Ontario Helps New Apprentices Train and Launch Careers in Windsor

September 22, 2025

Government investing $826K to help apprentices gain the skills needed to work in manufacturing and construction

WINDSOR — The Ontario government is investing $826,441 through the Skills Development Fund Training Stream to support new apprentices in Windsor get the skills they need to land good-paying, in-demand jobs in manufacturing and construction. This funding is a part of our broader effort to strengthen Ontario’s workforce, improve productivity, and protect workers from U.S. tariffs. This investment underpins our government’s $2.5 billion investment to promote better training, better jobs, with bigger paycheques. 

“When workers are properly trained before stepping onto a job site, everyone benefits — from the workers to the employers and the communities they serve,” said Andrew Dowie, MPP for Windsor–Tecumseh. “This investment ensures that our newest electrical workers can gain the knowledge, safety certifications, and hands-on experience they need to succeed, helping build a stronger and safer workforce for the future.”

In partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 773 the IBEW Local 773 Job Readiness Program will help new apprentices receive several safety certifications along with practical hands-on experience before entering their job placements. The program will ensure that a new participant starting in the construction field will have the tools they need to be effective and safe on day one of the job. 

“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is protecting Ontario by investing in the tools, training, and resources needed to keep our workforce strong,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “Through targeted funding, we’re strengthening our supply chains, growing a job-ready workforce, and building the foundation for a more self-reliant and productive province – one that can compete, deliver, and win.”

The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is open to a wide range of applicants, including employers, industry associations, labour unions, hospitals and many more. The funding announced today builds on our government’s mission to protect Ontario and ensure it remains the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

“IBEW Local 773 has teamed up with our Provincial Progressive Conservative partners and, with the foresight of the need to train our young workforce, has created Job Readiness,” said Karl Lovett, IBEW Local 773 Business Manager and Financial Secretary. “Local 773 has trained 48 new young workers in the areas of construction awareness, basics of electricity, aerial platform, working at heights, skid steer operation, first aid/CPR, forklift operation, confined space and budgeting and financial planning. These essential skills for a new start electrician position put them in the best-in-class category, trained before entering the workforce. IBEW Local 773 looks for continued support from Premier Ford and all involved with the Skills Development Fund. Without this fund and the support of the staff involved, the path for young people entering the trades would be much more difficult.”

Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s Skills Development Fund has helped connect more than half a million jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find good-paying and fulfilling careers close to home.

Quick Facts

  • So far, the Skills Development Fund Training Stream has supported over 1,000 training projects across the province.
  • Since its launch in 2021, Ontario’s SDF Training Stream has aimed to help over 700,000 workers train for in-demand sectors, including over 154,000 construction workers, over 124,000 manufacturing workers and over 52,000 personal support workers and health care workers.
  • People interested in participating in the programs announced today are encouraged to contact the lead organizations of the projects directly.
  • The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.  
  • As announced in the 2025 Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario, the Ontario government is investing an additional $1 billion through SDF to grow the trades workforce and build Ontario, bringing Ontario’s total investment in the SDF to $2.5 billion. 

Additional Resources

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Meghan Lesperance

Constituency Assistant – Digital Media and Communications

Andrew Dowie, MPP Windsor-Tecumseh

Phone: 519-251-5199 XT 107 cell: 519-567-3567

Email: meghan.lesperance@pc.ola.org