The Canadian Tooling and Machine Association (CTMA) received funding from Ontario’s Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development through the Skills Development Fund. The funding is for Career-Ready with CTMA: Expanding Opportunities program, which could provide employers up to 50 per cent of wages paid, or up to $5,000 per placement.
Designed to help more people increase their skills for job opportunities in the precision metal working sector and assist employers with the costs of hiring and training, the program will provide up to 500 Experiential Work Placements (EWPs) for candidates that meet the program’s eligibility requirements.
“Our plan for this program is to continue this relationship and install new machinery and tools in an additional 30 high schools throughout the province,” said Robert Cattle, Executive Director, CTMA. “Our goal is to expose high school students to technology at an earlier age to engage their interest for a career within our industry.”
Employers can receive funding for up to 12 candidates but must train participants following a list of industry-specific technical learning outcomes that can be tailored to individual positions. Participating employers must also pay participants at least the minimum wage throughout the duration of the EWPs.
Eligible candidates include individuals who want to start an apprenticeship, high school/post-secondary students/graduates, co-op students, workers displaced due to the pandemic, job seekers looking for full-time employment, and existing employee(s) being upskilled for a new position.
“Across Ontario, businesses continue to see a shortage of skilled workers needed to build our province,” said Monte McNaughton, Training and Skills Development, Minister of Labour. “I’m proud to support CTMA’s Expanding Opportunities program, which will help up to 500 hard-working men and women prepare for meaningful careers in tooling and precision metalworking, so they can earn more take-home pay and build better lives for themselves and their families.”
The second part of the program is focused on preparing high school students for careers within the industry, by purchasing and installing new machinery and tools into high schools across Ontario.
