February 27, 2017 – Skills Ontario will receive a $100,000 investment from Magna International in support of the 2017 Skills Ontario Competition, Skills Ontario Young Women’s Initiatives, and Skills Ontario Summer Camps.

The Skills Ontario Competition has seen a 30% growth rate in the number of students registering to compete (from last year’s event) and the organization says the Magna investment will help accommodate more students. To date, more than 3400 students have requested competition spaces for the May 2017 competition. In addition, the annual Young Women’s Conferences has sold out again this year “within minutes of registration opening”. Over two days more than 1400 young women will attend the conferences aimed at encouraging young women to consider a career in the skilled trades and technologies.

“Skills Ontario and our partners are committed to building Ontario’s skilled trades and technologies workforce,” says Gail Smyth, the executive director of Skills Ontario. “The investment we receive from Magna International sends a strong message to our stakeholders and the corporate community that they believe creating a skilled, knowledgeable, and diverse workforce in the skilled trades and technologies is imperative to the economic viability of Ontario.”

The Skills Ontario Competition, held on May 1-3, 2017, will now be hosted at the Toronto Congress Centre. The competition’s new venue will accommodate more competitors and visitors from across the province. The central location in the GTA will make travel easier for those who travel long distances to the Skills Ontario Competition each year or fly in from Northern Ontario.