Ontario Premier Doug Ford gave Humber Electromechanical Engineer Technology students Paxton Coghlin and Dillon Kong the gold medals they earned at a recent competition.
Those medals emphasized the importance of skilled trades to the province’s economy as Ford officially opened the renovated and expanded Humber Polytechnic’s Centre for Skilled Trades on Thursday following three years of work.
The $9.5 million, 16,000-square-foot expansion — including flexible lab spaces that can adapt to new industry technologies — to the Carrier Drive building in north Etobicoke is expected to help handle the growing demand for skilled trades. Humber said a 10,000-square-foot woodworking lab, converted from a former furniture manufacturing plant, will train students in trades such as carpentry and industrial woodworking.
“The expansion of Humber Polytechnics skilled trades programs is a major step forward for students pursuing opportunities in the skilled trades,” Ford said.
“This expanded campus will help younger people in Toronto find better jobs with better pay cheques and help our province develop a highly skilled workforce that will attract investments and build roads, highways, schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure that are essential to our growing communities,” he said.
Ford said the province will need to boost its electricity supply and that nuclear is the path forward.
“We need to double our energy in the next decade to keep up with the demand with these large facilities coming here,” he said.
The renovations were funded in part by Humber’s Capital Priorities Fund and with funding from the Ontario Apprenticeship Capital Grant.
The new renovations feature immersive labs including a Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning lab, a gas and oil lab and an Augmented, Extended and Virtual Reality lab.
“The facilities are fully stocked and they have everything you need to learn and grow and to get the skills you need for the job,” said Vanessa Oweno, a new student in the Plumbing for Women program.
Nolan Quinn, the colleges and universities minister, said the expansion of the “state-of-the-art facility” will help students learn hands-on skills needed to join the workforce.
“By providing the latest learning tools and equipment and creating 500 new skilled trades training opportunities, Humber Polytechnic is developing the talent we need to build Ontario and connecting students to meaningful careers,” he said.
Ann Marie Vaughan, the president and CEO of Humber, said the institution is committed to doing its part in improving the country’s “productivity crisis” by offering training in high-demand careers.
“Our mission is to equip graduates with the right skills and experience to build lifelong employability in a workforce that’s constantly evolving,” Vaughan said. “With the expansion of the Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology, we are preparing the next generation of skilled workers to drive Ontario’s economy forward.
“Skilled trades professionals are the backbone of our economy, and we’re proud to offer facilities to ensure they receive the highest level of training,” she said.
