The Carpenters’ Regional Council (CRC) is receiving $14 million from Ontario’s Skills Development Fund (SDF) Training Stream to train nearly 1,500 workers, making it the largest investment in the training stream’s history, the CRC said Friday. The funding will create the CRC Workforce Development Program, which combines three existing initiatives and introduces two new ones.
One key program, called Work Employment Readiness for Carpentry (WERC), will offer pre-apprenticeship training to more than 750 new skilled-trades workers and include job placements for those who complete the program, the CRC said. Another existing effort will continue to help apprentices prepare for and pass the Red Seal exam.
The Enhanced Construction Program (ECP), run with local school boards, will now expand from Windsor to Hamilton, Ottawa and the London region, according to the CRC. High school students in the ECP spend a semester at CRC training centres, where they earn academic credits, co-op credits and several health and safety certifications before moving on to job placements. This growth is expected to support 160 future tradespeople, the CRC said.
In addition, 150 healthcare workers and 125 industrial workers will receive upskilling training in safety, ergonomics and equipment handling, the CRC said. This training aims to increase employability for members and reduce workplace injuries.
“This historic investment will expand on our existing programs to build on their success, further developing a productive and highly skilled workforce to meet the province’s infrastructure and housing needs,” said Jason Rowe, executive secretary-treasurer of the Carpenters’ Regional Council. “Further, new specialized programs for healthcare and industrial workers will extend our commitment to training beyond construction into other high-demand sectors of Ontario’s economy.”
The CRC will also receive up to $13 million under the SDF Capital Stream to upgrade five union training centres, including locations in Windsor, Cambridge, London, Sudbury and Ottawa, which will train an additional 1,175 carpenters, the CRC said.
“By investing in carpenter training, we are helping to train the next generation of workers – including women and young people – to build Ontario’s bright future,” said David Piccini, minister of labour, immigration, training and skills development. “Workers can benefit from the wisdom of experienced tradespeople, gain the necessary skills for lifelong careers in the construction trades and unlock their full potential.”
