Province’s New Education Plan is Crucial to Building the Workforce of Tomorrow

(Toronto – March 15, 2019) – Today, Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), released the following statement in response to the government’s new education plan, “Education that Works for You.”

“Young Ontarians need to be given the tools and opportunities they need to successfully navigate the labour market and economy. We have urged the government to take action in promoting the skilled trades and STEM as viable career options for young people, developing a comprehensive financial literacy curriculum, and expanding broadband access. We welcome today’s announcement of initial steps to further help prepare our youth to contribute to the future of the province.”

Skilled Trades and STEM
“Our 2019 Business Confidence Survey revealed 75 percent of respondents believe the ability to recruit and retain talent is critical to business competitiveness. Recruitment efforts are often stifled by a supply/demand mismatch, driven in part by a deficit in areas such as skilled trades, design, communication, and STEM. Promoting these skills among young people will help to address the skills mismatch and build a stronger Ontario.”

Financial Literacy
“Ontario’s financial literacy deficit represents a significant vulnerability in our economy. Creating mandatory elementary and secondary-level courses focused on personal financial literacy is a positive step in ensuring all Ontarians have the knowledge and skills needed to understand the financial structures that create economic growth and personal wealth. We hope to see banking system fundamentals, retirement planning, securities, basic income tax, and other key areas of focus included in the revised curriculum.

Broadband Access
“Broadband access is extremely important to our members as well as to ensure our schools have access to the infrastructure they need to succeed. We cannot build an economy of the 21^st century on dial-up.”

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For more information please contact:
Ceara Copps – Edwards
Senior Communications Advisor
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
647-936-6734
cearacoppsedwards@occ.ca

About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce
For more than a century, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has been the independent, non-partisan voice of Ontario business. The OCC’s mission is to support economic growth in Ontario by defending business priorities at Queen’s Park on behalf of its network’s diverse 60,000 members.