Government to Increase Funding For Students in Trade Skills in Brampton

Published July 31, 2019 at 5:03 am

Brampton and the rest of Ontario has a significant lack of students going into a trade skill for a career. Now the provincial government is looking to help students learn these skills.

Brampton and the rest of Ontario has a significant lack of students going into a trade skill for a career. Now the provincial government is looking to help students learn these skills.

The government addressed the apprenticeship and skilled trades shortage during the 108th Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) meeting in Victoria, British Columbia. The CMEC is held annually to discuss issues involving elementary, secondary and postsecondary education.

David Piccini, the Parliamentary Assistant for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, presented the province’s plan to tie funding to performance metrics, starting in 2020-21.

“Underpinning our work in Ontario is a resolute belief that we can and must do a better job to ensure that post-secondary education is getting positive outcomes for Ontario’s students and our economy,” said Piccini. “Ontario’s higher education priorities include ensuring students have the skills and competencies needed to succeed in the labour market.”

The performance-based funding model will come into effect through the next round of Strategic Mandate Agreements, bilateral agreements between the ministry and each of Ontario’s 45 publicly-assisted colleges and universities.

Funding in 2019-20 for the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program will be $12.7 million.

“Encouraging students to pursue careers in STEM and the skilled trades will help address the current labour shortage Ontario is facing,” said Ross Romano, the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. “There are so many opportunities for Ontario students to prosper in the areas of science, technology, engineering, math and the skilled trades.”

According to StatsCan, the average age for Canadian tradespersons is 40-50 years old, so the lack of students going into trade skills is definitely an issue.

The province recently passed the Modernizing the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2019 as part of the Protecting What Matters Most, 2019 Budget Act to help improve the skilled trades and apprenticeship system, reduce ‘roadblocks’ and make more opportunities for business and jobs.

What do you think of these improvements?

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