March 18, 2021 Windsor-Tecumseh, Ontario Office of Irek Kusmierczyk
Canada’s economic recovery depends on young people being able to get good, well-paying jobs now and into the future. We recognize that women have been among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, facing job losses and shouldering the burden of unpaid care work at home. Taking steps to include young women in Canada’s recovery and working to create a stronger, fairer and more inclusive country will continue to be important.
Today, Irek Kusmierczyk, Member of Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh, on behalf of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Carla Qualtrough, announced that the Government of Canada is investing over $11 million through the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) program to help more than 700 young women get the support and skills training they need to find good jobs.
Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc. will receive $1,648,837 in federal funding for their Young Women in LEAD (Leadership, Education and Development) program that will provide 120 young women with hands-on skills training and on-the-job experience.
These investments support the Government’s commitment in the 2020 Speech from the Throne to create an Action Plan for Women in the Economy. The Action Plan will pave the way forward by helping more women get back into the workforce and to ensure a feminist response to the recovery.
In its recently published report, Canada - A Learning Nation, the Future Skills Council indicated equal opportunities for lifelong learning as a top priority in Canada’s efforts to upskill workers. This recommendation is a call to action for all sectors to do their part in creating a more inclusive labour market that removes structural and systemic barriers so that under-represented, equity-deserving groups, can fully participate in skills training and get good jobs.
The Government’s comprehensive approach to an inclusive recovery is helping to ensure that all young people have the tools, resources and financial supports they need to move forward in their careers.
Quotes
“Through bold action and strategic investment, our government is ensuring that Canada’s recovery is inclusive and sets up young Canadians, especially young women, for success. Women’s Enterprise Skills Training (WEST) of Windsor Inc. is a fantastic example of a community organization creating long-lasting change in the lives of Canadian women. I am proud of our government’s commitment to support WEST’s work and help more women find meaningful training and employment opportunities in Windsor-Essex.”
–-Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh
“As we build back even better and consciously more inclusive programs, we must ensure that all youth have equal opportunities to succeed. These investments are empowering and equipping young women to be the leaders of tomorrow and today. Everyone deserves an equal opportunity to succeed and, through the YESS, we are providing those opportunities. Together, with partnerships like these, we are building a better future for all.”
–-Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth
“As a women’s community-based training organization, we understand the need to mentor and support young women seeking employment and training solutions. With the financial support from the Government of Canada’s YESS program, which offers incredible opportunities for young women in Windsor, we can continue to offer the Young Women in LEAD (Leadership, Employment and Development) program. Through LEAD, participants who face multiple barriers to employment, are given opportunities to build skills and confidence needed to integrate or re-integrate into the workforce, using both in-class and work-experience formats. Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc. is delighted to provide this training for employment-disadvantaged young women in order to improve their employability in the workforce or to further their education.
–-Rose Anguiano Hurst, Executive Director, Women’s Enterprise Skills Training of Windsor Inc.
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