NEWS RELEASE
MINISTRY OF LABOUR, TRAINING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
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In an effort to address the worker shortages in Healthcare, the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development announced on Jan. 6, 2022, their investment of more than $10.6 million to train 500 workers for well-paying and in-demand jobs at hospitals, long-term care homes, and with home care providers in Northern Ontario.
The focus of this investment is to help those looking to gain the skills needed to gain jobs in areas such as, personal support workers, medical laboratory assistants, and home support workers.
Details of this funding was provided Jan. 6, 2022, by Minister of labour, Training and Skills Development, the Honourable, Monte McNaughton, who was joined by Rod Phillips, Minister of Long-Term Care, and Greg Rickford, Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, and Minister of Indigenous Affairs.
“As we continue to combat the new variant, we need all hands- on- deck,” said Minister McNaughton. “That is why our government is taking action to ensure communities across Ontario have access to the healthcare workers they need, to receive the level of care and services they deserve. With this investment we are addressing the critical labour shortage in healthcare and working for workers in northern Ontario by training hundreds of people with meaningful and rewarding careers.”
Spearheaded by Confederation College, it was said that this project will cover training, fees and textbooks for 500 participants, focusing primarily on those who are unemployed, underemployed, or at risk of losing their jobs. Participants will receive a job placement in their community and offered ongoing support, that is to continue after graduating from their program.
President of Confederation College, Kathleen Lynch, reacted to this announcement by saying: “The impact of this investment by the province will support the future of the healthcare sector in our region. We are incredibly grateful for their recognition of the need for support, and their trust in Confederation College to advance this important project. Our strong relationships with local healthcare agencies will facilitate the success of this unique initiative, in which participants will contribute to community and economic growth in northwestern Ontario and essential healthcare delivery for many years to come."
Minister of Long-term Care, Rod Phillips, added that, “Training and hiring more staff is part of our government’s plan to fix long-term care and to improve the quality of care, residents receive and the quality of life they experience,” said Minister Phillips. “This investment will help 500 Ontarians start new careers across the healthcare sector. I am confident many of them will bring their much needed, new skills to long-term care homes right here in Northern Ontario.” Minister McNaughton highlighted the project’s intention to connect qualified job seekers with employers offering “in-demand healthcare careers right here in our northwestern Ontario communities.”
