Media Release: Lincoln will use $2 million from Skills Development Fund to support businesses and prepare youth for employment
Lincoln, ON – (August 5, 2021) – The Town of Lincoln is receiving $2 million from the Province of Ontario’s Skills Development Fund, which will help prepare 90 local youth for the workforce and support local employers with affordable access to talent and resources that will help grow their businesses.
Designed to address the challenges brought on by COVID-19, the $115-million Skills Development Fund aims to provide opportunities for workers and apprentices and help businesses access the qualified workers they need to recover from the pandemic.
The Town’s Economic Development Department will be using the provincial funding to develop a Youth Skills Studio in partnership with Civiconnect, a non-profit organization that connects youth and the private sector to their communities to maximize their social impact through technology, innovation, and strategy. The Youth Skills Studio will provide 60,000 hours of work-integrated learning to 90 youth aged 15-29 working on 75 initiatives for local businesses. These work-integrated learning projects will enable local businesses to connect with youth who will provide digital services for their businesses, including:
- Digital systems administration
- Digital marketing
- Web development
“Connecting young people with opportunities in technology is vital to kickstarting their careers while helping small business owners deal with the impacts of COVID-19,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “This training program is a win-win for young workers and local businesses looking for help expanding online. This investment meets the challenges of today while training our young workers in the technology of tomorrow.”
“The pandemic has shown us that businesses are in need of digital innovation and education to ensure their survival and growth in 2021 and beyond,” says Town of Lincoln Mayor Sandra Easton. “This initiative will allow us to support our local businesses in facing this changing COVID-19 landscape, prepare youth for job opportunities and build upon Lincoln’s vision to be a place to grow, prosper and belong.”
Town of Lincoln CAO Mike Kirkopoulos says that even before COVID-19, Town Council and staff knew that youth employment was a key element to economic growth and success. “The pandemic has further compounded youth unemployment and underemployment, and we look forward to tackling this issue with the Youth Skills Studio here in Lincoln,” he says.
Kailene Jackson, Co-Founder and Director of Programming at Civiconnect, says she is thrilled about the launch of the Youth Skills Studio. “We will be able to mitigate some of the challenges posed by COVID-19, while contributing to long-term economic development and youth retention in the Town,” she says. “Bridging the gap between youth and the business community is key to creating the prosperous and inclusive communities of tomorrow.”
Paul Di Ianni, Director of Economic Development and Communications for the Town of Lincoln, recognized the importance of this financial contribution. “This is the largest non-infrastructure-related investment the Town of Lincoln has ever seen,” he says. “This investment will go a long way towards supporting the Town’s Economic Development Strategy, which identified youth employment and retention as a major component to supporting Lincoln’s economy.”
In addition to retaining young talent in Lincoln, the Youth Skills Studio supports other priorities of Lincoln’s Economic Development Strategy by promoting business retention and expansion and innovation and leadership. It will also provide the foundation for an arts and tech hub in Lincoln.
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For media inquiries on the Youth Skills Studio, please contact:
Liliana Busnello
Manager of Corporate Communications
Town of Lincoln
Direct: 905-563-2799 ext. 230
Tel: 905-563-8205
