From the OMAFRA Food Bulletin

Canada Summer Jobs Program
Register Now! Food Manufacturing Process Operator - new Apprenticeship
Food and Beverage Industry Innovation Fund - Round Two

Canada Summer Jobs Program

Does your business have 50 or fewer employees and can you create work experiences this summer for students between the ages of 15 and 30? If so, you may be eligible for the Canada Summer Jobs program.

The program provides for-profit businesses with up to 50 percent of the provincial/territorial minimum hourly wage to help pay student employees. Not-for-profit employers are eligible for up to 100 percent of the provincial/territorial minimum hourly wage and mandatory employment related costs.

The application period for Canada Summer Jobs 2009 starts February 2 and ends February 27, 2009. Interested? For more information, call Service Canada at 1-800-935-5555; contact your local Service Canada Centre
http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/gateways/where_you_live/menu.shtml; or visit the Canada Summer
Jobs 2009 website http://www1.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/epb/yi/yep/programs/scpp.shtml.

Register Now! Food Manufacturing Process Operator - new Apprenticeship

The Process Operator apprenticeship for food manufacturing has now been granted official status by the provincial government to enable food companies to receive a tax credit of up to $15,000 per registered apprentice.

The Alliance of Ontario Food Processors held a meeting of food companies in Cambridge at the end of January. Food companies learned that the new processor operator apprenticeship for food manufacturers is ready to go. The intent of the program is to develop skilled workers at the plant operations level. The certification will help companies identify and recruit good workers and will benefit existing employees by providing a significant training opportunity.

On-the-job training can start immediately, and includes learning how to:

• Work Safely
• Employ Job Information Resources
• Use and Maintain Tools & Equipment
• Maintain Food Safely
• Operate Raw Materials Preparation & Processing Equipment
• Maintain Operation of Food Process Equipment & Components
• Control Process Operations
• Carry Out Process Control Procedures
• The initial class is seeking 30 to 40 registered apprentices to launch the in-class portion of the training. Colleges are interested and are ready to move on the in-class curriculum development.

4000 hours of on-the-job training, or about two years, will complete the practical side of the certification. The In-school portion will consist of 300 hours of classroom time. In-school materials would be delivered in various locations if local demand is sufficient.

You are encouraged to look into this program, and the benefits to your company. For more information, please contact your local Apprenticeship office
http://www.findhelp.ca/mtcu/appoff.html, or call the Employment Ontario Hotline at
1-800-387-5656.

Food and Beverage Industry Innovation Fund - Round Two

The second Call for Proposals: closing date is 4:30 PM on Monday Feb. 23, 2009

Don't forget - the $3 million Food and Beverage Industry Innovation Fund (FBII) Round Two is closing on Monday, February 23, 2009. The FBII is designed to help the food processing industry in Ontario invest in new/innovative processes and products, and skills development. Both individual food and beverage processing companies and sector associations may apply. If you are considering applying to this fund, make sure your application is received by 4:30 p.m. on February 23, 2009.

Go to http://www.adaptcouncil.org for more information or phone 519-822-7554 or e-mail fbii@adaptcouncil.org.