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PROFESSIONAL NEWS New ads showcase Skilled Trades as a viable first option The Government of Ontario is taking action to attract more people to the skilled trades and to encourage employers to hire more apprentices. The province is facing a serious labour shortage, which has the potential to get progressively worse. On any given day, tens of thousands of jobs go unfilled and many of those are in the skilled trades. As part of the government’s ‘Open for Business, Open for Jobs strategy,’ the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development launched a marketing campaign to highlight good-quality, well-paying and flexible careers in the trades, under the slogan ‘Find a Career You Wouldn’t Trade.’ “We need to do a better job at enticing young people and their parents to the skilled trades,” said Minister Monte McNaughton. The advertising campaign reflects the passion of real skilled tradespeople in their work environments. It features up-close footage of three skilled trades people with in-demand careers and high income potential: a tower crane
operator, a steamfitter and an arborist. The government is also investing approximately $75 million in three programs to expose high school students to the trades: $12.7 million in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, $42 million in the Specialist High Skills major program and $20.8 million in a pre-apprenticeship program. “The reality is that the skilled trades offer exciting and challenging careers that often require solid math and problemsolving skills, and expose people to the latest technologies such as 3D printing and robotics,” said Minister McNaughton. “When it comes to opportunity, to earning potential, to having a chance to start your own business, the skilled trades come out on top.” Over the first nine months of 2019, Ontario employers had, on average, 204,000 job openings across all occupations and industries. Of these, 13,000 were in the construction sector. The ads will run online, in movie theatres and on Tim Hortons TV across the province.
A five-step process for managing cannabis edibles
BRAUN
Cannabis edibles entered the marketplace in December 2019, posing a new set of challenges for employers that have already grappled with recreational cannabis. John Aird, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) Manager of Strategic Partnerships, says this unique product line creates three specific challenges. Aird says because the effects take longer to be felt, there is a higher risk of overconsumption. Also, people who consume cannabis edibles the night before, may still show up to work impaired because the effects can last longer. Finally, usage is harder to detect. Cannabis edibles don’t have the instantly-recognizable scent of smoked cannabis, so how do you know if someone has eaten some? Not convinced cannabis of any kind is an issue in your workplace? Here’s some food for thought: a new national survey found that 43 per cent of employees using cannabis for medical purposes had not reported their medical use to employers. Furthermore, 27 per cent said they use cannabis medicinally, and almost 25 per cent who said they use it recreationally work in safety-sensitive positions. Follow these five steps to prepare your workplace for the potential effects of cannabis edibles.
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1. Review and update your workplace’s drug and alcohol and fit for duty policies to include edible cannabis. Employers have the right to establish policies prohibiting the use of drugs in the workplace, and to require that employees be free from impairment while at work. This includes company events and celebrations. No one needs cannabis edibles at your next potluck. 2. Review your updated policies with all employees. State your expectations regarding drug and alcohol use and fitness for duty, making clear to employees that impairment of any kind is unacceptable. Go over everyone’s duties under the policies.
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