MILLBROOK, N.S. — The federal government investing more than $28 million into helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Atlantic Canada hire apprentices in Red Seal trades.
The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency’s Apprenticeship START Plus Project will provide financial support to SMEs in all four provinces towards hiring a minimum of 5,200 first-year apprentices in eligible Red Seal trades over the next two years.
Further, the project includes a minimum of 1,190 first-year apprentices from “equity-deserving” groups, a release regarding the announcement stated.
“Canada needs more skilled trades workers,” said Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough. “We need more women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous people and racialized Canadians and other traditionally marginalized people to get into the skilled trades. That’s why the apprenticeship service program is so critical. It’s helping more and more Canadians seize these great job opportunities and it’s making sure businesses have the skilled workers they need to thrive.”