Cambrian College expands skills training and applied research program as Ontario’s government expands funding

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Ontario Construction News staff writer

Ross Romano, Ontario’s minister of training, colleges, and universities, was at Cambrian College in Sudbury on July 15, to announce an expansion of the province’s Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program.

The funding is being increased to $18.3 million, up $5 million from last year, which will allow colleges and other community organizations to offer 84 programs across the province, to benefit over 1,600 participants.

Cambrian College will offer two projects: a 45-week welder program for indigenous women, and a 26-week general carpentry, electrician, and refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic trades introduction for participants from First Nations communities on Manitoulin Island.

Both of Cambrian’s programs will offer work placements which will help fill worker demand in Sudbury.

“By expanding funding this year for pre-apprenticeship training programs, we are helping more people get a successful start on the path to apprenticeship. These programs are designed to help people interested in apprenticeships to bridge the gap between the skills they have and the skills employers need,” Romano said.

Romano also announced that Cambrian College is receiving more than $1.9 million for its applied research department through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. This funding will help the college’s Tools and Tech for Innovation initiative, by growing its space and outfitting it with specialized equipment. The expansion will provide five new full-time technician positions, and 12 new part-time research positions.

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation has an annual budget of $100 million to invest in economic development projects across the North.

“The funding announced today ensures our students involved in applied research get to work with the latest technologies and industry leading companies, giving them a leg up on the competition when they graduate and enter the job market. It also allows us to support the training of more women and Indigenous learners for rewarding, well-paying careers in the skilled trades,” said Cambrian College president Bill Best.

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