Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fair in Mississauga on November 26-28 for Students, Parents, and Young Jobseekers
The Province has expanded successful Level Up! Career Fairs to 15 cities across Ontario to introduce over 35,000 students in grades 7 to 12 to careers in the skilled trades
MISSISSAUGA — From November 26 to 28 in Mississauga, the Ontario government will host its successful Level Up! skilled trades career fair for local students, parents, teachers, and young jobseekers to learn about the exciting, well-paying careers in the trades. After two successful years, the government has expanded the Level Up! Career Fairs to be bigger than ever in 2024, bringing the career fairs to 15 cities across Ontario to reach over 35,000 students and their parents and inspire the next generation of workers to build the homes, highways, hospitals, schools, and community infrastructure the province needs.
“Last year, we doubled our Level Up! Career Fairs, giving thousands of students, parents and teachers a glimpse into the rewarding careers in the skilled trades – and this year, our Level Up! Career Fairs are bigger than ever,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “By expanding our Level Up! Career Fairs to seven new cities across the province, we will be able to give over 35,000 students and their parents the chance to learn about the most cutting-edge, in-demand careers in the country, with interactive exhibits that offer safe, hands-on learning opportunities. I invite everyone to visit our career fairs, learn about the trades and help us build a better future.”
“The Level Up! career fairs are an excellent opportunity to learn more about all the different trades in Ontario, explore your passions, and learn about the pathways available into lucrative, in-demand careers in Mississauga and across the province,” said Rudy Cuzzetto, MPP for Mississauga–Lakeshore.
Level Up! is a series of dynamic, multi-day career fairs highlighting the 144 skilled trades, including automotive service technicians, boilermakers, and carpenters. Over 35,000 students in grades 7 to 12, as well as parents and young jobseekers, will have the opportunity to learn about these trades through interactive exhibitions and safe, hands-on activities while hearing directly from tradespeople and local employers.
The Level Up! skilled trades career fairs are open to all students. Grade 7 to 12 students interested in attending the career fairs are encouraged to contact their school board’s Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) recruiter, a teacher or school guidance counsellor to register. Organizations can support the Level Up! career fairs as potential exhibitors or sponsors. Interested organizations can contact Levelup@ontario.ca for more details.
“Over six decades ago, my grandparents started a local plumbing business in my hometown, and I saw firsthand how fulfilling and in-demand the skilled trades are,” said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Education. “For too long, not enough young people were getting the hands-on learning and exposure to the skilled trades — but thanks to events like Level Up! fairs and the work of our government, that is no longer the case. We’ve made it mandatory for all students to earn at least one Grade 9 or 10 technological education credit to graduate. We’re increasing pathways to apprenticeship with our new Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program – Focused Apprenticeship Skills Training program for senior high school students. I’m committed to make sure Ontario’s students know the skilled trades offer a viable and fantastic career path.”
The Level Up! Career Fairs are a part of the government’s plan to grow Ontario’s workforce by encouraging the next generation to start careers in the skilled trades and ensuring workers have the training and skills to build Ontario’s bright future. That includes the successful Skills Development Fund (SDF) which, in partnership with local employers and labour organizations, has helped nearly 600,000 people train or up-skill for in-demand careers in their community, including construction, manufacturing, and technology.
Quick Facts
- The new cities with career fairs will include Barrie, Cobourg, Cornwall, Kitchener, Niagara Falls, North Bay, and South Porcupine (near Timmins).
- The Level Up! skilled trades career fairs are open to all students. Last year, 30,680 students, parents, friends, and teachers visited the fairs.
- Grade 7 to 12 students interested in attending the career fairs are encouraged to contact their school board’s Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) recruiter, a teacher or school guidance counsellor to register.
- Organizations can support the Level Up! career fairs as potential exhibitors or sponsors. Interested organizations can contact Levelup@ontario.ca for more details.
- Roughly 1 in 3 workers in Ontario with an apprenticeship or trade certificate was aged 55 or over and nearing retirement in 2021.
- 1 in 5 new job openings in Ontario will be in the skilled trades-related occupations by 2028.
- Career fairs are taking place in fifteen communities between September 12 and November 28, 2024:
- Sault Ste. Marie – September 24
- Thunder Bay – September 26
- South Porcupine – October 4
- Oshawa – October 22 to 24
- London – November 12 & 13
- Niagara Falls – November 21 & 22
- Mississauga – November 26 & 28
- The Skills Development Fund Training Stream is supported through labour market transfer agreements between the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
Quotes
“At Skilled Trades Ontario, we’re committed to showcasing the array of meaningful opportunities available in the skilled trades. The Level Up! Career Fairs allow students the chance to engage directly with these professions, providing them with practical insights and experiences that can shape their future career paths. These fairs not only highlight the possibilities within the skilled trades but also play a crucial role in building the workforce Ontario needs for the future.”
– Melissa Young, CEO and Registrar of Skilled Trades Ontario
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