Local John Howard Society gets $651,700

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

**************************** Province investing $651,700 in Sault Ste. Marie workforce to create better job opportunities and improve workplace proficiency

McGuinty government delivering on its commitment to strengthen Ontario’s workforce

SAULT STE. MARIE - David Orazietti MPP announced that the province is investing in the local workforce by providing funding to the John Howard Society of Sault Ste. Marie, which will partner with Program Read, Carpenters Union Local 446 and Zellers Inc. to deliver a literacy and essential skills enhancement program.

The “Option to Succeed” program is aimed at helping up to 220 individuals to further develop their education, undertake more advanced training and pursue employment goals.

“Our government recognizes that advancing literacy and providing basic skills training and skills upgrading is essential to creating better employment opportunities that will empower Northern Ontario’s workforce,” said Orazietti MPP. “We are fortunate to have strong leadership in our community and I am confident that these workplace projects will equip local workers with skills they need to secure employment, advance their careers and contribute to our local economy.”

The “Options to Succeed” program will offer skill building workshops in areas necessary to find and maintain employment such as conflict resolution, applied problem solving, decision making and literacy skills that will be combined with work placement.

Eligible participants will participate in the program for up to five months and be paid an hourly wage.

The skills participants learn will allow them to contribute to our community’s workforce and result in long term employment.

“John Howard Society in partnership with Program Read is pleased the provincial government is supporting our community Options to Succeed program, which will offer skill building workshops in areas necessary to find and maintain employment,” said Suzanne Lajambe Stortini, executive director of the John Howard Society of Sault Ste. Marie.

The 2009 Ontario budget announced an additional $90 million over two years to expand literacy and basic skills training.

This funding is helping up to 13,000 more Ontarians each year prepare for more highly skilled jobs by supporting literacy and basic skills programs at almost 300 sites across the province.

The province is also supporting an upgrade to the Academic Career Entrance (ACE) program to help almost 2,000 learners access online courses this year. 

ACE is associated with all colleges and Ontario Learn and provides academic upgrading courses. 

Ontario is also increasing the number of people who receive literacy services through a variety of programs such as second career, pre-apprenticeship training and Ontario’s rapid re-employment and training service.

Specialized programs will also help French-language learners, Aboriginal learners and adult learners who are deaf.

In total, over 61,000 learners will access literacy, basic skills and academic upgrading programs this year.

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