{
  "id": 8343266,
  "title": "Province applauds apprenticeship numbers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/province-applauds-apprenticeship-numbers",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-19T00:24:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/2026/09/18/province-applauds-apprenticeship-numbers"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Manitoba government announced on Friday that the use of apprentices at the Victoria General Hospital emergency room and four new schools has doubled expectations. The province's Jobs Agreements policy requires at least 10 per cent of construction hours to be worked by apprentices, and so far, apprentices have covered 21 per cent of the hours on these projects. Public Service Delivery Minister Mintu Sandhu expressed optimism about the early results, noting that Manitobans have worked 99 per cent of the project hours. Darryl Harrison, president of the Winnipeg Construction Association, praised the increase in apprenticeship opportunities but cautioned against confusing apprentice hours on a project with success in meeting the Jobs Agreement targets. The Winnipeg Construction Association represents 755 businesses and oversees compliance with wage schedules for Jobs Agreement projects. The contracts cover infrastructure projects worth at least $50 million and may include a baseline requirement of 15 to 20 per cent of hours worked by apprentices in future deals. The province's active apprentice count reached 11,628 as of March 31, 2025, marking a five-year peak in skilled trades certification. However, new apprentice registrations and active apprentices have decreased compared to the previous year, raising concerns about the potential impact on the construction sector.",
  "summary": "Apprentice use at build sites of the Victoria General Hospital emergency room and four new schools has doubled expectations, the Manitoba government reported on Friday. The construction projects are subject […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}