ApprenticeSearch.com Welcomes Skilled Trades Job Seekers and Employers to the Gateway to the Trades Open House

Skills Canada Ontario Partners to Bring the Skilled Trades and Tech Truck to ApprenticeSearch.com's Burlington Offices

BURLINGTON, ON, Feb. 23, 2023 /CNW/ - ApprenticeSearch.com was thrilled to welcome skilled trades job seekers, employers, partners and government stakeholders to their Burlington offices on February 21 and 22, 2023 for their inaugural Gateway to the Trades Open House. This two-day event provided future skilled trades professionals with the opportunity to build their network and their knowledge of the skilled trades pathway, with a focus on connecting to opportunities for meaningful and rewarding employment in the trades.

"Whether it was employers who were looking to hire and train the next generation of skilled professionals, job seekers who were looking for a gateway into the skilled trades employment, or partners and government stakeholders who are committed to making the skilled trades pathway accessible and appealing to young people, everyone who attended our events this week had one thing in common - a passion for the skilled trades," said Kelly Hoey, Executive DIrector, HIEC-ApprenticeSearch.com. 

The events featured ApprenticeSearch.com partner Skills Ontario, who brought their Trades and Tech Truck to give participants a hands-on skilled trades experience. In addition, Ryobi Tools representatives provided tool demonstrations to participants, and multiple local employers participated in a panel highlighting the opportunities available in the trades.

On Wednesday, February 22, 2023, Melissa Young, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar at Skilled Trades Ontario, addressed event participants to discuss Skilled Trades Ontario's mandate to simplify access to services for skilled trades professionals, promote the skilled trades as a career of choice and address the labour shortage in the skilled trades.

The open house complements ApprenticeSearch.com's Gateway to the Trades Program, which is supporting over 350 individuals as they build on their secondary school education with employability skills, health and safety training, tools, workwear and employment opportunities.

"We see in our work every day that there is no shortage of job seekers who are interested in and available for the many rewarding opportunities in the skilled trades," said Hoey. "The real need is for programs like ours to provide an entry point into that career pathway with dedicated and tailored support and - most importantly - employer connections that lead to successful employment."

This Employment Ontario Program is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario through the Skills Development Fund.

Individuals who are interested in pursuing a career in the skilled trades and employers who are hiring skilled trades professionals are encouraged to create an account at www.ApprenticeSearch.com to learn more about the non-profits' free programs and services.

"Ontario is facing the largest labour shortage in a generation, which means when you have a career in the skilled trades, you have a career for life. By investing in programs like ApprenticeSearch.com's Gateway to the Trades, we are helping to attract and prepare a new generation of skilled trades workers for better jobs and bigger paycheques for themselves and their families."
     -  Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

"I was thrilled to attend the Gateway to the Trades Open House. Ontario is facing a growing labour shortage and today was a fantastic opportunity to get the word out about the excellent opportunities open to young people in our province. Skilled Trades Ontario is making it easier to access the trades and supporting apprentices on their journey. Events like these are crucial to supporting our next generation of skilled trades professionals."
     -  Melissa Young, CEO and Registrar of Skilled Trades Ontario

"By partnering with ApprenticeSearch.com on the Gateway to the Trades Open House, Skills Ontario is building on its mission to help youth explore pathways within the skilled trades and technologies. The Gateway to the Trades program compliments the experiential learning opportunities at Skills Ontario by preparing participants to search for and secure work in the skilled trades, leading to a successful and rewarding career."
     -  Ian Howcroft, CEO, Skills Ontario Canada

"We at Ryobi recognize programs like ApprenticeSearch.com and Gateway to the Trades are providing incredible resources for both students and employers to bridge the gap in training and employment when starting work in the trades. Our partnership with these programs is so important as we look to help them in outfitting their graduates for work in the field to build a long and successful career."
     -  Adrian Gavrilov, Field Marketing Manager-Consumer Group, Techtronic Industries Canada Inc.

• ApprenticesSearch.com was developed in 1998 after extensive grassroots consultation with stakeholders in the skilled trades community and has evolved through guidance of the Ontario members of the ApprenticeSearch.com Advisory Council for more than 20 years.
  
  
• ApprenticeSearch.com is visited by millions of people each year, generating thousands of confirmed job matches and repeat hirings from the over 5,000 skilled trades employers and 20,000 candidates its user base.
  
  
• ApprenticeSearch.com is not just a technology. The organization' Job Coaches help ready job seekers for their next role, and provide them with access to necessary basic certifications, PPE and employment skills training. At the same time, ApprenticeSearch.com Job Developers provide services to employers who are hiring, including screening/shorting listing candidates and intentional matching for posted roles on our site.
  
  
• With support from the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development and the Skills Development Fund, the ApprenticeSearch.com team has been able to support over 7400 job seekers and employers in Ontario.

ApprenticeSearch.com is powered by HIEC, an innovative not-for-profit social enterprise focusing on partnership, mentorship and workforce development. For over 30 years, the organization has been working to build stronger connections between educators, employers and the students who will make up our future workforce.

HIEC has a full-circle approach to programming, which consists of career development labs, employment training, experiential learning opportunities, mentorship events and online communities focused on extending learning beyond the classroom to pave the path for workforce development and education for a career in the skilled trades. 

The organization has a long history of working within the community to empower workers and job seekers who face higher barriers of entry, and in enhancing pathways into meaningful employment for youth, women, racialized individuals, persons with disabilities or mental health challenges, and members of at-risk communities. 

SOURCE HIEC-ApprenticeSearch.com