Photo L/R: Chad Hogan, LiUNA Training Director; MPP Bob Bailey; Red Seal construction craft worker apprentices Pat Daly and Jake Peters. Submitted Photo. Photo L/R: Chad Hogan, LiUNA Training Director; MPP Bob Bailey; Red Seal construction craft worker apprentices Pat Daly and Jake Peters. Submitted Photo.
Sarnia

Initiative aimed at recruiting new workers in Sarnia-Lambton

The province is investing over $200,000 locally to help boost the skilled trades workforce.

Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey announced Thursday that the Ontario government is investing $225,682 in a new skills development program led by LiUNA Local 1089.

Bailey said the new initiative will seek to recruit new workers, especially those from First Nations communities, persons with disabilities, women's groups and racialized community groups.

"It's a great opportunity for men and women, young people, middle-aged people to upgrade their skills and get back to work," said Bailey. "We have lots of work in the Sarnia-Lambton area and we want to give all these people a great opportunity to take part in that."

"With the ongoing support of the Ontario government and the Skills Development Fund, LiUNA continues to introduce innovative training and outreach programs to attract new workers, including those from historically underrepresented groups, and modernize the skilled trades to ensure that Ontario has the strongest, safest, and most job ready workforce in the country," said LiUNA Local 1089 Training Director Chad Hogan in a news release Thursday.

The province said data suggests that the need to replace retiring workers is greater for skilled trades' workers than for other occupations.

"We're reaching out because two out of every three of these tradespeople, men and women, will be retiring in the next five years," said Bailey. "We need to replace them and that's why this is job number one and we're going to be on this right away."

The new initiative is supported through the government's Skills Development Fund.

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