Ontario supporting local pre-apprenticeship projects in London

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Ontario Construction News staff writer

Ontario is tackling shortages in the skilled trades by supporting pre-apprenticeship projects that will prepare over 100 people in London for jobs and careers.

“In London and throughout the province, there are thousands of jobs that go unfilled,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development.

“Those are paycheques waiting to be collected. But the workers aren’t there. My mission is to bridge that skills gap in London and throughout the province. Today’s announcement is the next step.”

The Ontario government is investing in four London-based training programs for a variety of trades, including baker-pâtissier, construction worker, brick and stone mason and educational assistant.

Pre-apprenticeship training promotes careers in the trades as an option for all Ontario residents, including youth at risk, new Canadians, women and Indigenous people. The training programs are free, last up to one year and often combine classroom training with a work placement.

The funding announcement follows the unveiling of Ontario’s new marketing campaign highlighting the skilled trades as a viable career path. The ads, with the slogan ‘Find a Career You Wouldn’t Trade,’ are currently running online, in movie theatres and on Tim Hortons TV.

“Ontario is facing a looming problem,” McNaughton said. “Our skilled tradespeople are retiring faster than we can replace them. We need to let young people and their parents know that careers in the trades are a viable first choice. They’re exciting, fulfilling and often very lucrative.”

The government recently announced a $20.8 million investment into pre-apprenticeship programs for 2019-20 to create training opportunities for more than 1,800 people across Ontario. The funding is an increase of $5 million from the previous year. Training is delivered by Ontario colleges, private career colleges, union and non-union training centres and other community organizations.

“By investing in pre-apprenticeship training, we tap additional talent pools and give more people a chance to prepare for well-paying careers in the trades,” McNaughton said during an event last week at the LiUNA Local 1059 Regional Training Centre.

Local projects announced for London include:

  • $144,000 to help the Brick and Allied Craft Union of Canada Local 5 offer 12 participants trades training for careers as brick and stone masons and construction craft workers
  • $549,580 to support LiUNA Local 1059 in offering a combination of classroom training and work placements to help prepare 72 participants for jobs in the construction craft worker and cement finisher trades
  • $131,135 to help Collège Boréal provide training for 11 people in the London area and help them explore career opportunities as child development practitioners and education assistants in schools and daycares
  • $99,888 to help the London Training Centre provide 12 participants with Smart Serve training, trade-readiness training and work placements to prepare them for jobs as cooks, bakers and chefs

About one in five new jobs in Ontario over the next five years is expected to be in trades-related occupations,”

“Minister McNaughton’s announcement will help produce a more highly skilled workforce for the great careers in the skilled trades,” said Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario.

LiUNA Local 1059 applauded the announcement.

“Local 1059 relies on our successful pre-apprenticeship program as a vital recruitment tool, and with the skilled trades shortage in our region, our ability to recruit talent through the program is more important than ever,” said business manager Brandon MacKinnon.

“These workers build our roads, bridges, and other essential infrastructure – and it’s great that the Ministry is acknowledging the importance of the trades as a first-choice career.”

There were approximately 9,600 jobs vacant in the London Economic Region and 23,600 in Southwestern Ontario in the third quarter of 2019, according to Statistics Canada’s Job Vacancy and Wage Survey. Retirements in the skilled trades are driving the shortage of skilled workers. In 2016, nearly one in three journeypersons were aged 55 years and over.

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