The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Premier Greg Selinger says his government's new Rural and Northern Apprenticeship Training Strategy will help make it easier to become an apprentice in Manitoba. Announced in last week's provincial budget and detailed on Tuesday, the new program will consist of: a Journeyperson Business Start program to help new rural journeypeople start their own businesses; a Skill Build program to upgrade and equip high-school shop classrooms for apprenticeship training; further development of online initiatives accessing services such as applications, course registration and payment, and an additional trades training courses to be delivered through online learning; an investment of $400,000 in mobile training labs in partnership with Red River College, allowing trades learning to reach more rural and northern communities; and up to an additional $1,000 apprentice hiring incentive for levels one and two apprentices, effectively doubling incentives for rural employers. Selinger also announced that new tax incentives will be offered to businesses to hire apprentices. Hiring incentive tax credits for levels one and two apprentices will be increased up to a maximum of $3,000 from the current maximum of $2,000. The credit for levels three, four and five apprentices will be doubled to a maximum of $5,000 from the current $2,500. The Journeyperson Hiring Incentive will also be doubled to a maximum of $5,000. 'Over the last several years, we've worked hard to expand Manitoba's pool of skilled labour to meet the needs of our economy,' said Selinger. 'We've expanded trades training facilities in Winnipeg, Brandon, Dauphin, Thompson, The Pas and 12 other northern centres.' _ Compiled from a Government of Manitoba news release
