The Ontario government has announced it will invest $4-million into "Boot Camps" for those who want to get into the skilled trades.
Starting next September and running through to March 2022, Support Ontario Youth will host 70 one-day sessions in more than 25 communities across the province, including Chatham-Kent and London. The full list of communities will be posted on the Support Ontario Youth website at the end of June.
"Tools in the Trades Boot Camps" are aimed at those in grade 12 who have an interest in the skilled trades, people who lost their job during the pandemic, and anyone who wants to start a new career with a special emphasis on Indigenous youth, women, and racialized groups.
The Ontario government said workers in the skilled trades are retiring at a faster rate than other occupations. By 2016, nearly one in three journeypersons were 55 or older. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for designated visible minorities was over 13 per cent last month and almost 21 per cent for those 15 to 24-years.
Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls on June 15, 2021. (Photo from Facebook Live announcement)
"For many of them, they find its rather difficult to even just get an interview," said Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls during Tuesday's announcement at Honey Electric Limited in Chatham.
Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, Monte McNaughton said there are more than 220,000 empty positions in Ontario, many of them in the trades.
"Not every young person needs to go to university," said McNaughton. "We need guidance counsellors, parents, and young people spreading the word that a career in the trades is well-paid, meaningful, and you can even start your own business."
Those who go will learn employability skills including, writing a resume and conduct during a job interview and hands-on technical training. They will also network with those in the skilled trades and employers looking to hire.
The program will help up to 2,100 people become future electricians, plumbers, millwrights, automotive service technicians, and horticulture technicians. As many as 500 employers and industry associations and 300 education and training providers are involved in the project.
Those who apply online at the Support Ontario Youth site will need to fill out a 17-question survey to determine their compatibility with their chosen trade.