Yes, I agree.
For me, this year is a perfect example. In my previous two years, at my first level it took about one month for me to receive EI benefits. Last year it was surprisingly quick. I was receiving benefits by about my third week in school. This year I still haven't received any benefits.
I got off the phone with EI this morning, actually, because I got a message saying they hadn't received my record of employment, even though I hand-delivered it on January 18.
I've heard other horror stories from other apprentices who told me they never received EI benefits at all during their level 2.
From the time you leave your employer to the time you start school, there is a huge gap or a huge waiting period until you receive your benefits. People have bills to pay. We're not allowed to work part time to supplement that, because we're supposed to be collecting EI benefits. If we're not collecting EI benefits or not receiving them, we have no money, so it's definitely a challenge.