Province invests in construction training program for women and youth
The Ontario government has announced an investment of $560,000 in a training and mentorship program that aims to prepare women and youth for careers in construction and manufacturing.
The government announced the funding for the Niagara Region program on April 15 as part of its $115-million Skills Development Fund.
"Our government launched the Skills Development Fund to generate innovative solutions to get Ontario back to work," said Labour, Training and Skills Development Minister Monte McNaughton. "Women and young people have been especially vulnerable to job losses as a result of COVID-19. With free on-the-job training and mentorship, this new program will give them a much-needed hand up, and make sure businesses in the Niagara region have the workers they need to recover from the pandemic."
Women have accounted for 68 percent of net employment losses in Ontario between February 2020 and March 2021. Youth have also faced elevated unemployment rates during COVID-19. The March 2021 unemployment rate for Ontario youth aged 15 to 24 was 15.1 percent.
The training project, led by YMCA of Niagara, will connect 60 women and youth workers with a pool of mentors who are working at local construction and manufacturing businesses. It will provide them with on-the-job training for careers such as carpentry, machine operating and welding. Participants can also expect to receive a variety of supports including employment coaching, apprenticeship completion guidance and leadership training.
Employers and participants can apply to participate in the project until May 17 by contacting the YMCA of Niagara. Training is expected to start on June 7. Training will be free for participants, and participating employers will be eligible for compensation of up to $3,000 per participant.
"This announcement is good news for employers and workers in Niagara and will help prepare the next generation of highly skilled workers for the good jobs of today and tomorrow," said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West. "Investments like this one demonstrate Ontario's capacity to recover stronger than ever after COVID-19."