Colleges Ontario applauds Ford government's actions to improve skills training
TORONTO, Oct. 23, 2018 /CNW/ - Measures announced by the Ford government today to improve skills training in the province will go a tremendous way towards producing a more highly qualified workforce, Colleges Ontario said.
"Apprenticeship training in this province is awash in red tape," said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. "We're pleased the government is taking serious action to streamline and improve skills training."
The government announced today that it is terminating the Ontario College of Trades – an important step to help close the skills gap that is hurting businesses and industries throughout the province.
The modernization of skills training is long overdue as growing numbers of employers throughout the province are struggling to find qualified people. The Ontario Skilled Trades Alliance reported last year that up to 41 per cent of the employers it surveyed would hire more people if they had the right skills.
Part of the effort to strengthen the workforce must include reforming apprenticeship training.
Ontario's colleges continue to champion measures to allow more people to enrol in apprenticeship training and to successfully complete their programs. In particular, colleges are encouraging the government to create a one-window application service to apprenticeship training by expanding the provincial application service for college students to include apprentices.
"Ontario can produce more apprentices with the qualifications and expertise to close the skills gap," Franklin said. "We encourage the government to work on further reforms that will make a huge difference to students and employers."
SOURCE Colleges Ontario
Amy Dickson, Manager, Media Relations and Communications, Colleges Ontario, (647) 258-7686, [email protected]
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