Ontario PC plan to modernize Ontario's apprenticeship system

Ontario PC MPP Jim McDonell recently joined Barry Latreille of Latrielle Electric and Alex McDougall, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program Facilitator, to detail the Ontario PC plan to modernize our province’s apprenticeship system and create 200,000 new skilled trades jobs from ironworkers to plumbers to electricians.

PHOTO CREDIT - Office of MPP Jim McDonell

Cornwall - December 19, 2011 - Ontario PC MPP Jim McDonell recently joined Barry Latreille of Latrielle Electric and Alex McDougall, Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program Facilitator, to detail the Ontario PC plan to modernize our province’s apprenticeship system and create 200,000 new skilled trades jobs from ironworkers to plumbers to electricians.

Ontario is experiencing a jobs crisis. The unemployment rate has been above the national average for five years. At the same time, Ontario is also experiencing a skilled trades shortage, which is expected to top one million vacancies within a decade.

Despite these urgent issues, Dalton McGuinty has not brought forward a single new idea to create jobs. Instead he continues to cling to an outdated apprenticeship system that puts the priorities of union bosses ahead of new jobs for young workers. Ontario’s 1970s-era apprenticeship system requires businesses to employ three, four or even five journeymen to train a single apprentice

Tim Hudak and the Ontario PC Caucus have long championed a modern and simplified apprenticeship system. Specifically, their proposal would create 200,000 new apprenticeship jobs over four years by reducing the ratio of journeymen to apprentices to 1-to-1 and delegating more responsibility to Ontario colleges for matching apprentices up with employers.

“The desire to work in the skilled trades is all around us, including right here in Cornwall . In one simple, practical step we can give 200,000 men and women the opportunity to build a good career in the skilled trades right here in Ontario. Dalton McGuinty just needs to have the political will," said McDonell.