More money for apprentices and employers
To reaffirm their expanding commitment to the skilled trades sector, the Provincal government recently announced funding towards Fanshawe's apprenticeship programs.
Chris Bentley, Training, Colleges and Universities minister and local MPP, reaffirmed a $1.3 million investment in Fanshawe's newly established co-op diploma apprenticeship program, which merges practical aspects of apprenticeships with in-class academic features of diploma programs.
“By providing more opportunities for students to become apprentices while obtaining a college education, we are helping more Ontarians participate more fully in the economy," Bentley said.
The funding will sustain and expand upon the already established automotive service technician/motive power technician diploma, cook/culinary management diploma, industrial mechanical millwright/mechanical technician diploma and truck and coach technician/mechanical technician diploma programs.
The investment will fund 155 Fanshawe apprentice students under the four disciplines, while simultaneously completing a college diploma.
“In not too many years we are going to have a real crisis in terms of skilled workers,” predicted Fanshawe's technology dean Rod Cameron.
With Ontario attracting major automotive players to set up camp in southwestern region, such as Toyota, which is scheduled to begin production in Woodstock in 2008, the provincial government has focused their resources on expanding trades associated with the auto industry.
But according to Cameron, the real shortage will fall within the construction industry. Cameron said the provincial government's push to attract more people into the skilled trades has worked, but now they need to entice employers to hire the studying apprentices.
“What we are trying to do now is reengage employers who have fallen out of training [apprentices],” Cameron said.
To entice employers the province has introduced tax credits for employers who hire apprentices.
Fanshawe Student Union president, Christine Thompson, said she is continuously impressed by the attention given to the provinces commitment to educational advancement within the trades.
“With these new dollars going towards apprentice programs, London will be one of the leading communities for quality trades people and many of them will come directly from [Fanshawe],” said Thompson.
Fanshawe received only a portion of the $11.5 million overall provincial investment. The remaining funds will be spread across 28 co-op and apprenticeship initiatives within nine different skilled trade sectors throughout Ontario colleges.
The Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program began in 2004 with 1600 government-funded apprenticeship spaces province wide. The new funding will create 900 additional spaces in for the September 2006 semester.
Premier McGuinty's Reaching Higher Plan was first announced in 2004, and aims to have 26,000 skilled trade labours enter the workforce annually by 2007/08.
Chris Bentley, Training, Colleges and Universities minister and local MPP, reaffirmed a $1.3 million investment in Fanshawe's newly established co-op diploma apprenticeship program, which merges practical aspects of apprenticeships with in-class academic features of diploma programs.
“By providing more opportunities for students to become apprentices while obtaining a college education, we are helping more Ontarians participate more fully in the economy," Bentley said.
The funding will sustain and expand upon the already established automotive service technician/motive power technician diploma, cook/culinary management diploma, industrial mechanical millwright/mechanical technician diploma and truck and coach technician/mechanical technician diploma programs.
The investment will fund 155 Fanshawe apprentice students under the four disciplines, while simultaneously completing a college diploma.
“In not too many years we are going to have a real crisis in terms of skilled workers,” predicted Fanshawe's technology dean Rod Cameron.
With Ontario attracting major automotive players to set up camp in southwestern region, such as Toyota, which is scheduled to begin production in Woodstock in 2008, the provincial government has focused their resources on expanding trades associated with the auto industry.
But according to Cameron, the real shortage will fall within the construction industry. Cameron said the provincial government's push to attract more people into the skilled trades has worked, but now they need to entice employers to hire the studying apprentices.
“What we are trying to do now is reengage employers who have fallen out of training [apprentices],” Cameron said.
To entice employers the province has introduced tax credits for employers who hire apprentices.
Fanshawe Student Union president, Christine Thompson, said she is continuously impressed by the attention given to the provinces commitment to educational advancement within the trades.
“With these new dollars going towards apprentice programs, London will be one of the leading communities for quality trades people and many of them will come directly from [Fanshawe],” said Thompson.
Fanshawe received only a portion of the $11.5 million overall provincial investment. The remaining funds will be spread across 28 co-op and apprenticeship initiatives within nine different skilled trade sectors throughout Ontario colleges.
The Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program began in 2004 with 1600 government-funded apprenticeship spaces province wide. The new funding will create 900 additional spaces in for the September 2006 semester.
Premier McGuinty's Reaching Higher Plan was first announced in 2004, and aims to have 26,000 skilled trade labours enter the workforce annually by 2007/08.
