The CTMA is thrilled to announce the Career-Ready with CTMA: Expanding Opportunities program has been extended for another year, enabling another 150 experiential work placements (EWPs).
Since launching the first Career-Ready program in 2019, the Canadian Tooling & Machining Association (CTMA) has changed the lives of many and is paving the way for future workers within the precision metalworking industry.
The Career-Ready with CTMA: Expanding Opportunities program, funded in part by the Skills Development Fund, provides non-repayable funding to eligible employers to subsidize the wages of new hires or to upskill existing employees. Employers participating in the program have been able to receive up to $15,000 for each new hire, depending on start date.
“We know that our members are training people everyday in their workplaces and that this comes at a cost,” said Robert Cattle, CTMA’s executive director. “If we help support them by offering a wage subsidy to compensate for their time, they will hire more employees, offer more co-ops and upskill more existing employees.”
The program provides participants with experiential work placements to improve the skills needed for great job opportunities within the precision metalworking industry. Each participant works alongside experienced tradespeople who provide them with an opportunity to gain real world skills and knowledge.
Participants include individuals who want to start an apprenticeship, high school graduates, post-secondary graduates or co-op students, job seekers looking for full-time employment, and existing employees looking to upskill.
Through the second part of this program, the CTMA, in partnership with the Ontario Council for Technology Education (OCTE), the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada, and school boards throughout Ontario, has provided new high-tech machinery and tools to 137 high schools throughout the province.
The machinery ranges from CNC milling centres, lathes, and plasma cutters, to CNC desktop milling machines, high precision conventional milling machines, lathes with readouts, and more.
“Delivering these machines to high schools throughout Ontario and exposing students to technology at an earlier age has been instrumental in engaging their interest for a career within our industry,” said Cattle. “Not only does this allow students to use this technology at an earlier age, but also gives teachers up-to-date machinery in their classrooms.”
As a result, more than 25,000 students have been exposed to and have benefitted from this machinery. Of the 25,000 students, more than 3,500 have begun industry-related co-ops or apprenticeships.
“To build a stronger Ontario that leaves no one behind, we need to ensure young people can get a hand up to the skills they need for in-demand jobs,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “That is why our government will continue to invest in innovative projects like CTMA’s Career-Ready program, which connects students and graduates to local employers and spreads opportunity to every corner of our province.”
So far, the Career-Ready with CTMA program has provided more than 1,500 experiential work placements and installed high-tech machinery in 137 schools throughout Ontario.
“This exciting partnership is providing much-needed support for our manufacturing technology high school programs and will go a long way in reducing the skilled trades gap in the precision metalworking industry,” said Dave Lewis, OCTE past chair.
More information about the Career-Ready with CTMA: Expanding Opportunities program is available here.
This employment Ontario program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Sarah Grandy
Marketing & Communications Specialist
CTMA
marketing@ctma.com
For information about the Career-Ready program, please contact:
Robin McFarlane
Project Administrator
CTMA
robin@ctma.com
Robert Cattle
Executive Director
CTMA
rcattle@ctma.com