Interactive Trades & Tech Trucks will bring simulators and hands-on activities to nearly half a million people across the province

The Ontario government is investing $5.4 million to design and build three mobile tech classrooms that will travel across the province and teach students and young people about the skilled trades.

These three 12-metre-long Trades & Tech Trucks will travel across the province, providing students an opportunity to explore the skilled trades and speak with industry members, while learning about local training opportunities, colleges and employers.

The classrooms, built and operated by Skills Ontario, will feature hands-on learning stations and simulators for electrical systems, welding, crane operation, auto-painting, tire and brake work, heavy machinery and more.

Over three years, they will let nearly half a million people explore the skilled trades and will help tackle the labour shortage the province faces in a critical industry.

It is expected that by 2025, one in five jobs in Ontario will be in the skilled trades.

In the last year, apprenticeship registrations increased by 24 per cent – from 21,971 to 27,319 – as more people decide to pursue rewarding, well-paying careers in the industry.

This increase, including a 28 per cent jump among women, follows more than $1 billion in investment in the skilled trades over three years, along with the launch of the new government agency, Skilled Trades Ontario.

The province helped launch the Trades & Tech Truck pilot program in 2022. The first truck reached over 40,000 students and young people, visiting more than 50 events across the province from Toronto to Ottawa and Thunder Bay.

This project is funded through the government’s Skills Development Fund, an over $700 million initiative, which supports ground-breaking programs that connect jobseekers with the skills and training they need to find well-paying careers close to home.

PLEASE NOTE: Booking is full for this school year. Please contact Hayley at hmackay@skillsontario.com and Emily at ecollard@skillsontario.com if you are interested in having an event in your area and we will add you to our list.

Images and video courtesy of Skills Ontario