CANADA NEWS RELEASE: Government of Canada invests in skills training to address shortages in trucking industry
NEWS RELEASE
Government of Canada invests in skills training to address shortages in trucking industryFebruary 21, 2023 |
MILTON — The Canadian economy has made strides toward recovering from the pandemic, having achieved record low unemployment rates and record high labour force participation rates. However, significant skills and labour shortages continue to affect many sectors, and investments in training are needed to rebuild a strong and resilient workforce that can meet the demands of today’s economy. Each sector of our economy is unique and often requires tailored approaches to workforce solutions and skills development to remain adaptable and responsive to the changing labour market.
Today, the Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, on behalf of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Minister, Carla Qualtrough, announced that the Government of Canada is investing up to $46.3 million to Trucking Human Resources Canada under the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program. The organization’s Driving Economic Recovery project will provide training subsidies and wage subsidies to support the recruitment, training and onboarding of up to 1,400 new truck drivers and 1,200 workers for other in-demand occupations within the trucking sector. This project will address inconsistencies in driver training by developing a national standard that will support transferable skills and bridge the gap between entry-level training and employability throughout Canada. Up to 2,600 participants—with an emphasis on women and other equity-deserving groups—will receive training, on-the-job work experience and other wraparound supports, such as travel and living expenses, to prepare them for a career in the trucking sector. First announced in Budget 2021, the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program helps key sectors of the economy implement solutions to address their current and emerging workforce needs. It does so by funding organizations to deliver sectoral projects that focus on a range of industry-driven activities. These include training and reskilling workers, helping employers retain and attract a skilled and diverse workforce and other creative solutions to help sectors address labour market needs. It will also support equity-deserving groups by promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce and providing wraparound supports as needed to those facing barriers to participation. |
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