Skilled Trades Ontario will bring its STO on the Road initiative to Belleville on Sept. 21, with a public session at Loyalist College from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The stop is the second in a province-wide tour the trades-certification body launched Sept. 14 in Sudbury, aimed at connecting apprentices, employers, educators and industry partners directly with STO leadership.
At each stop, the agency says attendees can get updates directly from Skilled Trades Ontario staff, meet the organization's regional team members, and raise concerns or feedback in person rather than through the agency's standard channels.
"STO on the Road is a vital step in our commitment to connecting with every stakeholder involved in the skilled trades journey," CEO and registrar Candice White said in the release announcing the tour. "We believe that by fostering these relationships, we can better address the challenges and opportunities facing our skilled trades workforce today."
The tour comes as the agency has been rolling out several operational changes: it has placed regional advisors across all 24 Ontario college campuses, and it's set to launch online certification exams this fall, replacing part of the current in-person testing process.
The provincial government estimates Ontario will need roughly 400,000 additional skilled tradespeople in the coming years — the workforce gap the agency has cited as the backdrop for the listening tour.
The Belleville session is open to anyone with a stake in the skilled trades sector — apprentices, employers, educators and industry groups alike. Those interested in attending or connecting with the agency can reach it at [email protected].
