The provincial government is investing more than $5 million to strengthen, workforce skills and work placement initiatives for unemployed Manitobans, Competitiveness, Training and Trade Minister Andrew Swan announced.
“Manitoba is not immune to the effects of global economic uncertainty and we will continue to build on the province’s strengths of economic diversity and stability by increasing opportunities for our highly skilled workforce,” said Swan.
Swan noted that Budget 2009 provides ongoing investments in employment and training services for Manitobans including:
• $1.4 million for employment services to more than 1,100 people who are unemployed, threatened with job losses or facing multiple barriers to employment. Priority will be given to employment and income assistance recipients. The program is offered through Opportunities for Employment Inc.
• $748,000 for specialized employment services and programming for 2,700 unemployed and underemployed immigrants offered by Employment Projects of Winnipeg, Success Skills Centre and the International Centre.
• $732,000 for a program that provides energy retrofit services to private and public housing units in the inner city and training opportunities for 40 local area residents to develop employability skills and basic construction skills. The program is offered by Building Urban Industries for Local Development (BUILD).
• $522,000 for the Reaching E-Quality Employment Services program. The program will help integrate 500 people with disabilities into the labour force.
• $438,000 for a comprehensive training program in the area of welding and metal fabrication for 56 unemployed Manitobans. The program is offered through the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce’s Industrial Manufacturers Employers Group.
• $320,000 for pre-employment services to approximately 700 unemployed individuals through Winnipeg Technical College and the Osborne Village Resource Centre.
• $1 million for a comprehensive range of personal and career development supports and job preparation and skill training for 600 unemployed and underemployed single parents and women offered through Taking Charge.
Many of these projects will provide additional individual supports to ensure the continued success of all participants.
