The governments of Canada and Manitoba have announced that they are jointly investing in training for skilled trades and growing Manitoba’s economy through support for StandardAero.
“Every Manitoban should be able to get a good job so they can put food on the table and save for their future,” said Premier Wab Kinew. “We’re working with StandardAero to train up more than 1,000 Manitoba workers, and create 100 new good jobs now, while strengthening our economy for the next generation.”
Founded in 1911 in Winnipeg, StandardAero employs over 1,300 Manitobans and has become one of the largest providers of maintenance, repair and overhaul services to the global aviation industry.
“Our government is proud to support this initiative that will empower Manitoban workers with specialized skills in the aerospace industry,” said federal Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal. “This investment in StandardAero will support vital training and skills development, boost innovation, and will help ensure that Canada’s aerospace sector has the talent to compete internationally in a global market.”
Under the Canada-Manitoba Workforce Development Agreement, the governments of Canada and Manitoba are providing $510,400 from 2024 to 2027 through the Industry Expansion Program to support StandardAero’s employee skill development, including training of 100 new employees and 1,200 current employees. The Industry Expansion Program supports companies that are locating or expanding operations in Manitoba by contributing to their investment in skills training for employees, said Kinew.
“We’re investing in the workers that are putting Manitoba on the map,” said Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources Minister Jamie Moses. “StandardAero is a made-in-Manitoba business that has become a major player in the global aerospace market. We’re helping them to continue to grow and create 100 new good jobs in the process.”
“StandardAero is very appreciative of the support the Province of Manitoba has provided to our training programs,” said Brent Ostermann, vice-president, product assurance and quality, StandardAero. “This funding will help us to continue to invest in our growth, training infrastructure and development of future highly skilled gas turbine repair and overhaul technicians to enable and enhance our business success for many years to come.”
StandardAero’s Winnipeg facility continues to grow, which includes bringing work from other locations into Winnipeg. This expansion project makes it necessary to hire and train more skilled workers including specialized technicians, managers, support personal and engineers.