Industry Insights
Support Ontario Youth (SOY) welcomes the $20 million investment made by the Ontario government last week that will go some distance in helping small businesses jointly sponsor and train apprentices through the new Group Sponsorship Grant program which helps increase the number of people training and working in the skilled trades.
The newly announced program would support business participation in sponsoring apprentices in 2020-21 by investing $20-million to encourage small- and medium-sized contractors to come together and provide the necessary resources for a full scope of training and on the job mentorship for registered Ontario apprentices.
Executive Director Stephen Sell from SOY said, “We wholeheartedly agree that this program will reduce pressure on employers to see apprentices through to the completion of their training and provide apprentices with the important supports needed to become a registered journeyperson. Completion rates within the trades environment have often been a challenging obstacle to overcome. This new initiative responds directly to the needs of small- and medium-sized contractors across the province and reflects what we, along with the Ontario Electrical League have been advocating for some time in addressing impediments to the attainment of journeyman certification.”
Sell added, “Our SOY membership which includes employers and apprentices, recognizes the importance of supporting the contractors who train apprentices. Consequently, we believe that the Ford government’s new Group Sponsorship Grant will be a valuable support and as we indicated earlier, a most welcomed initiative. Once again we appreciate the fact that through this initiative the Ford government has demonstrated that they listened closely to the needs of our industry.”
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About the Support Ontario Youth – Support Ontario Youth (SOY) is a registered charity established in 2016. Over the past couple of years, SOY has worked closely with employers, apprentices and industry stakeholders to provide support in streamlining the apprenticeship pathway in Ontario. SOY’s mandate is to advocate for the apprentice and help support them in their journey to becoming a fully licensed journeyperson.
Media Contact
Huong Nguyen – Operations Manager, Support Ontario Youth
huong.nguyen@supportontarioyouth.ca | Office: 647-693-8939
Related Topics: Governance Support Ontario Youth
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This Employment Ontario Program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
