HAMILTON, Ontario, May 23, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen), the industry-led organization leading Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing has announced the launch of Future Ready, a $19 million program funded in part by Employment and Social Development Canada’s Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program to support companies in onboarding new and diverse workers to Canadian manufacturing. The initiative will also aid Canadian manufacturers in identifying their critical skills gaps to support the future profitability and growth of their organization through NGen’s highly regarded Transformation Leadership Program. Through these approaches, the program aims to provide demand-driven solutions for the manufacturing sector, one of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic, and a key to the recovery of the Canadian economy.
Through Future Ready, NGen will deliver against 3 priority objectives to support the Canadian manufacturing sector:
- Develop and validate approaches to onboarding new workers to manufacturing, particularly representatives of equity-deserving communities, including newcomers to Canada;
- Validate methodologies by which companies can identify the critical skills gaps within their workforce which must be closed to maintain competitiveness and provide opportunities to close those gaps; and
- Assess competencies of manufacturing employees across sectors concerning new and emerging technologies and identify where critical competencies currently reside within Canadian manufacturing.
By participating in Future Ready, companies can gain access to assessments, customized business transformation plans and upskilling opportunities for current employees. Grants will be made available on a first-come first-served basis for 300 manufacturers and 1,000 existing employees. Visit www.ngen.ca/futureready for more information and registration.
Quotes
“Our government knows that the most successful workforces are those powered by diversity, and manufacturing is no different. This is why we’re proud to support NGen’s efforts to identify and close skills gaps. By equipping companies with the means to recruit and retain workers new to the sector, we are strengthening Canada’s competitive edge and opening up well-paying jobs.”
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“Canada’s manufacturing sector is growing fast and it needs more workers to help meet the demands of the labour market. Employers need a diverse pool of Canadian job seekers to fill critical gaps in the manufacturing sector. With the Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program, the federal government is supporting projects that help more workers to get good jobs and strengthen our workforce.”
– The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion
“One of the most exciting aspects of this program is in helping companies identify the specific critical skills gaps within their current workforce. We are excited to support their strategic objectives and to assist them in addressing many of these gaps through training plans and upskilling grants.”
– Stewart Cramer, Chief Manufacturing Officer, NGen
About NGen - Next Generation Manufacturing Canada
NGen is the industry-led not-for-profit organization that leads Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing. Its mandate is to help build world-leading advanced manufacturing capabilities in Canada for the benefit of Canadians. NGen works to strengthen collaboration among its membership of more than 5,000 manufacturers, technology companies, innovation centres, and researchers, and provides funding and business support for workforce development initiatives and innovation projects that aim to develop, apply, or scale-up transformative manufacturing solutions in Canada for commercialization in global markets. www.ngen.ca
Media Contact
Robbie MacLeod
Director, Strategic Communications
robbie.macleod@ngen.ca
+1-613-297-3578
