OEL Endorses Ontario’s Recently Announced Apprenticeship Program

EIN OEL 400

Nov 12, 2020

The Ontario Electrical League (OEL) is pleased to see that the Ford government has made a significant investment into the creation of an Apprentice Sponsorship Group initiative in the 2020 Ontario Budget.

The newly announced program would support business participation in sponsoring apprentices in 2020/2021 by investing $20 million to encourage small- and medium-sized contractors to come together and provide the necessary resources for a full scope of training and on-the-job mentorship for registered Ontario apprentices.

“The OEL is pleased to see that the Group Sponsorship Grant was announced in the 2020 Ontario Budget,” said Stephen Sell, OEL President. “We are buoyed by the opportunity this will provide for electrical contractors to encourage and support apprentices in the high-demand skilled trades and to also help address the skilled trades gap. This new initiative responds directly to the needs of small- and medium-sized contractors across the province and reflects what we have been advocating for some time.

The OEL was equally encouraged to see the Ford government creating a new Skills Development fund providing $30 million over two years to support a blend of operational and capital enhancements for non-college training providers, businesses and associations that train apprentices.

“The OEL membership recognizes the importance of supporting those contractors who train apprentices, which is why the Ford government’s new Group Sponsorship Grant will be valuable support and most welcomed,” Sell added. “We appreciate the fact that through these initiatives, the Ford government has demonstrated that they listened closely to the needs of our industry.”

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