A local organization is getting some provincial support to give disadvantaged youth a hand-up.
Family Services Kent is being given $200,000 in funding to offer an introductory training course to 75 young people who are unemployed or under-employed, teaching hand and power tool use, safety, and woodworking design.
Over the course of three weeks, participants between the ages of 15 and 29 will receive hands-on training needed for work in carpentry, general contracting and construction, and soft skills such as financial literacy and business communication.
William Laurie is the Trades and Youth Mentor with the Prosperity Roundtable, and says getting an education and training at any level is important.
“That’s part of the conversation we’re having with young people and their parents and schools, university is important, college is important, skilled trades is important, it’s all important, but we recognize we have a need in Chatham-Kent, so we’re providing the opportunity to do that.”
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton says the province is facing the largest labour shortage in a generation, including over 2000 job postings for skilled trades in Chatham-Kent in the last six months.
“I am proud to support this project that gives youth in Chatham-Kent hands-on training and a pathway to financial independence and a career they can be proud of,” McNaughton says.
Once training is complete, participants have the option to work as a sub-contractor for Ambition Trailer, a handyperson social enterprise in Chatham-Kent.
Trainees can also connect with the Skilled Trades Action Team for who will work with them to map out the next steps in their career.