FUNDING: QMA welcomes funding of apprenticeship programs

QUEBEC CITY – The Quebec Mining Association says it welcomes the announcement by the province to put $7.8 million into funding for apprenticeship programs, as outlined by the mining industry. [caption id="attachment_1003722743" align="alignleft" width="300"] The mining sector provides 45,550 jobs in the province. (Image: Quebec Mining Association)[/caption] The funding will be used to finance the project "Equipping the next generation: developing talent in the mining industry through work-integrated learning" that was launched by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR). The skilled labor shortage is a major problem in the mining sector made worse by the cyclical nature of the industry, noted QMA president and CEO Josee Methot. “The sums awarded by the federal government grant interesting incentives to businesses in order to increase the number of internships available making the training more attractive to young people who want to [quickly gain] work experience,” she added. The Quebec mining industry is an important contributor to the provincial socioeconomic well-being. The sector spends $5.8 billion annually across the province, and it pays royalties and taxes of  about $1 billion to the Quebec government and $450 million to the government of Canada. Mining employment –both direct and indirect – creates 45,550 jobs in the province. Learn more about how the QMA supports the mining sector in Quebec at www.AMQ-inc.com.