May 22, 2008

Skills Shortage

Cash for newcomer training in Ontario welcomed

$27 million to help harmonize credentials with province

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

The $27.4 million invested by Ontario to help newcomers bridge their international credentials with Ontario qualifications will help construction, says the Council of Ontario Construction Associations.

“There is a chronic shortage of talented skilled and trained workers and we are delighted with whatever the province can do to help construction,” says David Surplis, acting president of COCA.

The $27.4 million announced last week will be spread among 40 provincial programs that help newcomers become better qualified to work in Ontario. This funding boost will help an estimated 3,000 skilled newcomers get opportunities to land jobs that match their qualifications and experience, the provincial government says.

About 70 per cent of adult newcomers to Ontario have post-secondary education or training

The new expanded provincial programs are offered in the Greater Toronto Area, Kitchener-Waterloo Region, Hamilton, London, Niagara Region, and Ottawa.

The funding will help provide specific language and technical training, mentoring, skills assessment and work experience needed for various professions in sectors such as the trades, research and innovation and social work.

As part of the Canada-Ontario Immigration Agreement, the federal government is contributing $8.1 million to partially fund some projects.

Some of the programs receiving funds include:

•The Ontario Society of Professional Engineers will receive $83,800 to design a program for a pre-exam course to prepare engineers to write the Professional Practice Examination.

•The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority will receive $379,867 for a three-month project to provide 40 environmental engineers with occupation-specific language and workplace culture training, technical standards training and job experience.

•The Community MicroSkills Development Centre will receive $1.2 million for a program in partnership with the Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council, which will help 225 trained individuals prepare for employment in the supply chain sector.

•The Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning will receive $1.2 million for a project to assist trained civil, mechanical and electrical engineers prepare for employment by providing engineering software training and job search support

•The Skills for Change program will receive $1.2 million to help prepare industrial electricians, construction and maintenance electricians and industrial mechanics to pass qualification exams.

•Algonquin College will receive $1 million to help 40 civil engineers meet the requirements to practice as Civil Engineering Technologists in Ontario.

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