Ontario offers training for food and beverage manufacturing careers

The Ontario government is investing $1 million to prepare over 600 people across the province for careers in food and beverage processing.

This funding to Food and Beverage Ontario provides jobseekers with training, mentorship, and job placements with local employers in baking, food science, and food production and processing.

Workers in food processing, transportation and warehousing, where job postings have nearly doubled over the past year and a fifth of the workforce is preparing to retire, can earn upwards of $25 an hour. Food and Beverage Ontario’s CareersNOW! program will help address this labour shortage by delivering:

• Free online training and coaching on topics such as workplace safety, employee-employer relations, and safe food handling, to prepare people for jobs in food and beverage manufacturing.
• A regional pilot program with the City of Brampton to assess challenges and opportunities in connecting local jobseekers with employers, focusing on underrepresented groups in the industry, including women and people of colour.
• A virtual career mentorship series delivered in partnership with Ontario colleges and universities that provides students with opportunities to connect with professionals in the industry and explore education and career pathways.
• Online job fairs to connect jobseekers with open positions.

“With this important investment, Food and Beverage Ontario has kickstarted a critical workforce development program for Ontario’s food and beverage processors, and the participation by employers and jobseekers has been extraordinary,” said Chris Conway, CEO, Food and Beverage Ontario. “Our thanks to the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development for supporting the launch of CareersNOW! so that we have the systems in place to engage jobseekers and students, and facilitate connections with employers offering great jobs. This program is our top priority.”