The province will host career fairs at schools this fall to highlight the 144 skilled trades available for students to pursue.
Labour Minister Monte McNaughton says the Level Up! career fairs will be aimed at grades 7 to 12 who will hear first hand from trades people and business owners about what the jobs are really like.
"These are good paying jobs, often with pensions and benefits, where you can buy a home, raise a family, and be damn proud of what you do," said McNaughton.
McNaughton says the province is facing the largest labour shortage in a generation and its needs about 100,000 more skilled tradespeople by the end of this decade to fill in the gap.
"It's time to stop selling parents and students the myth that university is the only path to success," said McNaughton. "Because when you have a career in the trades, you have a well-paying career for life."
McNaughton also announced that the province is doing away with paper log books for apprentices and instead Skilled Trades Ontario is introducing digital log books to keep track of their progress. The new online books come at the same time as the agency launches is office new logo and branding.
“At Skilled Trades Ontario, our job is to make it easier for apprentices and trades professionals to reach their goals and get the word out to more people about career opportunities right here in Ontario,” said Melissa Young, CEO and Registrar, Skilled Trades Ontario. “Digital logbooks are part of our plan to revolutionize Ontario’s apprenticeship system, while our new brand celebrates there is a skilled trade out there for every passion.”
