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Province investing in training skilled workforce

March 6, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

As many university graduates find out after they have finished school that not all degrees lead to a steady paying job, many return to the college system or other training to find an employable skill.

The province is investing in training to build Ontario’s skilled workforce which will support the economy.

Training for skilled trade provides access to thousands of well-paying jobs and in-demand careers.

A person can earn a living while learning on the job as an apprentice.

There are over 140 skilled trades available for people to learn.

By 2026, one in six job openings in the province are projected to be in the skilled trades. Over 26,000 employers in the province offer paid apprenticeships.

Ontario schools have programs that help students explore in-demand careers in the skilled trades. With specialty training, hands-on work experience and the ability to earn while you learn, skilled trades programs give students exposure to a wide range of secure, high-paying and satisfying careers.

Students can get an early start and strong foundational skills in the skilled trades through different programs in high school.

The Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program is a school-to-work program. It lets students explore and work in apprenticeships starting in the summer before Grade 11 through cooperative education.

Co-op allows students to get hands-on learning, test-drive career options, see the relevance of their classroom learning, earn credits through workplace experience, develop skills and habits required in the workplace, and build a resume for their post-secondary plans and future employment.

Once you are in an apprentice program you can prepare for the future.

The Red Seal Program is the national standard of excellence for skilled tradespeople in Canada.

With a Red Seal endorsement, certified tradespeople can apply for jobs nationwide, without the need to complete additional testing to prove their skills.

There are more than 50 designated Red Seal trades including cook, cabinetmaker, industrial electrician, landscape horticulturist, and tool and die maker.

Enter the trades is an option that will give you a skill to last a lifetime.

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