TORONTO, April 11, 2019 /CNW/ - The 2019 Ontario Budget commitment to create a one-window digital portal for apprentices will produce a more highly qualified workforce, Ontario's colleges said today.

"The one-window application process will ensure more people enrol in apprenticeship training," said Linda Franklin, the president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. "This is a major step in producing a more highly skilled workforce to help close the skills gap."

The current application system is awash in red tape. There is no clear application process and many people seeking to become apprentices find it difficult to get matched with willing employers.

The creation of a one-window portal will make the application process as straightforward as applying to college and university. Ontario's colleges are eager to support the efforts to create this new portal.

"Apprenticeship training is an essential pillar in Ontario's post-secondary system," Franklin said. "This budget recognizes that an apprentice is equal to any other post-secondary student and will help elevate apprenticeship training in Ontario to international standards."

Other budget highlights to produce a stronger workforce included:

• Establishing programs to encourage people to enter the skilled trades.
• Launching a new micro-credentials pilot this spring to provide people with the skills employers are seeking.

The budget also calls for a transformation of post-secondary education so that 60 per cent of provincial funding will be tied to performance outcomes by 2024-25.

"There is a growing demand in all sectors for people with specialized skills," Franklin said. "We're committed to working with the government to ensure more people acquire the professional and technical expertise that leads to rewarding careers."

SOURCE Colleges Ontario

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