6.1 Skilled Trades Alliance Local Trades Training Needs Assessment Councillor Utley

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1 RESOLUTION DATE: JUNE 22, 2016 MOVED BY COUNCILLOR UTLEY: SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR: 6.1 Skilled Trades Alliance Local Trades Training Needs Assessment Councillor Utley WHEREAS the Skilled Trades Alliance was initiated in April 2015 with participation from over 35 community based organizations including the City of Brantford, County of Brant, Six Nations, MP, MPP, School Boards, Post- Secondary Institutions, Trades Councils, Local Unions, Private Sector businesses and local agencies/organizations that support education; WHEREAS the City of Brantford as part of the Community Strategic Plan Shaping Our Future has identified becoming a Skilled Trades Leader (Strategic Action Item 1.8) by increasing opportunities for higher education and adjust to changes in the marketplace to expand options, including the exploration of becoming a leader in skilled trades training; WHEREAS the Skilled Trades Alliance collectively recognized the vital importance of not only replacing but enhancing what was lost through the withdrawal of Mohawk College from Brantford and through subsequent meetings identified that local skilled trades training would require the support of Ministry of Colleges Training and Universities (MTCU); WHEREAS the Skilled Trades Alliance has confirmed through meetings with MTCU that empirical evidence gathered from local employers is required to support the need for local skilled trades training which is not currently available; WHEREAS the Skilled Trades Alliance is prepared to complete a Local Skills Trades Training Assessment through the Grand Valley Educational Society for the local communities, it is requesting partnership from the City of Brantford through the Graduate Brantford Initiative to become a financial contributor in the completion of the assessment; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Brantford support the Skilled Trades Alliance in the completion of the Local Trades Training Assessment by contributing $7,500, funded through Council Priorities Reserve Fund.

2 COUNC. R. WEAVER COUNC. J. SLESS COUNC. G. MARTIN COUNC. C. ANTOSKI COUNC. B. VAN TILBORG COUNC. D. NEUMANN COUNC. R. CARPENTER COUNC. D. McCREARY COUNC. J. UTLEY COUNC. L. KINGS MAYOR C. FRIEL YES / NO : : : : : : :

3 June 9, 2016 Mayor Chris Friel City of Brantford 100 Wellington Street Brantford, ON N3T 5 R7 On behalf of the Skilled Trades Alliance, a local group of community stakeholders established to address the skilled trades training needs in Brantford-Brant-Six Nations, the Grand Valley Educational Society has been designated as the notfor-profit organization to assist in the raising of funds to complete a Local Trades Training Assessment. Brantford-Brant continues to have a concentrated manufacturing sector whose future sustainability and growth relies on a strong skilled trades component to our local labour force. The lack of local and accessible skilled trades training prompted a group of community stakeholders including: trainers; secondary and post-secondary educators; all levels of government; area business and industry; union representatives; employment support services; organizations and associations focused on labour force development and; representatives from provincial ministries to collaborate on the impact this gap will have on the future growth and sustainability of our communities. Participating community stakeholders agreed on a common vision of a community hub of skilled trades training that will be based on the sharing of information, resources and facilities in an integrated manner. The Skilled Trades Alliance was initiated in April 2015 and is made up of the following participating partners: Aboriginal Apprenticeship Board of Ontario Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board Brant County Economic Development Advisory Brant Municipal Enterprises Brant Skills Centre Brantford Brant Chamber of Commerce City of Brantford City of Brantford Council

4 City of Brantford Economic Development Conestoga College County of Brant Fanshawe College Grand Erie District School Board Grand Valley Educational Society G.R.E.A.T. Hamilton-Brantford Ontario Building & Construction Trades Council IBEW 105 Innovation Blast Literacy Link MP Brant MPP Brant Millwright Regional Council of Ontario Ministry Training Colleges & Universities Niagara Peninsula Aboriginal Area Management Board New Credit Ogwehoweh Skills and Trades Training Centre Ontario College of Trades Organized Kaos Pipe Works Consulting Six Nations Six Nations Polytechnic SMS Machine St. Leonards Society Technical Trades Academy Workforce Planning Board of Grand Erie Mission of the Skilled Trades Alliance: To create a sustainable Trades, Apprenticeship & Skills Training network in Brantford-Brant-Six Nations. Mandate of the Skilled Trades Alliance: i. Plan and implement strategies that will increase the local availability and accessibility of Trades, Apprenticeship & Skills Training; ii. Increase local Trades, Apprenticeship & Skills Training opportunities in Brantford-Brant-Six Nations that will support the needs and growth of current and future employers ; iii. Increase the number of local and area employers and potential apprentices participating in Trades, Apprenticeship & Skills Training to create a strong skilled trades component to our local labour force; iv. To capture information from local and area employers in order to identify any evolving recruitment and/or training needs not being met in Trades, Apprenticeship & Skills Training.

