The Ontario government is investing $4.3 million in four training projects to help Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members prepare for new jobs and transition to civilian life.
"Men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces give their all for this country. When the time comes to hang up their uniform, they deserve to know help will be there," said Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development David Piccini.
According to the government, 8,000 CAF members are released from service every year.
On Friday, Piccini announced the free programs meant to prepare veterans for careers in multiple in-demand sectors including healthcare, the skilled trades, software development, and cyber security.
The first project is led by True Patriot Love Foundation. It will help 130 people find jobs in healthcare.
"Many of our Veterans can find the transition to a new career post service challenging; bringing with it changes in community, potential loss of purpose and a need to align skills learned in the military with opportunities in the civilian sector," said Nick Booth, CEO of True Patriot Love Foundation.
In addition to training former CAF members for healthcare jobs, True Patriot Love Foundation will partner with 40 Ontario employers from a variety of sectors to educate and inform them on the benefits of hiring veterans and best practices for reducing barriers to employment.
True Patriot Love Foundation is also receiving $1.04 million from the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services to support community-based projects that include job training courses, trauma and resilience programs, and mental health support through the creative arts.
"We proudly support Veterans and their families through funding of the Soldiers' Aid Commission to help them access mental health services and supports, transition to civilian life, and find new careers," Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services, said.
The other three projects funded by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training, and Skills Development are led by Coding for Veterans, Helmets to Hardhats, and the Roland Gossage Foundation.
"[Helmets to Hardhats] will be able to offer specialized training programs and direct referrals into the workforce to ensure our clients can thrive in the unionized construction industry," Executive Director of Helmets to Hardhats James Hogarth announced.
The Coding for Veterans program has already retrained more than 200 military veterans, reservists, spouses and family members in Ontario in the areas of software development and cyber security. Executive Director Jeff Musson said that graduates of the program "have immediately gained employment with tech companies across the province."
The three projects will benefit 226 jobseekers by offering a variety of tailored supports, technical training, bootcamps, mentorship, apprenticeship referrals, and counselling.
The funding for these projects comes through the Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream.
Applications are open now and will stay open until November 17.
