Ont. investing $2.9M in the Niagara region to train people in tech and manufacturing careers

LINCOLN — The Ontario government is investing $2.9 million to help 250 young people in the Niagara region train for careers in the technology sector. Led by the Town of Lincoln, the Youth Skills Studio will prepare people under the age of 30 for the future of work with a four-month paid training program and connections to 75 small and medium-sized businesses hiring in high-tech, manufacturing, hospitality, tourism, and other critical sectors.

“This investment will give youth in the Niagara region the skills they need to start or advance their careers in growing industries,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Right across the province, we’re connecting young people to the jobs of the future and businesses to the skilled workforce they need to grow and expand.”

Young people in Ontario are reportedly twice as likely to be unemployed compared to the provincial average. At the same time, more than 30,000 jobs are going unfilled in the Niagara region. The Youth Skills Studio will teach participants about digital marketing, web development, digital systems administration, cloud computing, and IT to ensure Niagara’s growing economy has the skilled technology workers it needs.

“The future of work is here, and our government is on a mission to ensure young people get a hand up to the training they need to land better jobs and bigger paycheques,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “This project will ensure young people in Niagara get an opportunity to gain real-world experience with local employers that will serve them the rest of their lives.”

Participants will have the chance to work on real-world projects and business cases submitted by employers in the community. They will be paid $18/hour for the duration of the training and work and be reimbursed for transportation costs.