Over 2,000 Ontarians to benefit from free training programs focused on technical and workplace preparedness skills
Ontario is investing over $4.7 million to prepare Ontarians for in-demand careers in the skilled trades.
The investment will go to several projects and will help 2,318 youth, apprentices and jobseekers for future employment.
“To keep up with our growing province, we need to attract more youth into the skilled trades, which is why our government is working hand-in-hand with labour and industry partners to create new training opportunities,” said David Piccini, minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development. “By investing in these projects in Niagara Region, we are creating more pathways for young people to start a well-paying career in the skilled trades, and build a brighter future for themselves.”
There were nearly 22,700 jobs recently going unfilled in the Niagara Region, and nearly 219,000 jobs were recently going unfilled across the province, noted the provincial government.
Over seven in 10 (71%) workers would like to update their skills more often, and 80% believe employers should invest more to provide upskilling and reskilling opportunities for workers, reports TalentLMS.
Technical and workplace preparedness, skilled trades careers
Ontario’s investment will go to the following:
- Civiconnect Youth Community Engagement Organization: $3 million to help 350 youth aged 14 to 29 in Niagara Region develop technical and workplace preparedness skills for careers in the skilled trades, digital marketing, web development, digital system administration, cloud computing and information technology. Participants will work on projects submitted by businesses in the community.
- Edge Factor Inc is receiving $1,087,600 for a project that aims to showcase careers and opportunities in the skilled trades online for 1,920 youth, jobseekers, parents and community members in Niagara Region and across Ontario.
- United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, Local 1007 is receiving $650,369 to purchase and outfit a new six-booth welding trailer in Niagara Region. The new industry-standard equipment and technology will enable Local 1007 to train, test and certify an additional 48 apprentices and journeypersons on various types of welding to meet industry and employer demand in Ontario.
People interested in participating in the programs announced today are encouraged to contact the lead organizations of the projects directly, according to the Ontario government.
Previously, Ontario announced that it is making several policy changes to make it easier for Ontarians to start their professional careers in skilled trades, and to have second chances for another shot. Building on the successful Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), Ontario is creating the Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training (FAST). Under the new apprenticeship stream, students in Grades 11 and 12 will be able to participate in more apprenticeship learning through additional cooperative education credits while completing high school.
"The Skills Development Funding will be instrumental in enabling Millwright Local 1007 to offer more accessible work-ready welding training to our membership. As an organization deeply involved in supporting power generation, steel making, automotive manufacturing, and many other critical industries, this welding center is a significant step towards improving skilled trades training in Niagara and supporting new apprentice development, which would otherwise not be possible,” said Dan Steel, business representative for UBC Millwright Local 1007 Niagara Falls – Millwright Regional Council of Canada.
“We are grateful to Minister Piccini and the Ontario government for their continuous support of the skilled trades programs in Ontario."
The Ontario government increased apprenticeship registrations by 24% from 21,971 in 2022 to 27,319 in 2023.
The Ontario government is making the investment through the Skills Development Fund (SDF). This brings Ontario’s total investment in skills development and training through SDF to nearly $1.1 billion that supports the hiring, training, and retaining of youth in the skilled trades.
So far, the Skills Development Fund Training Stream has supported over 700 training projects across the province.
Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s Skills Development Fund has helped connect more than half a million jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying and fulfilling careers close to home.
In March, Saskatchewan announced it is investing an additional $1 million to increase the capacity for the development of skilled trades in the province.
