Archived News Releases

June 10, 2014

More than 230 youth will gain awareness and exposure to the skilled trades through the Manitoba government’s new Building for Tomorrow summer program, Jobs and the Economy Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.

“This summer, many of our children will have new opportunities to have fun while learning about a potential future career in various trades including construction and transportation, trade and technology, hospitality and the culinary arts,” said Minister Oswald.  “Our government is focused on helping families and youth in exploring the many paths to good jobs and rewarding careers right here in Manitoba, and starting that conversation while kids are still in school.”

The province will support more than a dozen new camps during the summer delivered by a variety of business, community and educational partners.  Minister Oswald made the announcement at Red River College’s Notre Dame campus, where two Girls Exploring the Trades camps for girls aged 12 to 14 will give participants the opportunity to build a go-cart and race it on the last day of camp. 

Other camps include:

• University College of the North will offer 80 Aboriginal youth in grades 7 to 9 in Flin Flon with the basic skills needed for a successful career in the skilled trades;
• Career Trek Inc. in partnership with the Manitoba Construction Sector Council and Winnipeg Technical College will provide 24 Grade 9 youth exposure to the carpentry trade;
• Assiniboine Community College is offering 15 grades 6 to 8 participants introductory experiences in carpentry or culinary arts and Red River College’s Portage la Prairie campus will offer two
  one-week programs, introducing a total of 32 Aboriginal youth from grades 6 to 8 to various skilled trades; and
• Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport and Recreation Association Inc. in partnership with Red River College will offer 15 Aboriginal youths in grades 9 and 10 with an opportunity to experience different trades, with a special focus on the culinary trades, while learning about the apprenticeship training model and participants will receive certified food-handler training and workplace hazard information system training. 

“Red River College (RRC) is a proud partner in the delivery of the Building for Tomorrow summer program at both our rural and Winnipeg campuses,” said Stephanie Forsyth, president and CEO, RRC.  “Providing youth with hands-on exposure in educational opportunities in skilled trades helps grow Manitoba’s workforce through building awareness in training available at post-secondary institutes.  It’s important to start these conversations early so youth can be made aware of benefits from a career in skilled trades.”                                                                

Minister Oswald also announced the launch of a new student apprenticeship work experience program, which creates new paid-training opportunities in the trades for students within the Manitoba government.

“As Manitoba continues to make record investments in infrastructure, there is an ongoing need to ensure Manitobans have the skills they need to take advantage of the jobs and opportunities these investments will create.  The new student apprenticeship work experience program supports this by creating new opportunities for students to gain experience with the Manitoba government toward an apprenticeship in the trades such as carpentry, plumbing, electrical, mechanics and landscaping,” said Minister Oswald.

The government will work with school divisions and colleges to identify students with an interest in work experience in the trade and applications will also be available at www.manitoba.ca/tradecareers.

“Our keystone belief for the High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) is that we need to create more opportunities for students to succeed,” said Reg Toews, HSAP co-ordinator, technical vocational area, RRC.  “These initiatives benefit both students and employers and will foster stronger communities through these partnerships.”

The new student apprenticeship work experience co-op is part of the government’s public sector apprenticeship strategy, which also includes proposed legislation that would require apprenticeship opportunities be made available when contractors are working on public projects.

“We’ve heard loud and clear from employers in the trades that business is good in Manitoba and that journeypeople are in high demand,” said Minister Oswald.  “We are working in partnership with employers and through our own programs to train more journeypeople, as part of Manitoba’s commitment to grow the workforce by 75,000 by 2020, while providing more opportunities for youth.”

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