5 Current State: Several meetings have been held to determine the current state of trades training in our community and the gaps that need to be filled. Collectively the Alliance recognized the vital importance of not only replacing, but enhancing what was lost through the withdrawal of Mohawk College from Brantford. Subsequent Alliance meetings identified that local skilled trades training would require the support of the MTCU, and the GVES has held a number of meetings with senior MTCU administration. The result of these meetings is that our communities need to present empirical evidence, gathered from local employers, which will support the need for local skilled trades training. Although the Alliance has identified numerous strategic actions for gathering such data, the optimum solution has been identified as a series of employer symposiums which will provide the basis on which future action plans will be built. Without this evidence and current data from our local employers, we simply cannot move forward in securing skilled trades training at a local level. Existing community reports do identify some skilled positions where area employers are encountering challenges, with both recruitment and retention, as it relates to their general workforce. The goal of the skilled trade symposiums will be to gather information that is specific to skilled trades in construction, industrial and motive power which will encompass the vast majority of mandatory and voluntary trades. What the Alliance hopes to learn from these symposiums includes: a. What Trades are employers experiencing the most difficulty in recruitment and retention, both for apprentices and journey people; Have these challenges had a negative impact on their business b. What value, if any, do employers anticipate from having skilled trades training available locally; Will it help them to expand their business; will it encourage internal promotions into a Trade; will it assist with succession planning etc. c. Identifying the top three skilled trades, in order of priority, that employers would like to see being trained at a local level d. Identifying those employers that are currently participating in apprenticeships; Identifying challenges employers may be experiencing with new apprentices e. Identifying those employers that are not currently participating in apprenticeships; Identifying top three reasons for not participating in apprenticeships From developing questions to the final report we anticipate this project will take approximately 20 weeks to complete. The report will be shared directly with all participating partners.

6 Due to the urgent and immediate nature of this project, we are actively seeking support from numerous organizations, and hope to begin the project in July Financial Impact The following outlines our anticipated budget to complete the Local Skilled Trades Needs Assessment inclusive of hiring a project coordinator to work directly with local employers to complete the assessment, host employer forums and produce the report. Project Item Estimated Cost Project Coordinator/Researcher (20 weeks) $16,000 PT Administrative Support (16 weeks) $ 6,700 Office Supplies $ 1,200 Symposiums (min 5-max 10) $ 3,000 Fluid Survey, Final Report & Printing $ 3,100 TOTAL ESTIMATED COST $30,000 Financial Support Request Financial Support is being sought from several strategic partners in order to fund the needs assessment. The City of Brantford has indicated its commitment to Skilled Trades and increasing education levels in our community through its endorsement of the Community Strategic Plan Shaping Our Future Specific reference is given in Strategic Action Item Skills Trades Leadership, to increasing the skills level and opportunities of local citizens and the development of a quality, skilled workforce to support local employers. Potential Partner Funding City of Brantford Enterprise Brant County of Brant Regional Trade Associations Brant Community Foundation Stedman Foundation Private donors and foundations Provincial & Federal Government GVES on behalf of the Skilled Trades Alliance is requesting financial support from the City of Brantford in the amount of $7,500.00

7 The Local Skilled Trades Needs Assessment will provide the necessary data to validate the needs of our community for skilled trades training while supply the necessary data analytics that can be included in applications submitted to MTCU for TDA approval for local trades training. Without this evidence and current data from our local employers, the Skilled Trades Alliance cannot move forward in securing skilled trades training at the local level. On behalf of the Skilled Trades Alliance, we thank you in advance for your consideration in assisting us with this vital and urgent project. Your support of this initiative will have a lasting impact on our communities as we strive to support existing business and industry and create sustainable employment opportunities for our populations. Bob Ogilvie Colleen Miller Vyrt Sisson President Vice President Secretary-Treasurer