The province is putting up more money to help tackle the province’s labour shortage.
In Dresden on Friday, Labour Minister and local MPP Monte McNaughton announced an additional $160-million the Skills Development Fund to help Ontarians get free training to meet the needs of employers in their communities.
“This year, we are prioritizing programs that propose innovative training solutions to help people on social assistance and those with prior criminals records find meaningful employment in critical sectors like health care, auto manufacturing, IT, hospitality, and the skilled trades.”
Provincial figures show there are roughly 300,000 jobs going unfilled in Ontario each day.
The government also announced a $465,000 investment through a previous round of the Skills Development Fund Training Stream to prepare 24 young people for well-paying careers in construction and the skilled trades in Chatham-Kent.
“At the end of last year, participants exited our training to post-secondary education, starting apprenticeships, opening their own businesses, and filling gaps in the local labour market,” says Vision Us Executive Director Phillip Mock.
SkillShift has been expanded this year to provide a free six-week introductory course that teaches participants essential skills for construction, financial literacy, and soft skills such as communication and interpersonal skills.
The program also offers a two-week paid job placement with local employers.
For more information on how to participate in the program, contact skillshift@visionus.ca or 519-784-4164.
