Ontario Preparing More Students for Careers in the Skilled Trades
Expansion of dual credit program will help more secondary students participate in apprenticeship training
“It is expected that as many as 1 in 5 jobs will be in the skilled trades by 2026. Now it is more important than ever, to get young people into skilled trades to fulfill societies growing needs. More than 10% of Mississauga Malton residents are in secondary schools that will have the opportunity to benefit from this program” said MPP Deepak Anand. This investment of $4.8 million will create thousands of high quality, new opportunities for young people to help high school students get an early start in the trades by earning college credits.
Quick Facts
- 73 per cent of secondary school students are taking at least one credit in technological education before they graduate.
- Of all high school graduates, 41 per cent graduate with exposure to at least one job skills experiential learning program, including Cooperative Education, Specialist High Skills Major, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and Dual Credit.
- Since 2017-18, the number of students participating in the dual credit program, with a skilled trades and technology focus increased by approximately 84 per cent.
- In 2022-23, students are approved to participate in over 25,500 dual credit courses, of which over 10,900 are related to the skilled trades.
- According to the Dual Credit Students and their Transition to College 2021 report by Ontario College Application Service, almost 93 per cent of all dual credit applicants received an offer to attend college compared to 86 per cent of all students.
- The Ministry of Education has partnered with First Robotics and Skills Ontario to provide hands-on learning opportunities and competitions for students and is providing $3 million to school boards over three years to strengthen the knowledge of guidance teachers on pathways for skilled trades and apprenticeship.
- The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is investing an additional $114.4 million over three years in its Skilled Trades Strategy to break the stigma associated with the skilled trades, simplify the system, and encourage employer participation.