job training Archives - Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie

Employers to benefit from welding program

Employers need welders.

There are major labour shortages across the skill trades, particularly in welding and many companies are struggling to find the workers they need. Maybe this describes your company.

In response to the need for welders in the labour market, the Workforce Planning board of Grand Erie is running a new FREE WELDING TRAINING program called Skills2Advance Welding. This short-term training is being offered in partnership with the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) Foundation, four area colleges and other training providers.

We invite businesses who need welders to partner with us.

There are two main ways to benefit from being an employer partner: businesses can send their existing employees for this free training, or they can hire graduates of the program. Or both.

Learn more here: https://www.skills2advance.com/employers-welding

About the program

Skills2Advance is a 2-week training program:

The first week of the program will be an introduction to welding, with hands-on training in core welding techniques. Participants can get their Fillet Weld Certificate from CWB. This one-week training will hopefully determine if the participants have the aptitude and interest to continue in the welding trade.
The second week will see participants gain training in forklift, reach truck, first aid, CPR and more. There is also a strong emphasis on soft skills such as workplace communication, teamwork, problem solving and conflict resolution.

This second week of training is optional for participants who are referred by their employers for skills uptraining.

Skills2Advance Welding offers two streams of training, called Mind Over Metal and Women of Steel.

The training is the same for each program, but Women of Steel allows women to learn welding alongside other women. It is part of an effort to get more women into the trades, helping to address the labour shortage employers are facing. See our website https://www.skills2advance.com/ for more information.

Get involved

As a local welding employer, you can get involved by:

Referring current (non-welding or less experienced) employees who have an interest in welding to see if they have the aptitude to pursue welding as a trade
Becoming a guest speaker for one or more of our classes, giving you an opportunity to promote your opportunities
Being on our advisory committee to help inform the program and provide input into training

By becoming an employer partner, businesses get the advantage of continuously being able to send any new or existing employees for the free training through our program. Employer partners also get first chance to review graduates of the program who are looking to find work or continue their welding education.

Employer benefits

There are many benefits to employers who get involved, including:

Get skilled & entry-level ready workers
Lower cost of training
Fill vacant positions more quickly
Skilled2Advance Welding is FREE

In late May, we will be having a virtual Information Session via Zoom that will serve as an orientation session for any businesses and organizations that are interested in getting involved. Contact us if you want to be notified about the Information Session details.

Any questions about the program can be directed to: skills2advance@workforceplannningboard.org or call 519-756-1116, ext. 223 or text Mikki at 519-732-4068

Free program will train people to be welders

Free welding training is being offered to give 150 people a head start to work as welders, helping meet the needs of local companies hungry for workers.

The Workforce Planning Board will provide the program through its Skills2Advance Welding training arm, in partnership with the CWB Welding Foundation. Training will be delivered by four area colleges.

The two-week-long classes start in June and will be offered regularly over the next year. Participants will be recruited from Brantford, Six Nations, New Credit and Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties. Residents of Hamilton, Cambridge, Kitchener-Waterloo and Oxford County can also sign up.

Two-thirds of participants for the free welding training are expected to be women, a group that is underrepresented in the skilled trades. Only 10 per cent of welders in Grand Erie are female. There will also be opportunities for people who have a disability, youth, and other groups that are underrepresented in the trades.

Tremendous opportunity

“This is a tremendous opportunity for people to get started in the skilled trades with this high-demand occupation and start building their career,” said Danette Dalton, the planning board’s executive director. “We’re excited to work with the CWB Welding Foundation, area post-secondary schools and other community partners to give people the skills they need to succeed.”

People can find more information about the program by visiting www.skills2advance.com/welding

The CWB Welding Foundation has for years operated training programs for welders across Canada. Its Women of Steel program has trained hundreds of women since 2019, while its Mind Over Metal program has been in operation since 2014

The Women of Steel and Mind Over Metal curriculum will be delivered by instructors from Six Nations Polytechnic, Conestoga College, and Fanshawe College – Simcoe campus, using their welding shops. Mohawk College will provide training at its mobile classroom, which houses welding simulators in a truck trailer.

Minister of Labour

The one-year project is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development.

“With many tradespeople set to retire over the next decade, we need to do all we can to encourage people to consider careers in welding,” said Minister Monte McNaughton.

“Our government is proud to support this program, which will give future tradespeople, including women and people with disabilities, a head start in planning their careers, and help local employers find the workers they need to grow their business.”

It will include 30 hours of hands-on training, with the opportunity to obtain a CWB welding certification. Another 30 hours will focus on training in first aid, CPR, forklift and working at heights, and soft skills, such as problem-solving and workplace communications.

Free welding toolkit

Program participants will receive a free welding toolkit, which includes a welding helmet, and will be eligible to receive additional support to help cover other expenses, such as work boots.

When they graduate, participants will be assisted by local employment service agencies who will work with local businesses to offer on-the-job placements, which could lead to permanent positions.

“The goal is to find employment for participants, and we expect the program to be warmly received by employers,” Dalton said. “Welders are in demand, and that demand is expected to continue. We need to ensure there are new, eager workers entering the field.”

To learn more about job opportunities in welding, visit this page on Grand Erie Jobs: Welding careers