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