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HSAP - Employers » Working with HSAP

Working with HSAP

The Value of HSAP

The High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) is a partnership between a student employee, businesses, schools and Apprenticeship Manitoba. This partnership is highly valued for a variety of reasons:
  1. HSAP makes a necessary connection between school communities and business communities. Valuable life skills and learning happen on the job.  
  2. HSAP provides students with an important opportunity. Students get work experience, job skills, pay and high school credits. With your partnership, students can continue to pursue trades training through high school and then into their early adulthood. 
  3. Businesses, hopefully, get energetic young people to come work from the local community. The low cost of wages allows businesses to try students out and see if they are a good fit for their company. 
 

HSAP Facilitator Visits

  • Start up - the HSAP Facilitator will connect with businesses after a student has a job. The facilitator will assist in signing all documents and explain HSAP requirements. 
  • Ongoing Assessment - the HSAP Facilitator will connect with the business trainer to assess the HSAP student progress. The facilitator will provide you with criteria to measure the student's progress at your business.  
  • Obligation - employers are under no obligation to provide student hours to complete credits.  If the employer deems it necessary, the student can be let go if they are not meeting the minimum requirements of the business. 
 

HSAP Requirements for the Employer

The following is an overview of the requirements that need to be met to permit students to work as high school apprentices for the HSAP program:
  1. Provide Worker's Compensation Coverage - the employer is in charge of providing insurance coverage because HSAP is a paid position. The school and school division does not provide insurance coverage for paid workers. For more information visit https://www.wcb.mb.ca/.
  2. Provide a workplace safety orientation - the employer is considered the safety supervisor and expert for safety in their area of expertise. The schools and school division expect that the employer has a safety program that follows Manitoba work safety legislation. 
  3. Provide safety information and gear - the employer should be aware and make the assumption that young people are often eager to please and have less safety experience than older employees. Schools and the school division expect that the employer will provide necessary protective equipment and safety training.
  4. Sign and Complete an HSAP Employer Safety Checklist - students also need to complete an HSAP student safety checklist and get parent permission. 
  5. Pay the HSAP Minimum Wage - The mandatory starting wage of a High School Apprentice is 10% above the Manitoba minimum wage. Employer Incentives are put in place to help employers with the cost of training young people.  A tax credit lets you get back 25% of the student wage (up to a maximum $5000 credit).   
  6. Provide a trainer for the apprentice - employers wishing to apprentice need to register an employee of the company to oversee the apprentice's progress.  The trainer can be a Registered Journeyperson or a Designated Trainer.  In Manitoba, an employee with adequate experience (1.5 times the hours of a Red Seal program) and scope of the trade (has experience and knowledge with most trade activities) can become a registered Designated Trainer.  The HSAP Facilitator will provide assistance with completing forms.