NEWS RELEASE

August 23 , 2006

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT HELPS LOW- INCOME WOMEN GET WELL-PAYING JOBS
IT Training Provided To Low-Income Women

MPP for Etobicoke Lakeshore and Minister of the Environment Laurel Broten, MPP for Etobicoke Centre and Minister of Transportation Donna Cansfield and Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues Sandra Pupatello share a laugh with Pryamved Jutton, a student at the Community MicroSkills Development Centre in Etobicoke. The demonstration was part of an announcement of the $2.7 million government support for the Information Technology Training for Women program for low-income women. Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues Sandra Pupatello was joined by MPP for Etobicoke Lakeshore and Minister of the Environment Laurel Broten (left), Kay Blair, Executive Director of Community MicroSkills Development Centre, Leonard Serieaux-Halls, member of MicroSkills’ Board of Directors and Information Technology Team Leader with CH2M Hill Canada Limited, and Lynda Schultz, President of the MicroSkills Board of Directors.

TORONTO – Minister Responsible for Women’s Issues Sandra Pupatello today announced $2.7 million over two years to provide information technology training for low-income women.

“The McGuinty government is on the side of low-income women in Ontario who want to improve their lives and the lives of their families,” said Pupatello.  “We are offering the training they need to get good jobs and become financially independent.”

The Information Technology Training for Women program is aimed at providing low-income women with training and certification in the IT sector.  The training will be delivered by Conestoga College in Kitchener and the Community MicroSkills Development Centre in Etobicoke and Scarborough.

“Employers need the kind of graduates that the Information Technology Training for Women program is delivering,” said Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Chris Bentley.  “It’s encouraging to see graduates of this program thrive because they have been given the opportunity to pursue a rewarding career.”

“The government’s continued support for the Information Technology Training for Women program is very welcome.  We are committed to assisting the unemployed, with priority to women, youth, racial minorities and immigrants,” said Community MicroSkills Development Centre President Linda Schultz.  “MicroSkills aims to enable them to participate more fully in Canadian society and assist them in acquiring the skills needed to achieve self-determination and economic, social and political equality.”

Over the past three and a half years, IT training has already been provided to low-income women through an investment by the Ontario government of $1.7 million.

This is just the latest example of how the McGuinty government is working to help women achieve economic independence. Other initiatives include:

• A recent $1.5 million investment in the Women in Skilled Trades program;
• Improving earnings incentives and employment supports to help social assistance recipients become more financially independent; and
• Investing $4 million per year in a new Employment Innovations Fund to expand job opportunities for Ontario Works and the Ontario Disability Support Program recipients.

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Contacts:
Valérie Poulin, Minister’s Office, (416) 325-2632
Linda Cousins, Communications Branch, (416) 314-7389

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