The next generation of tradespeople in London and surrounding area have received a $4.2-million boost from the province.
Deputy Premier and London North Centre MPP Deb Matthews announced the funding at a news conference at Fanshawe College on Monday. The money comes from the Apprenticeship Enhancement Fund and Pre-Apprenticeship Training program.
The money is being divided among eight institutes for training, equipment, and facility upgrades.
"Our projections are that over the next five years, one in five jobs are going to require the kinds of skills that we're supporting through this investment," says Matthews. "We do need people looking seriously at the trades. This gives them more opportunity to be successful in a trade."
Fanshawe College is taking the biggest chunk of the funding - $2.4-million. The college will use the funds to purchase new tractors and vehicle hoists for the automotive and agricultural trades programs and build modern kitchens for the culinary program.
Vertha Coligan, dean of the faculty of technology at Fanshawe College, says the money is vital.
"Without this infusion of funding it becomes prohibitively expensive for colleges to plan for the updating of equipment related to apprenticeship. We are very grateful for this money," says Coligan.
Coligan says having up-to-date facilities and equipment is a huge benefit for the college when trying to attract students looking for post secondary education.
"Students come and see the facilities and they see the equipment that we have and they want to learn at Fanshawe because of that," says Coligan. "If we match the enthusiasm for the facilities with great teaching, which is what we do every day of the week, that's a winning combination for a student."
LiUNA local 1059 is receiving $432,000 for multi-media classroom technology and scaled model training equipment for those in the construction and cement mixing trades.
The London District Catholic School Board will use the $68,585 it is receiving to provide pre-apprenticeship training for the automotive trades.
With thousands of baby boomers set to retire over the next 10-20 years, Matthews says it is important that the province start highlighting the benefits of trades to high school students.
"We all know that we need to get the message out to high school kids in particular, that the trades are a viable option, there is good money to be made, it's good work, and there is a real demand for those skills. That's part of our job too, it's creating the opportunity but it is also raising awareness."
Other institutes receiving funding include College Boreal, London Training Centre, Brick and Allied Craft Union of Canada, Lambton College, and the Technical Training Group in Stratford.
