Fleming College

MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE NMA:

The Northumberland Manufacturers’ Association (NMA) will benefit from an investment announced today by Northumberland CFDC and Kim Rudd, Member of Parliament for Northumberland—Peterborough South.

The Northumberland CFDC is pleased to provide support for Eastern Ontario Youth STEM and Technical Skilled Trades Job Creation Pilot Program with an investment of $488,000 under the Eastern Ontario Development Program’s Collaborative Economic Development Projects stream with a total project cost of up to $1.4 million.

The funding will invest in the next generation of young STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and technical skilled trades graduates in rural Eastern Ontario’s advanced manufacturing sector, resulting in 23 new full-time positions which will benefit Eastern Ontario.

The Technical Skilled Trades Job Creation Pilot Program will support qualified industry to hire graduates or recent graduates from STEM related programs by providing up to a maximum of $20K incentive towards their salary, with SME providing two-thirds of the salary per position.

This program will assist regional rural SME’s in attracting and retaining a skilled workforce with Science, Engineering, Technology and Math related skills. This new program will concentrate on sectors that span across advanced manufacturing, cleantech, and high growth, industrial small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The pilot program will operate as an employer job creation contribution that will help ensure competitive access to and retention of young talent in rural Eastern Ontario. All recent STEM graduates are eligible with particular emphasis on attracting women STEM graduates.

This is a tri-county collaboration, being led by the NMA, in partnership with the Quinte Manufacturers Association (QMA) and the Kawartha Manufacturers Association (KMA). The NMA is reaching out to all post-secondary institutions within Eastern Ontario to market the project and to assist in connecting graduates with industry. In addition, The NMA will be working with Fleming College Business and Marketing students on the outreach and marketing of the project.

The Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario)’s Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) advances economic development in rural Eastern Ontario. Through EODP, FedDev Ontario is collaborating with Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) in Eastern Ontario to promote the growth of new and existing businesses in rural communities.

Quick Facts
~The Northumberland Manufacturers’ Association (NMA) incorporated in 2004 as a not-for- profit membership organization that provides services including networking, business development, and training to assist local and regional manufacturers to remain innovative and competitive in a global marketplace. The NMA actively represents over 200 manufacturers in Northumberland County, and works through strategic partnerships with Quinte and Kawartha manufacturers, industry associations, government, and stakeholders such as the Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation, and local economic development offices, universities, colleges, and training centres .

~Northumberland CFDC is one of the 15 Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) in Eastern Ontario funded by the Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). CFDCs deliver a wide variety of programs and services to support community economic development and small business growth. They employ local staff and are each governed by a volunteer board of directors, made up of local residents representing the community.

Quotes
“By providing more leverage within the manufacturing sector for local businesses to encourage and retain skilled talent through EODP funding, we are providing for a stronger, sustainable, and more diversified Eastern Ontario economy.” -Kim Rudd, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Northumberland−Peterborough South

“In my experience, giving a bright young mind a chance to shine and contribute is a wise business decision. This project helps our rural areas to be competitive with urban centres, while involving the next generation of young people into the next generation business growth.” -Wendy Curtis, Executive Director, Northumberland CFDC

“Today’s global competitive market, paired with amplified investments in innovation technology, increases the need to attract and retain a skilled workforce. We are confident that this new program will attract youth graduates or recent graduates from the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) sector to Eastern Ontario manufacturing organizations.” -Dan Ross, President, Northumberland Manufacturing Association