Kingston students to get hands-on look at skilled trades careers this fall

Level Up! career fair returns to Kingston as Ontario pushes to fill hundreds of thousands of skilled trades jobs.

Students and jobseekers in Kingston will get a closer look at future careers in the skilled trades this fall as the Ontario government brings its Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fair back to the city.

Kingston is one of 12 communities selected to host the annual event, which will run Sept. 29 and 30 and is expected to connect local students, families and jobseekers with employers, unions and training providers.

The fair is part of a provincewide effort to address a growing labour shortage in the skilled trades. Ontario says it will need about 400,000 additional skilled workers over the next decade to help build homes, hospitals, highways and other infrastructure.

The Level Up! fairs target students in Grades 7 through 12, offering hands-on demonstrations and interactive exhibits highlighting Ontario’s 144 skilled trades. Parents, educators and jobseekers are also invited to attend free community open house sessions.

Last year, more than 58,000 people attended Level Up! events across Ontario. The province says one in six job openings in Ontario is expected to be in skilled trades-related occupations by 2034.

Story by Alyssa Brush