Conestoga College, one of Ontario"™s largest community colleges in the field of apprenticeship education, will receive $360,356 as its portion of the first instalment of the province"™s Apprenticeship Enhancement Fund.
The Fund will invest a total of $50 million at Ontario"™s colleges over a five-year period, to renew facilities and equip colleges to support increased apprenticeship enrolment in order to provide training that meets industry"™s needs. The allocations for 2001 total $5 million.
In announcing the 2001 grants, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Dianne Cunningham said, "By improving and expanding Ontario"™s apprenticeship training facilities, we can ensure young people have opportunities to develop the right skills for excellent, high-demand careers in today"™s workplace."
Conestoga provided the in-college portion of apprenticeship training to more than 1,500 apprentices last year, and apprenticeship participation increased more than 15 per cent over the previous academic year. Among Conestoga"™s apprenticeship training areas are: automotive service, plumber, tool and die maker, machinist, mould maker, industrial woodworker, electrician and millwright.
Mike McClements, Conestoga"™s Dean of Engineering Technology, Trades and Apprenticeship, comments, "The specified money is available for capital projects in apprenticeship areas. It"™s great news, because we expect that interest in apprenticeship will increase, not just in current programs, but also in new programs we want to add."
CONTACT: Mike McClements, 519-748-5220, ext. 3251