Ontario Supporting Apprenticeship Training Programs

Ontario is supporting more than 1,200 pre-apprentices in 67 training programs this year, to help them gain job skills and experience, and prepare them for successful careers in the skilled trades.

Deb Matthews, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development, was joined by MPP’s: Daiene Vernile (Kitchener Centre),Kathryn McGarry, MPP (Cambridge), at Conestoga College in Waterloo to talk about Ontario’s pre-apprenticeship investments this year. “Pre-apprenticeship training will help many people in the Waterloo Region develop the skills they need to find gainful employment in high demand trades,” Vernile said.  Conestoga College is receiving support from the province for two pre-apprenticeship programs for welders and heavy equipment technicians at its Waterloo and Kitchener campuses.

Each year, Ontario colleges and other training organizations offer free local training for people interested in careers in the trades, through the province’s Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program.

Pre-apprenticeship training helps people develop trade-specific knowledge, job skills and the work experience they need for careers in high-demand trades, such as carpentry, plumbing, or cooking.  Local programs accept a wide range of trainees, with many projects focused on groups that are under-represented in the skilled workforce, such as new Canadians, women, and Indigenous people.