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MORE TRADESPEOPLE NEEDED!

by Lisa Harrison & Seth DuChene
It’s no secret. Industries that rely on tradespeople
have a hard time refilling their ranks.

areer Edge works to connect trades- As we wait for Ontario’s new
Cpeople, apprentices and people who apprenticeship program to be fleshed out,
want to be apprentices with employers Career Edge can help employers and job
who are ready to hire or train people. seekers to navigate the current landscape.
Ontario is reorganizing its skilled trades
and apprenticeship system with the hope of FOR WOULD-BE APPRENTICES
making it easier for employers to hire If you are interested in working towards a
apprentices and address the ongoing short- career in the trades, the first step for a
age of tradespeople in the province. would-be apprentice is to obtain your On-
In a press conference in December 2020, tario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
Ontario’s Minister of Labour Monte Mc- You’ll need it to register as an apprentice,
Naughton said in the construction industry and you’ll have to be 18 years of age or
alone, an additional 22,000 more tradespeo- older.
ple are needed to fill labour demand. What’s Students who haven’t yet graduated from
more, one in three tradespeople in Ontario secondary school can explore the Ontario
are over the age of 55 and nearing retire- Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). It
ment. (cbc.ca Dec. 4, 2020 “Facing looming cri- allows students to work in a skilled trade
sis in trades, Ontario kicks in $20M for prior to graduation and earn hours that go
apprenticeship grant.) towards obtaining trade certification while
This change is ongoing and if you’d like also working towards their high school

to participate in the consultation process re- diploma that’s co-op. Connect with your
garding the apprenticeship system, consider school about this. Every hour you work
taking part in the online survey that you can counts twice! Plus you’ll be on the appren-
find at ticeship track, in the system, which will give
www.ontario.ca/form/survey-apprentice- you a leg-up when you’re searching for
ship-and-skilled-trades-ontario – to have apprenticeship employers.
your voice heard.

Surve#: www.ontario.ca/form/survey-apprenticeship-and-skilled-trades-ontario
Job Boar : www.careeredge.on.ca/careers

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