GREATER ESSEX COUNTY DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
New High-Tech Gear for 8 GECDSB Schools

Eight GECDSB schools will participate in the CTMA Career Ready Grant that will see new manufacturing technology equipment and tooling donated to schools across Windsor and Essex County. 

The CTMA Career Ready project is being funded in-part by Ontario's Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) through the Skills Development Fund. 

This project is a partnership between the CTMA, the Ontario Council for Technology Education (OCTE) and 40 schools in the province to address the skilled-trade labour shortage that exists in the precision metalworking sector. It will enable the purchase of capital equipment to help upgrade high school manufacturing facilities and prepare students for industry standards. The Career Ready program also includes paid experiential work placements in manufacturing-specific workplaces. 

"This will put CNC technology in all of our high school manufacturing programs," said Technology Teacher Consultant, Bill Fetter. "It is a significant donation that will move our program forward and meet the growing needs of the industry." The investment will benefit over 360 Manufacturing Technology students and over one thousand Exploring Technology Grade 9 students. The donation will strengthen the four Precision Machining Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Programs (OYAP) and four Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) programs. 

One of the largest benefits of this program is seeing the students prosper from the generous tooling donations. "When students get the opportunity to work with industrial equipment it provides them with a more "real" sense of what the world beyond high school will look like for them." said OYAP/Cooperative Education Teacher Consultant, Jason Lepain.  Additionally, the CTMA has stepped up to help find co-op and work related opportunities for students, which has been a tremendous asset. The affiliation with the CTMA has helped streamline the cooperative education and job search process for teachers and students.  

"One of the biggest benefits of the donation in our eyes is creating awareness for kids to take a closer look at the skilled trades. We need to promote and remind students that the skilled trades are a viable option for a career pathway."
- Jason Lepain, OYAP/Cooperative Education Teacher Consultant