The province is rolling out additional career fairs this year aimed at attracting more youth to the skilled trades.
On Aug. 31, the province announced it was adding four more locations to its series of Level Up! job fairs, which are open to students in Grades 7 to 12.
New events will be held in Dryden, Sault Ste. Marie, Hamilton, Windsor and Oshawa, which brings the number of fairs this year to 10.
Northern Ontario locations and dates include:
- Thunder Bay: September 19-20
- Sault Ste Marie: September 27-28
- Sudbury: October 3-4
- Dryden: October 17
Additional fairs will be held in Hamilton, Windsor, London, Mississauga, Oshawa and Ottawa through October and November.
The multi-day events feature interactive exhibitions, hands-on activities, and presentations from tradespeople and local employers showcasing the 144 skilled trades. In 2022, 12,800 students, parents, friends and teachers attended the fairs.
This is part of a greater effort by the province to boost interest in the skilled trades.
According to the province, one in five new job openings in Ontario will be in the skilled trades by 2025. That's largely due to an anticipated exodus of workers who are set to retire.
The province said one in three Ontario workers with an apprenticeship or trade certificate is aged 55 years or older.
