The General Contractors’ Association of Toronto (GCAT), for one, “strongly supports revitalizing the graduation requirement,” says Jim Vlahos, the associations’ executive director.
“The skilled trades offer in-demand, lucrative and rewarding careers and we believe the mandatory credit will expose students to opportunities they would not have known of otherwise. GCAT applauds the work this government continues to do to address our labor shortage while promoting careers in construction, including the skilled trades and to provide a healthy perception of the construction industry to help make an informed career decision.”
“This change will result in more students being introduced to skilled trades and technology, which will help to address our skills shortages and move more people to fulfilling and rewarding careers,” says Ian Howcroft, CEO of Skills Ontario.
Attracting women to skilled trades will go a long way, says Harseshaj Dhami, founder of the tech education platform Codespire.
“Tech is the future, and it’s high time we ensure that all of Ontario’s youth – regardless of race, gender or social class – are given the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the jobs of tomorrow.”