The Ontario government is investing over $1 million in two projects that will provide free training in construction to 645 people in Northern Ontario.
According to a release, the investment plan will prioritize those from remote First Nations and Indigenous communities, and will prepare participants for in-demand jobs in the construction sector, including heavy equipment operator and electrical trades.
“We’re seeing strong job growth across the province, and the North is no exception. There are thousands of well-paying and rewarding jobs in the resource sector just waiting to be filled by people with the right skills,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “These projects will connect people with the training they need to restart their careers, earn bigger paycheques for their families and boost development in Northern Ontario’s resource sector.”
This investment includes $582,000 for NORCAT to train 20 participants with the skills and safety training to operate machinery to build roads, move minerals and harvest forests.
Trainees will receive free in-class and hands-on training over a period of five-to-six weeks at NORCAT’s forest and mining operations in Thunder Bay, with free lodging and transportation to and from their training site. NORCAT’s training program will be offered from September 13 to December 3, 2021.
Ontario is additionally investing $467,500 for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 1687 (IBEW 1687) to develop a virtual training centre to teach 625 electrical workers across remote Northern and First Nations communities.
Funding will support the purchase of audio visual (A/V) equipment and development of an online curriculum so that workers can receive safety and equipment training, leadership development and business skills to upgrade their skills in careers including powerline technicians, network cabling specialists, electrical apprentices and journeypersons. Classes will be live-streamed and videotaped for workers without high-speed internet.
The funding comes as part of the government’s $115 million Skills Development Fund to address challenges to hiring, training and retraining workers and apprentices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
