Ontario Is Providing Free Training & Paid Work Experience For Roofing & Drywall Careers

What's a house without any walls? Definitely not a home, and that's why Ontario needs more workers in the skilled trades sector.

The province continues to see a shortage in workers in skilled trades, and to combat this issue, the Ontario government is offering free training in roofing and drywall careers.

"The Ontario government is working for workers by investing over $1.2 million in skilled trades training for unemployed and underemployed people in Niagara Region," it stated in a press release.

The Niagara Homebuilders Association and Niagara College are partnering to offer an eight-week roofing and drywall installation training program to 80 participants.

The program will also connect the participants to paid job placements with local home builders. Both trades pay $27 an hour on average in the province.

"All across our province, we continue to see a shortage of workers in the skilled trades, for many life-long careers that pay six figures with defined benefits and pensions," said Monte McNaughton, Ontario's minister of labour, training and skills development.

"These unfilled jobs cost our economy billions in lost productivity and mean families are waiting longer for the goods and services they need," McNaughton added.

Participants will take courses on health and safety, tools and techniques, and other skills specific to their trade.

Afterward, they will be transitioning into a six-week paid placement with a local employer, who can get up to $5,000 per participant from the government.

Also, participants will get a hard hat, steel-toed safety boots, safety glasses and professional-grade tools, which are all theirs to keep at the end of the training program. Woop woop!

So, if you're interested, make sure to apply before spots fill up by contacting Alicia Dimitrov-Lawrence, executive officer at Niagara Home Builders Association, at alicia@nhba.ca or 905-646-6281.