High schools receive funding to give students the edge in skilled trades industry

Skilled trades programs in schools. (CTV News Barrie)

Several local high schools received generous donations to purchase state-of-the-art equipment to address the skilled-trade labour shortage across the province.

Each school will upgrade manufacturing facilities to prepare students for industry standards and give them a "competitive edge" to pursue a career in the trades.

Nearly $200,000 was distributed between five high schools:

• St. Peter's Catholic Secondary School in Barrie will get $20,500 for a lathe;
• St. Theresa's Catholic High School in Midland will get $42,500 for a milling machine;
• St. Theresa's Catholic High School in Midland will get $29,200 for a plasma table;
• Collingwood Collegiate Institute in Collingwood will get $37,330.00 for a First Vertical Milling Machine;
• Nottawasaga Pines Secondary School in Angus will get $69,752.00 for a Haas Mini Mill.

The donation was made possible through a partnership between the Canadian Tooling & Machining Association and the Ontario Council for Technology Education.