There's a looming skilled trades gap in Ontario, and Lambton College will be at the forefront of helping fill those important positions.
The college was granted just over $926,000 from the province on Monday to support 380 students in six in-class training programs.
They include boilermakers, welders, carpenters, steamfitters, electricians and instrumentation workers. It has also been approved as a new provider for construction boilermaker training.
Labour Minister and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton said there's still a stigma attached to working in the trades.
He said you can make as much, or more, than someone with a Ph.D.
"We're moving to end the stigma, simplify the apprenticeship system, and calling on businesses to do their part and step up to the plate to bring on more apprentices," said McNaughton. "There are 200,000 jobs that are going unfilled every day. That costs Ontario about $24 billion per year in economic GDP."
McNaughton said 40 per cent of the province's boilermakers are expected to retire in the next few years. He said about 1,000 of them will be needed to refurbish the Darlington and Bruce Nuclear Generating Stations over the next five years.
Sarnia and District Labour Council President Jason McMichael said tradespeople are extremely important locally.
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton speaks at Lambton College - Jan 27/20 (Blackburnnews.com photo by Josh Boyce)
NOVA is in the middle of a major expansion project, and shutdown work is ongoing elsewhere.
"This summer, we understand there could be as many as 1,000 out of town workers coming to Sarnia to work," said McMichael. "That's great for our local economy, but we'd much rather put local folks to work. Announcements like this and the amazing work they're doing at Lambton College to keep skilled trades in Sarnia-Lambton is desperately needed."
Efforts are also continuing to attract more females into the trades. Nine of the 40 students enrolled in Lambton's welding program are women.
Welding Techniques Professor Nikki Noble said her parents were initially skeptical about her going into the trades.
"I did take the two-year business program, and I hated it after the first month but I wanted to continue so I followed through," said Noble. "I think my parents were paranoid about the safety aspect. They just didn't know what to expect, or what would happen. This is why I always encourage safety. I'm a parent myself, and I want to know that my child will come home safe with whatever profession they choose."
The province is running an ad campaign called 'Find a Career You Wouldn't Trade' to encourage further enrollment.