Letter from the Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development is excited to announce a new skilled trades digital marketing campaign, "Trade Up."
  
The skilled trades are the backbone of our economy. By 2026, it's projected one in five job openings in our province will be in the skilled trades. That's why the MLITSD have made substantial investments in training through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, Pre-Apprenticeship and Skills Development Fund. And by launching the new Crown agency, Skilled Trades Ontario, it has helped to improve services for workers and employers in the trades.
 
The ministry has also introduced a series of interactive province-wide skilled trades career fairs, for students in Grades 7 to 12, to spark the interest of thousands of young people and put them on the path to fulfilling and rewarding careers. Last fall, more than 16,000 people attended fairs in Mississauga, London, Sudbury, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, or online.
 
In addition, the government is launching its new marketing campaign, Trade Up. The campaign features online ads (this one and this one) on TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube and CTV Online to raise awareness among students and parents that a university degree is not the only path to a successful career.
 
This message is intended to help ensure that our province's young people know that meaningful work, bigger paycheques and life-long careers are waiting for them in the trades.