SUDBURY — April 25, 2022: NORCAT, a global leader in the development and provision of skilled labour training, is excited to announce an investment of $450,000 from the Government of Ontario to empower career-building opportunities for Indigenous peoples residing in rural and remote areas of Northern Ontario through the expansion of NORCAT’s Development Series program in Thunder Bay.
Northern Ontario continues to see a growing demand for trained, skilled, safety conscious and production ready machine and equipment operators to fulfill meaningful roles in priority industries, including forestry and mining. NORCAT’s Development Series program aims to address this demand by providing experiential, hands-on skilled labour training to 20 prospective workers over the next 12 months.
"NORCAT’s Development Series program is comprised of industry-specific, multi week comprehensive training courses preparing participants for real world workplace expectations," cites Wayne Cerven, manager of NORCAT Thunder Bay.
"Last year’s Skills Development Fund participants gained invaluable mine-readiness skills while living and training at our full-service facility in northwestern Ontario. NORCAT’s industry recognized programming resulted in participants graduating the program with offers of employment in hand, and we look forward to welcoming trainees again in 2022 through the funding made available by Round 2 of the Skills Development Fund."
NORCAT’s Development Series programs were designed in response to a recognized need for skilled resource industry equipment operators across Northern Ontario, specifically in the mining and forestry industries.
This investment follows the initial $582,000 received through the first round of the Skills Development Fund that allowed NORCAT to develop curriculum and train 20 participants with the skills to safely operate machinery to build roads, move minerals and harvest forests in Northern Ontario. Trainees received free in-class training over a period six weeks between September and December 2021 at NORCAT’s forest and mining operations in Thunder Bay, with free lodging and transportation provided to and from the training site.
"We are excited to partner with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development to continue to engage with and provide innovative training programs to the next generation of workers in Ontario’s mining, forestry and construction industries," says Jason Bubba, NORCAT chief operating officer.
"The expansion of NORCAT’s Development Series programs, funded in part by the Skills Development Fund, will allow NORCAT to develop and train students with the skills and confidence they need to build a stable and rewarding career, while helping to address the skilled labour shortage in the local workforce."
"Every day across Northern Ontario, thousands of well-paying jobs in mining and forestry are going unfilled," said Monte McNaughton, minister of labour, training and skills development.
"This NORCAT training program will provide Indigenous people in rural and remote areas with the training they need to start exciting new careers and earn bigger paycheques for themselves and their families."
The Government of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund, a more than $200-million initiative, supports innovative programs that connect job seekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home. The first round of the Skills Development Fund supported 150 projects, helping 260,000 workers and job seekers around the province take the next step in their careers. For more information about NORCAT’s experiential, blended learning programs, visit www.norcat.org/training.
About NORCAT: NORCAT is a leader in skilled labour training and innovation services focused on developing and delivering programs, services, and resources that enhance productivity and safety in the global skilled labour industries.
