More Trades Added to New Route to Apprenticeship

Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities

McGuinty Government Opens Door to 1,000 New Apprentices


Investment Expands Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program

TORONTO, Aug. 26 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is investing in
Ontario's future prosperity by creating 1,000 skilled-trades training spaces
under the Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program, Chris Bentley, Ontario
Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, announced today.
"Apprenticeship training gives young people more options for their
postsecondary education while providing Ontario with the skilled workforce
essential for its prosperity," said Bentley. "A strong apprenticeship program
is an important part of our Reaching Higher plan for education."
The provincial government is investing nearly $13.6 million over four
years to train apprentices. Beginning in September, 1,000 students will be
able to train in these additional trades:


- Automotive service technician/motive power technician,
- Heavy duty equipment technician/motive power technician,
- Industrial mechanic millwright/manufacturing engineering
technician,
- Truck and coach technician/motive power technician.

"Colleges have an important role to play in training and educating the
highly-skilled workforce Ontario needs," said Barbara Taylor, president of
Canadore College and vice chair of the committee of presidents, Association of
Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. "Through the Co-op Diploma
Apprenticeship Program, colleges are working with the Ontario government to
create a new route to exciting careers in the skilled trades and provide
employers with highly motivated apprentices who have a college education."


The Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program offers young people pursuing a
postsecondary education the chance to register in a program that will lead to
a provincial certificate of qualification.

Disponible en français

www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca


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MORE TRADES ADDED TO NEW ROUTE TO APPRENTICESHIP

The McGuinty government is investing a total of $13.6 million over the
next four years in 31 new projects through the Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship
Program. Eighteen colleges now participate in the program. Over the next four
years, up to 1,000 people will be able to participate in training in nine
skilled trades.

Co-op Diploma Apprenticeship Program
This program offers people pursuing a postsecondary education the
opportunity to register in a program that will lead to dual certification.
Individuals can complete a college diploma, and at the same time register as
an apprentice and work toward the provincial Certificate of Qualification. The
program also includes business and entrepreneurship courses to help
participants start their own businesses, if they choose.
Last year, six colleges provided courses for five trades to train 200
skilled workers. The initial trades offered by the program included cook,
general machinist, tool and die maker, tool maker and machine tool builder
integrator.

Apprenticeship Training Tax Credit
Today's announcement builds upon the government's previous initiatives to
offer an apprenticeship training tax credit for employers to cover a portion
of the wages of new apprentices and to provide 1,500 scholarships of $1,000
each to students who have left high school then returned to graduate and enter
an apprenticeship program.

Reaching Higher: the McGuinty Government's Plan for Postsecondary
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Education
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Launched in the 2005 Ontario Budget, this plan will see $6.2 billion
invested over five years to increase access and improve the quality and
accountability of higher education in Ontario. The plan includes an additional
$366 million investment in apprenticeship and training programs with a goal of
increasing the number of apprenticeships to 26,000 by 2007-08.


Program Information
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Government
Co-op Diploma Participants investment
Apprenticeship trades College where the
course/program is available *
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Automotive service     Algonquin College 30 spaces $475,000
technician/Motive
power technician     Centennial College 20 spaces $330,000

Fanshawe College 30 spaces $437,500

St. Clair College 22 spaces $322,600

St. Lawrence College 20 spaces $330,000
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Cook/Culinary     Algonquin College 24 spaces $388,000
management
Canadore College 25 spaces $402,500

Fanshawe College 35 spaces $485,500

George Brown College 24 spaces $245,200

Georgian College 30 spaces $421,000

Humber College 24 spaces $203,835

Loyalist College 24 spaces $220,000
Niagara College 24 spaces $324,000

Sault College 12 spaces $157,360

Sir Sandford Fleming 50 spaces $593,799
College

St. Lawrence College 36 spaces $457,200
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General             Algonquin College 30 spaces $476,000
Machinist/Mechanical
technician          Cambrian College 25 spaces $402,500

                        Conestoga College 30 spaces $450,000
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Heavy duty equipment     Cambrian College 50 spaces $765,000
technician/Motive
power technician     Centennial College 20 spaces $330,000
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Industrial mechanic     Mohawk College 40 spaces $60,000
millwright/
Manufacturing
engineering
technician
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Industrial mechanic         Cambrian College 112 spaces $1,664,000
millwright/
Mechanical technician

Collège Boréal 10 spaces $171,000
Conestoga College 22  spaces $359,000

Lambton College 60 spaces $829,000

St. Lawrence College 20 spaces $330,000
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Machine tool builder     Conestoga College 30 spaces $471,000
integrator/Mechanical
technician

Tool maker/Mechanical
technician

Tool and die maker/
Mechanical technician
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Tool and die maker/     George Brown College 50 spaces $750,960
Mechanical technician
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Truck and coach     Centennial College 20 spaces $330,000
technician/Motive
power technician     Fanshawe College 30 spaces $437,500
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Total 979 $13,619,454
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* numbers may be adjusted based on demand and
space

Disponible en français

www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca
>>



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For further information: Contacts: Peter Fitzpatrick, Minister's Office,
(416) 326-1628; Tanya Cholakov, Communications Branch, (416) 325-2746; Public
Inquiries: (416) 325-2929 or 1-800-387-5514, TTY: 1-800-263-2892