THUNDER BAY – Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak says, “We have to move Ontario’s apprenticeship program out of the 1970s into the 21st century, just like seven other provinces have already done”. Under Hudak’s plan, the control for Apprenticeship programs would shift toward educational institutes, like Confederation College. “Right now the system is confusing, and frustrating to students,” stated Hudak. “Only one in four people who start an apprenticeship program actually finish, three drop out,”stated Hudak sitting down with NetNewsledger.com.
“When a young person wants to get into a trade, we need to streamline the system, and get rid of the red tape of the old journeyman program. In other provinces it is one to one,” added Hudak.
Hudak shared a story of a young man who wanted to work in the trades, he found Ontario’s red tape too hard to go through. “The current system, is about who you know, not what you know,” stated Hudak.
The PC leader envisions that making positive changes to the current system would see Ontario take the leadership role in Confederation again. Hudak asserts that Ontario’s outdated program is forcing young people to head out of Ontario to seek their future.
Putting more control into the hands of colleges and trade schools, Hudak says would allow students a better path forward into a trade.
The goal says Hudak is getting people into good paying jobs, and careers. The system must be changed to allow the people trying to enter the trades to make it into the good paying jobs that they need.