The Canadian Tooling & Machining Association (CTMA) has just graduated 17 young workers from its 32-week Introductory Trades Training program.
The program was designed by the CTMA and its member companies to help reduce youth unemployment in Windsor and Essex County and to help close the skilled trades gap in the tool, die, mold and machining industry.
To date, more than 60 youth, aged 18-29, have graduated from the program and gained workplace skills and experience. The program begins with six weeks of intensive introductory training at the Valiant Training & Development Centre in Windsor, Ont., followed by 26 weeks of on-the-job training at various machine, tool, die and mold companies in the Windsor-Essex region.
The 17 new graduates have already been offered full-time permanent employment by their host employers, which includes Absolute Industrial Management, Active Industrial Solutions, Bolzano Tool & Die Ltd., Briadco Fixture & Gauge, Cavalier Tool And Manufacturing Ltd., Circle 5 Tool & Mold Inc., Cutting-Edge Technologies, Jahn Engineering Ltd., Kapco Tool & Die Ltd., LT&D Tool & Die Inc., Manor Tool & Die Ltd., Sigma Engineering, and Unique Tool & Gauge Inc.
The CTMA has another class currently running that will be graduating in June.
Youth outreach assistance and screening for the program is provided by the Windsor Employment Assessment Centre and the Valiant Training & Development Centre. Funding is provided by Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development, Employment & Infrastructure (MEDEI) through the Youth Skills Connections – Industry Stream program.
