Ontario has announced more than $7 million in job training projects to support Indigenous people across Northern Ontario.
The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development said the spending will be used to "prepare 1,700 workers for rewarding careers in their communities in critical sectors like mining, logging, construction, healthcare, and tourism, and help fill the region’s 17,000 vacant jobs. .
The provincial investment will be $7.3 million in eight innovative training projects to support Indigenous people across Northern Ontario, said the ministry.
One example is a project being led by the Ironworkers Local 759 in Thunder Bay. That project is expected to help 100 workers and jobseekers in the region upgrade their skills to work in construction. The one-year program will be free to participants and help tackle the critical shortage of ironworkers and welders, said the ministry news release.
The other eight projects are led by various organizations across multiple industries in Northern Ontario. To help prepare Indigenous jobseekers for in-demand careers in their communities, the programs will offer a variety of tailored supports, including mentorships, paid job placements and mental health resources, as well as transportation and accommodation, said the release.
These projects are funded through Ontario’s Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream, which supports ground-breaking programs that connect jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home. To date, the Ontario government has invested over $860 million in the Skills Development Fund Training Stream, helping half a million people take the next step in their careers.
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