Education/training
Foreign-trained workers get a boostThe Ontario government is committing more than $3.6 million to help foreign-trained workers gain speedier access to their professions and trades. |
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 [ 2002-04-10 ] |
"The Ontario government is taking action to allow qualified, foreign-trained Ontarians to meet provincial standards and make it easier for them to contribute to our growing economy," says Dianne Cunningham, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. "Bridge training programs will help Ontario meet the challenge posed by an aging workforce and increased demand for skilled workers."
Pilot training programs will be developed in nine sectors experiencing skills shortages. The programs will provide foreign-trained Ontarians with the skills and knowledge they need to practise their profession or skilled trade in the province, without duplicating what they have already learned elsewhere.
These innovative programs are being developed by partnerships including employers, regulators, colleges and universities, labour representatives, and community-based agencies.
The $3.6 million investment is the first of a three-year commitment to develop effective and tested programs for foreign-trained Ontarians. The programs will receive additional funding over the next two years and will be self-sustaining within three years. They are expected to be in operation and accepting participants by the end of 2004.
"Attracting the world's brightest and best is the part of the government's plan to manage skills shortages and keep Ontario competitive," Cunningham says. "These bridging programs will assist these talented immigrants in pursuing their careers and making full use of their skills and knowledge, contributing to economic growth and job creation."
"Working with the Ontario government and Vitesse Re-Skilling, we are developing a bridge training program that will help the biotechnology industry quickly involve foreign-trained specialists in new projects so that we can help industry meet labour demands and stay competitive," said Ken Lawless, executive director of the Ottawa Life Sciences Council.
The nine programs mark the first investment from a $12-million, three-year commitment that was announced in the 2001 Ontario budget. The new programs will build on the experience of earlier programs for foreign-trained pharmacists and nurses. Announcements about further investments in new bridging programs will follow.
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