Advanced Education and Skills
April 17, 2013
Premier Opens Historic Skilled Trades Conference for Women and Youth, Highlights Budget 2013 Commitments
Speaking today at the opening of Exploring the Possibilities – the first-ever provincial skilled trades conference for women and youth – the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, highlighted investments to support skilled trades through Budget 2013: A Sound Plan, A Secure Future.
“With major project developments such as Hebron and Muskrat Falls driving development, this is a time of unprecedented opportunity for women and youth,” said Premier Dunderdale at the conference hosted by the Office to Advance Women Apprentices. “Today’s historic conference will help us to explore strategies that will ensure women and young people play a larger role in our growing economy, while this government invests to make certain they have the training, skills and experience necessary to maximize employment opportunities, especially in the skilled trades.”
Budget 2013 allocates $466 million to enhance skills and training at the post-secondary level. This investment will enable College of the North Atlantic and Memorial University to continue the freeze on tuition for the 2013-14 academic year. This investment also includes $5.2 million for specific initiatives to support apprenticeship and trades.
“Through funding more opportunities for women and other under-represented groups in the skilled trades, we can meet the growing demand for labour in our province,” said the Honourable Joan Shea, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills. “The Provincial Government will continue to work with apprentices, post-secondary institutions and employers to ensure more individuals progress through their training to become seasoned journeypersons working in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Karen Walsh, Executive Director for the Office to Advance Women Apprentices, noted that the two-day provincial conference will see approximately 1,500 people participate to increase awareness and explore possibilities in the skilled trades.
“Tradeswomen are a vital link to address the skilled trades shortage that our province will be facing over the next few years,” said Ms. Walsh. “Opportunities are available, employers are engaged in hiring women, and our office is working to increase awareness and opportunities for females in this province.”
Since 2009, the Provincial Government has provided over $700,000 to the Office to Advance Women Apprentices to work with government, industry, labour and others, and to help deliver the Apprenticeship Wage Subsidy, which provides incentives for employers to hire women.
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Media contacts:
| Jennifer Tulk Director of Communications Office of the Premier 709-729-3960 jennifertulk@gov.nl.ca |
Tracey Boland Press Secretary Office of the Premier 709-729-4304, 697-3128 traceyboland@gov.nl.ca |
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John Tompkins Director of Communications Department of Advanced Education and Skills 709-729-0753, 728-7762 jtompkins@gov.nl.ca |
Karen Walsh Executive Director Office to Advance Women Apprentices 709-757-5434, extension 203 kwalsh@womenapprentices.ca |
2013 04 18 10:10 a.m.