Humber Polytechnic is meeting the needs of the changing and in-demand skilled trades industry with the expansion and renovation of the Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology.

The $9.5 million expansion has added 500 skilled trades training opportunities for pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship and post-secondary students along with improved quality of education and facility upgrades.  

Phase one of the expansion, funded through Ontario’s Apprenticeship Capital Grant, added 16,000 square feet of classroom space. Recognizing the growing demand for certain skilled trades, Humber has equipped the new Centre with a heating, refrigeration and air conditioning lab as well as a gas and oil lab, an AR/VR/XR simulation studio, a heat plant, study spaces, a remote studio and collaboration pods.

A 10,000-square-foot woodworking lab is also available for students in the furniture and cabinet-making-techniques program as well as for those in the Industrial Woodworking program. The Centre also offers enhanced training for dozens of trades, from urban arboriculture to welding.  

These new state-of-the-art learning labs provide opportunities for students to collaborate and obtain hands-on experience using cutting-edge equipment.

“At Humber Polytechnic we’re committed to doing our part in addressing our country’s productivity crisis while helping students bridge their brilliant dreams with careers that are in high demand,” said Ann Marie Vaughan, president and CEO of Humber Polytechnic. “Our mission is to equip graduates with the right skills and experience to build lifelong employability in a workforce that’s constantly evolving. With the expansion of the Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology, we are preparing the next generation of skilled workers to drive Ontario’s economy forward. Skilled trades professionals are the backbone of our economy, and we’re proud to offer facilities to ensure they receive the highest level of training.”

The Centre for Skilled Trades and Technology is playing a significant role in addressing the skilled trades shortage in Ontario by taking students beyond the traditional classroom and providing hands-on practice in simulated worksites. On-site facilities include plumbing, carpentry, electrical, millwright, welding, industrial woodworking, construction, and renovation labs.    

“The expansion of Humber Polytechnic’s skilled trades programs is a major step forward for students pursuing opportunities in the skilled trades,” said Premier Doug Ford. “This expanded campus will help young people in Ontario find better jobs with bigger pay cheques and help our province develop the highly skilled workforce that will attract investments and build the roads, highways, schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure that are essential to our growing communities.”

Humber offers a wide range of skilled trades programs including training in Arboriculture and Horticulture Service trades that includes programs such as Urban Arboriculture - Tree Care and Arborist Apprenticeship.  

There are also the Manufacturing and Mechanical trades offering programs including Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician, Plumbing Techniques and Industrial Electrician Apprenticeship, among others. In the Construction, Building and Finishing trades, Humber offers a number of programs including Carpentry and Renovation Technician, Construction Engineering Technology and Industrial Woodworking Technician.   

One of the ways Humber is introducing potential students to the skilled trades is the Pathways to the Skilled Trades program. The program is eight weeks in length and is funded entirely by government, so it’s offered at no cost. The program also offers employment support for individuals to get started in the trades.   

It’s intended for those who are unemployed, interested in exploring the trades and are experiencing financial hardship. It’s designed to help learners make the transition into the trades whether they’ve completed high school or not.   

“Congratulations to Humber Polytechnic on expanding this state-of-the art facility that will help learners gain the hands-on skills they need to join one of Ontario’s most in-demand workforces,” said Minister of Colleges and Universities Nolan Quinn. “By providing the latest learning tools and equipment and creating 500 new skilled trades training opportunities, Humber Polytechnic is developing the talent we need to build Ontario and connecting students to meaningful careers.”

Humber also offers a number of pre-apprenticeship programs including the Horticulture Technician Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program for Women as well as the Electrician Pre-Apprenticeship, Millwright/General Machinist Pre-Apprenticeship and Plumbing/Welding Pre-Apprenticeship programs. These are also free of charge to those who qualify and are designed to start students down the path towards securing a skilled trades apprenticeship.   

For more information, visit Humber’s Skilled Trades and Apprenticeships website.