This story:  "Canada’s major banks and financial-service companies in the Greater Toronto Area" are behind this initiative.  What is really happening here? 

"Canadian banks and financial service companies"  laid off large numbers of staff in recent years, in order to boost their profits, for example this news story.   CBC news headline: "TD latest bank to earn billions and dole out job cuts". 

 Quote from story:  "Toronto-Dominion is the latest of the big Canadian banks to dole out pink slips to staff. And employees tell CBC News they expect more layoffs to come as the company looks to cut costs.    Although they're still pulling in billions in profits, TD and other big banks are trying to protect their bottom line in a slow growth economy."  

Is the current "initiative" just an attempt to get free student (apprentice) labour in order to cut even more staff?