Province provides $541,470 in funding for skilled trades training in Oakville

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By Gene Pereira

September 7, 2023 at 11:36 am

The provincial government is providing $541,470 in funding for free pre-apprenticeship training in Oakville that will help local residents land well-paying jobs.

Aimed at helping to address Ontario’s “historic” labour shortage, the funding will help train 12 indigenous pre-apprentices and 36 pre-apprentices (non-indigenous) for in-demand jobs in the skilled trades.

The provincial government is providing funding for nearly 100 free pre-apprenticeship programs around the province to promote careers in the skilled trades to young people.

In first quarter of this year, there were over 300,000 unfilled jobs in Ontario, many of which are in the skilled trades. The province says that by2026, one in five job openings in Ontario are projected to be in the skilled trades.

“Ontario’s skilled trades are vital to the growth of the economy and our government’s Plan to Build, offering careers that lead to secure jobs and a good quality of life,” said Stephen Crawford, MPP for Oakville. “I am delighted that our government continues to make investments to ensure our young people have the skills training they need for a prosperous future.”

The 48 recipients of the free pre-apprenticeship training, led by the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), Local 793, will be able to gain the valuable experience and skills they need in the trades to get a job as a Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) apprentice with a local employer and earn more money for themselves and their families.

Ontario’s construction industry will need to hire almost 100,000 additional workers due to retirements and job growth by 2026.

“The IUOE, Local 793 and OETIO appreciate the provincial government’s commitment to Apprenticeship Training to meet the demands of the construction and mining industries,” said Rick Kerr, Executive Director of OETIO. “This funding will go a long way to provide individuals the skills they require to enter the trades.

“A great opportunity to a career that is both rewarding and with a favourable compensation package.”

To increase participation in the skilled trades, the provincial government also recently announced $224 million in funding for building and upgrading training centres.

This funding announced is part of the government’s nearly $1.5 billion-dollar investment in the Skilled Trades Strategy, from 2021-22 to 2023-24.

“Ontario is combatting the largest labour shortage in a generation, and each one of these jobs unfilled is a paycheque waiting to be collected,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “When you have a career in the skilled trades, you have a career for life.

“Our government will continue to invest in innovative training opportunities that give young people the tools they need to build better lives for themselves and stronger communities for us all.”