hiring or registering any first-year apprentice who self-reports as:
- A woman
- A new Canadian
- LGBTQ2+
- Indigenous
- A person with a disability
- A visible minority

Employers can receive payments for up to 2 employees per fiscal year during the 2 years of the campaign, for a maximum of up to $40,000. The first fiscal year runs until March 31, 2023 and the next fiscal year is from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
Important: In order to be eligible for incentives, you must first apply and sign the sub-agreement, before registering your apprentices.
Employers will have full discretion in how they spend the funds. (Some suggestions include: Hiring bonus, gear & work apparel, safety equipment, offset the cost of sick leave, training and mentoring, professional development, raises for field or office staff).
Important: In order to be eligible for incentives, you must first apply and sign the sub-agreement, before registering your apprentices.