Students in Grade 11 can now transition to a full-time, skilled trades apprenticeship program at a time when the province continues to face historic labour shortages.
Upon receiving their Certificate of Apprenticeship, young workers can apply for their Ontario Secondary School Diploma as mature students. This change means that more students will be able to enter the trades faster than ever before.
“These changes provide students with exciting pathways to good-paying jobs and rewarding careers and support our government’s ongoing work to attract more young people into the skilled trades,” Premier Doug Ford said in a March 8 news release.
In the construction sector alone, 72,000 new workers are needed by 2027 to fill open positions because of retirements and expected job growth.