Madeline Mazak/The Windsor Star
With the demand growing for more skilled trades workers in the province, the Ontario government on Monday announced an $826,441 investment to help train more Windsor-Essex apprentices for high-demand jobs in construction and manufacturing.
“This is truly an exciting announcement today, because really, it helps set youth on the right path and allows for tremendous skills development in our community,” MPP Andrew Dowie (PC — Windsor Tecumseh) said during a media event held at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 773 training centre.
“Our government is laser-focused on protecting Ontario, protecting jobs, productivity and the future of our economy in the face of these U.S. tariffs and global uncertainty that we are seeing,” said Dowie.
“There’s nothing better than preparing ourselves and getting our own skills in order so that we can be an all-encompassing economy and do things right here at home.”
For Erie Migration District School graduate and new electrician apprentice Gavin Kritzer, 18, the program offered an alternative path when he realized post-secondary education wasn’t the right fit.
“A lot of people used to think like the old thing was, you got to go to post-secondary school if you want to be successful,” said Kritzer.
“That stigma has changed a lot. Fortunately, everybody knows now that there is money in the trades to be made.
“Post-secondary just didn’t really interest me. I wanted to try a trade. I wanted to work with my hands. And it was great that I knew that I could still have a successful life coming from those skilled trades, doing what I enjoy.”
This week’s funding boost is delivered through the province’s Skills Development Fund Training Stream. It supports an array of local programs, including IBEW Local 773’s Job Readiness initiative.
The Job Readiness program provides training in the basics of electricity, aerial platform operation, working at heights, skid steer operation, first aid and CPR, forklift use, and financial planning.
IBEW Local 773 business manager and financial secretary Karl Lovett said the program has already prepared 48 apprentices over the past couple of years.
“We need the people to do it,” said Lovett, “and through Job Readiness, it’s happening. We’re getting the best of the best.”
With many skilled-trades workers retiring and billions of dollars in construction projects underway across the region, Lovett said there is a demand and more people are recognizing the trades as lucrative careers.
The new funding will also expand the union’s training capacity. IBEW Local 773 is currently training around 150 apprentices, but Lovett said there were roughly 400 applicants waiting to get into the program.
Meanwhile, at the same time and place as Monday’s announcement, Windsor-Essex high school students were taking part in an ECP Electrical School pilot program, a partnership with the public school board and IBEW Local 773.
The one-semester program provides in-class training at the union’s facility, along with math, English, and electric/network cabling credits.
In its first semester, 19 of 20 spots were filled by high school students.
The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is open to a range of applicants, including employers, industry associations, labour unions, hospitals and many more.