The Ontario government is providing more students in Brampton with valuable hands-on experiences with the skilled trades by supporting Sheridan College’s pre-apprenticeship programs at its Davis Campus. The programs will help prepare 50 people for good jobs and careers in the skilled trades.
The investment includes $559,837 for Sheridan College’s General Machinist and Industrial Mechanic Millwright pre-apprenticeship programs to create placements for an additional 50 students.
“Over the next five years, one in five jobs created will be in the skilled trades,” Premier Doug Ford said. “We need more skilled workers to help us build the roads, transit, and infrastructure we need, both now and in the future. Young people in Brampton need to know that these are in-demand, well-paying careers, and that’s exactly what we’re doing with today’s announcement.”
The funding is part of the Ontario government’s total investment of $20.8 million in Ontario’s Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program. The government is also increasing annual spending on the program by $2.5 million this year, creating an additional 200 placements in the program.
Today’s 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.
“I hear from small businesses across the province of the need for skilled tradespeople to operate and grow their business,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “As our government builds the environment for job and economic growth, the skilled trades continue to be in high demand and a great career choice in Brampton and throughout Ontario. With this announcement, we’re preparing our young people for the jobs of tomorrow, today.”
“In Brampton and throughout the province, there are thousands of jobs that go unfilled each day,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “Those are paycheques waiting to be collected. But the workers aren’t there. Our mission is to bridge that skills gap in Brampton and beyond. Today’s announcement at Sheridan, training two in-demand trades like machinist and millwright, is the next step.”
“Ontario colleges play a vital role in preparing students for a proud professional career in the skilled trades,” said Ross Romano, Minister of Colleges and Universities. “With 81 per cent of apprenticeship training and skilled trades education being completed in our classrooms, programs like the General Machinist and Industrial Mechanic Millwright programs at Sheridan are helping to address local labour market needs while setting students up for success in their careers.”
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 an 8-12 week work placement.
Full Press Release here: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/01/ontario-investing-in-skilled-trades-training-in-brampton.html