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TORONTO — The Ontario government is investing $9.3 million in 11 training projects to help approximately 2,000 students and job seekers prepare for auto and advanced manufacturing careers. The funding will support projects from a range of organizations, including auto manufacturers, industry associations, training providers and public universities and colleges.
Details were provided today by Premier Doug Ford, Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and members of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association.
“Ontario’s auto and manufacturing employers have made game-changing contributions in the fight against COVID-19 by re-tooling their production lines to make personal protective equipment and medical supplies,” said Premier Ford. “As we gradually reopen the province, we are making strategic investments to train and re-train people to ensure all businesses get the talent they need, and everyone can get back to work and put food on the table to support Ontario’s economic recovery.”
The following funding recipients were selected through calls for proposals: The Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, George Brown College, Skills for Change of Metro Toronto, Ford Motor Company of Canada, Humber College, the Canadian Skills Training and Employment Coalition, Seneca College Newnham Campus, Sheridan College, and Centennial College.
“Our government is committed to helping businesses find skilled workers and to providing everyone with an opportunity to land those in-demand jobs,” said Minister McNaughton. “Training and retraining are an important part of our economic recovery efforts. By investing in new training programs, we help laid-off workers and young jobseekers get the skills upgrades they need to establish new, fulfilling careers.”
The training projects range from hands-on learning opportunities for students in co-op or internship settings to short-duration, high quality college courses that help laid-off workers learn to operate high-tech machinery or gain credentials for good jobs in the auto or advanced manufacturing sector.
“Ontario’s talented and innovative workers are the greatest asset of our world-class automotive and advanced manufacturing sectors,” said Minister Fedeli. “Today’s announcement further strengthens our talent pipeline and provides exciting training opportunities for rewarding careers in Ontario’s dynamic manufacturing industry.”
“Everything in the globally competitive automotive sector comes down to the people you can recruit, train and retain,” said Flavio Volpe, President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association. “Thanks to the support from the Ontario government, our program can help Ontario companies ensure they find home-grown talent and that the future of this sector outshines its great past.”
