I did the Toyota Foundation in 2010, and while I was already washing cars at the time in a dealership, and was pretty much in the shop at that point. However, I wanted to build a good knowledge base that the accelerated Level 1 program wouldn't provide. The practicum you get out of Foundation makes for a good foot in the door for getting into shops. If the shop you want to apply to is aware of what you can do at home, it does count for a little something knowing that you're at least able to do something. A classmate of mine that did extensive work on his drift Cressida moved to Calgary soon after my program ended, and found a job at a Toyota dealer there. But, he did the lube tech thing for a few months, and found out he could make a killing as an advisor, and switched.
At the dealership level, you will start out washing cars without question, it's just the way the cookie crumbles. Smaller shops will probably have you running basic lube, and cleaning the shop while assisting techs and doing lube jobs. Once the manager notices you bust your ass, he'll move you on to slightly bigger things, and eventually will sign you on as an apprentice. The 450 hours from Foundation helps, but the hours quickly build up the more you work. But really, you have to hand out resumes to as many shops as you can handle, as it's tricky to actually get in unless you had a connection in a high school program.
From my perspective as a now third-year dealer tech, flat rate has caused my skillset to rust due to greed and job distribution. Yes I know everyone needs to make money, but priority should be to learn how to WORK on cars, not change oil all day. I only did my first brake job last month in the three years I've been in the industry, and while I have done a few detailed accessories, I want to actually replace mechanical parts on cars. I have yet to do a water pump, head gasket, and other things that I really should have done by now.
Frankly, I'm a bit scared of what will happen when I do get my red seal, and a large job I've never done before comes along because I spent four years doing nothing but oil changes. No matter how much I ask for more things to do, it hinges on an asshole of a tower operator that plays favourites, and the lack of challenge is frustrating to no end. I'm contemplating moving shops for a fresh start, or making cars a pure hobby and moving into advising. It's hard to learn from other techs when you're also the shop's janitor, errand runner, and whipping boy, while the other apprentices, even the ones that are a
lower level are left alone and banging away at jobs that you really should try your hand at before it's too late.
Apologies for the long read, but tl;dr it's not what you know but who you know, and sometimes it's difficult to actually develop as a tech because people need to make money.
Hope this helps
. By the way, if you want the BCIT instructor with experience in Euros (he's a former VW/Audi and BMW tech, drives a Mk6 GTI, and his lecture visual aides consist of old parts from European cars and Top Gear clips), take the Toyota Foundation. It's generally the same as the program mb_ took, but uses Toyota cars that are not pieces of shit like the general cars.