The Province announced Tuesday that the creation of a new Rural and Northern Apprenticeship Training Strategy along with increased tax incentives for businesses to hire apprentices will make it easier than ever to be an apprentice and develop Manitoba's skilled work force.

Manitoba will not only boost tax incentives for employers who hire apprentices and provide on-the-job training but hiring incentive tax credits for level one and two apprentices will be increased up to a maximum of $3,000 from the current maximum of $2,000.

The credit for level three, four, and five apprentices will be doubled to a maximum of $5,000 from the current $2,500. The Journeyperson Hiring Incentive will also be doubled to a maximum of $5,000.

"It allows them to take on trainees and get some credit or help basically in paying their salaries. If you can bring on some new people you have the ability to do more business and provide more services to your clients without having to take the whole cost on as the employer for training," said Jerry Lupkowski, president of the Portage Chamber of Commerce. "That little bit of government assistance or help will motivate us to take on more people and give them a chance to learn their skill, trade, or profession."

The new Rural and Northern Apprenticeship Training Strategy will consist of: a new Journeyperson Business Start program; a new Skill Build program to upgrade and equip high school shop classrooms; further development of online initiatives to access services and additional online learning; an investment of $400,000 in mobile training labs in partnership with Red River College; and an additional $1,000 apprentice hiring incentive for levels one and two apprentices, effectively doubling incentives for rural employers.

For the full story see Tuesday's edition of the Portage Daily Graphic.