The Canadian Tooling and Machining Association (CTMA) is launching two skills training programs for youth to help fill the skilled trades gap in Canada: the Introductory Trades Training program and the Ontario Manufacturing Learning Consortium, a partnership initiative between CTMA, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME), Ontario Aerospace Council (OAC) and the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCI).
The two programs are a continuation of the training initiatives CTMA has developed, including a software training program it introduced to its members.
“The Ontario government came back to us and said what other innovative initiative could they support,” says Robert Cattle, executive director of CTMA. “So we asked our members if they were to receive money to train someone new on the shop floor would they take part in a new training initiative? And they said yes.”
The first initiative, the Introductory Trades Training program, is a CTMA-driven one. The 32-week program will involve 25 companies in the Windsor-Essex region of Southwestern Ontario who have agreed to take part in the training program. The association is partnering with Valiant Corp. where youth (18 to 29) will be able to participate in the company’s “Earn While You Learn” program for basic introductory skills to manufacturing in the industry. They will spend three to four weeks in basic training. The remaining 28 weeks will be dedicated to shop floor training, which will take pace at the 25 area machine, tool, die and mould companies. CTMA will administer the program and is partnering with New Beginnings, a Windsor-based youth assistance organization.
Cattle says there is a fee of approximately $1,500 for each company to participate because of a government requirement, “but it means we’ll be able to give back $8,000 to $15,000 in funding to help offset the cost of shop floor training and wages.”
The second program, which Cattle says is in development stages, is a partnership between CTMA, CME, OAC and the OCI. The 26-week program will provide 80 youth, 18-29, with on-the-job training experience in CNC machining. Both programs will be monitored and the partners involved will receive feedback from youth and employers. Cattle says that once both programs are completed, they will have given career opportunities to 100 of Ontario’s youth.
CTMA is planning to hold an information event on Tuesday, June 10 at Ciociaro Club in Windsor, ON, 9:00 to 11:00 am. Contact CTMA for details.
