The provincial government is urging local students to take advantage of free pre-apprenticeship programs to gain a foothold in the in-demand craft industry.
Peterborough – Kawartha MPP Dave Smith visited the Kawartha Trades Center on Fleming College’s Sutherland campus in Peterborough to announce $834,690 in funding for two programs at the college.
The funds would primarily be used for carpentry and plumbing trades, Smith said.
“Driving here from my office, I saw all the new homes being built in the Little Lake neighborhood. All require carpenters, all require plumbers and electricians,” Smith said.
“So this investment that the Ontario government is making today is not just an investment in our youth; It’s an investment across Ontario.”
Three years ago, Ontario’s population was expected to grow by three million people between 2020 and 2030, Smith explained, with 1.5 million homes needed to accommodate that population.
“Our current estimate is that by 2030 we’ll probably have grown by 4 million,” Smith said. “That increases the pressure on the housing market even further.”
For years, high school students have been pushed into university courses, leading to a shortage of skilled trades when we need them most, he said.
“There was less of a focus on crafts,” Smith said.
These professions are now in high demand and could give people a lucrative career, he said.
“I pay more per hour for a plumber than for a lawyer. I can also do an apprenticeship as a plumber and earn my living for four years while I go to school,” Smith said. “Earn while you learn, it’s a novel concept. When I get out, I’m guaranteed a job.”
Brett Goodwin, Fleming’s executive vice president of academic and applied research and innovation, said the funding will allow for 36 more seats per year in those programs.
“So we now have support for both the tuition costs of running those places and the students who fill those places,” he said. “Then also a bit of money to fund the equipment and materials they need to work with what they do.”
Goodwin was unable to say whether the funds would also be used to support or sponsor prospective students with scholarships. He persuaded Smith that the investment would help bring more skilled workers to the Peterborough area to fill gaps in the labor market.
“This investment will boost pre-apprenticeship education in our region and ensure more people get the education they need for meaningful, well-paying careers in a thriving industry,” he said.
aschummer@peterboroughdaily.com
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute you must be a registered Torstar account holder. If you don’t have a Torstar account yet, you can create one now (it’s free)
Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the Code of Conduct. The star does not support these opinions.
www.thestar.com
https://www.thestar.com/pe/news/peterborough-region/2023/07/06/fleming-college-gets-boost-for-carpentry-plumbing-trades-free-pre-apprenticeship-programs.html
