Publications and Resources

Persons with disabilities are an underappreciated source of workers in the Canadian economy, especially among skilled trades, where only 13.8% of workers identify as a person with a disability. This survey of skilled trades companies across Canada aimed to understand the barriers and informational needs that prevent companies from implementing equitable employment practices. A cross-sectional, quantitative survey was distributed to eligible companies to elicit insights related to current worker demographics and readiness to provide accommodations for workers. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit to assess differences in accommodation readiness for various impairment types. Most respondents reported their companies were unprepared to accommodate vision impairments (85%) and mobility impairments (79%). When controlling for province and company size, construction sector companies were significantly less prepared to accommodate mobility impairments (OR=0.316; p=0.047) and hearing impairments (OR=0.202; p=0.003) compared to other skilled trades sectors. Larger companies were significantly more prepared to accommodate mobility (OR= 3.771, p=0.043) and learning (OR= 5.425, p=0.002) impairments. Overall, findings indicate that many Canadian skilled trades companies remain insufficiently prepared to accommodate several impairment types or implement common accommodations for employees with disabilities. This work will provide foundational evidence for future assessments aimed at identifying factors that improve organizational capacity to meaningfully, purposefully, and equitably integrate persons with disabilities into the skilled trades workforce in Canada.View French publication

Accommodating persons with disabilities is an important step towards an inclusive skilled trades sector; lack of effective accommodation can introduce barriers to entry and retention for skilled trades. This research describes the prevalence of disability among apprentices, their perceptions of disability in apprenticeship, occupational health and safety (OHS) training knowledge, and recommendations for accommodations.Data were collected through questionnaires with apprentices, gathering demographic information and measures such as OHS knowledge or skills. Analysis included descriptive statistics of disabilities and pain and injury profiles and Chi square tests comparing groups. Qualitative data was assessed via thematic analyses. Of the 1,486 apprentices who completed the survey, 298 apprentices (20.1%) reported at least one disability. Apprentices with a disability reported significantly lower OHS knowledge or skills in 11 of 13 domains.Apprentices with a disability were 2.01 (1.399, 2.871; p<0.001) times more likely to report a severe injury in the last 12 months. Apprentices with a disability were significantly more likely to report chronic and short-term pain.Apprentices with and without a disability preferred hands-on-learning. Apprentices with a disability recommended accommodations that primarily fit into three themes: learning style, resources, and physical accommodations. This paper provides an original analysis of the relationships between disability on skilled trades apprentices and their experience of OHS, including knowledge, pain, and injury. OHS training accommodations should be implemented for apprentices with disabilities when needed, supporting educators and employers to provide inclusive OHS training, and promoting equitable and inclusive workforce entry.View French publication