Skills Ontario applauds the Ontario government’s ongoing emphasis on skilled trade and technology career promotion, as addressed in the provincial government’s budget announcement. In order to remove barriers to growth, create jobs, and recover, the government is ”committing $100 million in dedicated funding in 2020–21 through Employment Ontario for skills training programs to help more workers and job seekers get advice, training and other assistance.” The government is also “modernizing the province’s skilled trades and apprenticeship system through Ontario’s Skilled Trades Strategy, which includes work to break the stigma around skilled trades, simplify the system and encourage employers to sponsor and hire apprentices.”

“The pandemic has created many challenges, and we applaud the Ontario government’s leadership during these difficult times. While proficiently handling these unprecedented circumstances, the government also continues to demonstrate strong action on the promotion of skilled trade and technology careers,” says Ian Howcroft, CEO of Skills Ontario. “With the focus on filling the skills gap and simplifying the system, we can have even more reach and impact and continue to build our future skilled workforce. Skills Ontario’s long-standing partnership with the government allows us to promote these lucrative and rewarding careers to young people. We support the government and its action as we both work to realize our common goals to create the skilled workforce of the future – our economic wellbeing depends on it.”

As noted in the Government of Ontario’s release, one of the highlights of their action plan is “connecting workers in the tourism and hospitality sector and others most affected by the pandemic to training and jobs with an investment of $180.5 million over 3 years, including a skilled trades strategy, an additional $100 million of dedicated investments through Employment Ontario for skills training, a redesigned Second Career program, and $59.5 million to acquire in-demand skills.”

Through its programs and initiatives, Skills Ontario delivers interactive and educational activities and events to youth so that they can explore skilled trade and technology careers. Skills Ontario looks forward to continuing to provide learning opportunities to young people across Ontario in order to build a strong and robust workforce.

About         
Skills Ontario has been growing a portfolio of programs to inspire and engage youth since 1989, including presentations, career exploration events, competitions, summer camps, and Young Women’s and First Nations, Métis, and Inuit workshops and conferences. To see how you can partner with Skills Ontario and help make a difference in the lives of Ontario youth, visit skillsontario.com/get-involved.