The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trades Certification Commission (SATCC) has received $1 million from the Government of Saskatchewan.

The funds will be used to further increase the development of skills and trades in Saskatchewan.

The total investment into SATCC in 2023-24 now stands at $22.4 million.

“This announcement is going a long way towards making sure that we’re able to train apprentices that are ready, willing and able to go to technical training,” Jeff Ritter, the CEO of SATCC, said.

The funds will allow 150 new apprentices to be trained in trades such as electrical, plumbing, sheet metal work and more.

The Sask. government says the apprentice system is closely tied to employer demand. When the economy grows, the demand for skilled tradespeople does too.

Both the SATCC and Sask. government want young people to know the trades is a great career option.

“It’s a fulfilling career. We want to make sure the young people consider trades as a career path, and to make sure if they do, we’ll have apprentice seats ready to go,” said Jeremy Harrison, the minister for immigration and career training.

Ritter said there has been a significant growth in apprenticeship registration and the new funds will help respond to the demand.

This investment into skilled trades is a part of the recently released Labour Market Strategy by the province to have a labour force ready to support employer demand.