Ottawa, Ontario — The YMCA’s National Capital Region is looking to new Ontarians to help fill the province’s growing skilled labour gap as the “Power of Trades” program is expanded to five additional regions, according to Wednesday’s announcement.
The free six-week, non-technical program aims to prepare new immigrants to Ontario with basic skills and certifications, including WHMIS, Working at Heights, Service Excellence, and First Aid/CPR-C, so that they may be equipped to one day pursue a full skilled trades education.
Additionally, the program gives a general overview of the trades employment framework in Canada and how to navigate it, as well as resume-writing skills and interview preparation.
Originally focused specifically around the Ottawa region, the Power of Trades program has graduated 536 students since its inception in 2011 and boasts an 86.6 percent average employment rate year over year.
The program is funded entirely through Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, though students in the Ottawa area are also partly supported by the United Way as well.
“Canada continues to be a destination of choice for diverse individuals who are looking for a new place to work, study and build their lives,” said Marie-France Lalonde, parliamentary secretary to the minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship.
“When newcomers successfully integrate into our communities and the Canadian job market, all of us share in the benefits. This is why organizations like the ‘Y’ play an important role, and I am confident the expansion of the Power of Trades program will have a positive impact filling critical labour market shortages and giving newcomers new opportunities.”
The YMCA confirmed to Collision Repair via email that the program will be expanded to run in the Greater Toronto Area, Niagara, Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford, Southwestern Ontario, and Three Rivers/Waterloo.
For more information on the YMCA’s Power of Trades program, click here.
