Ontario Helping Connect More Students With Rewarding Careers in the Skilled Trades
- May 5
- 4 min read
Level Up! career fairs will help over 60,000 students and jobseekers learn about good-paying in-demand jobs
News Release | May 5th, 2026
TORONTO — The Ontario government is launching the annual Level Up! career fairs for a fifth year to introduce students, educators and jobseekers to in-demand careers. Through multi‑day events planned in 12 communities across the province this upcoming year, the 2026 fairs are expected to reach more than 60,000 people and will include open house sessions and interactive exhibitions that will inspire the next generation of workers to build the homes, highways, hospitals, schools and critical infrastructure that the province needs.
“To deliver on our government’s historic $236 billion infrastructure plan, Ontario will need an additional 400,000 workers in the skilled trades over the next decade,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We will continue to invest in innovative programs that introduce students and young people to the skills they need to land in-demand careers and bigger paycheques.”
The Level Up! career fairs will showcase Ontario’s 144 skilled trades through interactive exhibits, hands‑on demonstrations and conversations with employers, unions and training providers. Designed primarily for students in Grades 7 to 12, the fairs will also welcome parents, guardians, educators and jobseekers interested in learning more about local apprenticeship and training opportunities.
The Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fairs will take place across 12 communities over 29 days between September 23 and December 10, 2026:
Cobourg — September 23–24
Kingston — September 29–30
Barrie — October 6–7
Timmins — October 14–15
Thunder Bay — October 21–22
Sudbury — October 28–29
Hamilton — November 3–5
Windsor — November 11–12
London — November 17–19
Ottawa — November 24–26
Oshawa — December 1–3
Mississauga — December 8–10
Each fair includes daytime sessions for students attending with their schools, followed by a free community open house open to the public, aimed at providing an opportunity for parents and guardians to learn more about the skilled trades.
“The Level Up Career Fair is an excellent opportunity for students to explore the wide range of skilled trades careers available across our region,” said The Hon. Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay - Atikokan. “I am always encouraged attending these events and seeing local businesses engage with students in a hands-on way that sparks genuine interest in the trades.”
As Ontario continues to grow, so does the demand for skilled trades workers, with roughly one in three tradespeople nearing retirement and hundreds of thousands of additional workers needed over the next decade. To meet this demand, Ontario is aiming to engage 500,000 youth in the skilled trades by 2030 through initiatives like Level Up! and the Trade and Tech Trucks program.
“Our government is focused on making sure Ontario workers have the skills, resources and opportunities they need to succeed,” said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. “The Level Up! career fairs continue to open more doors for students and jobseekers to explore careers in the skilled trades, connect directly with employers and see firsthand the opportunities available to them.”
Level Up! is part of the government’s ongoing plan to protect Ontario by building a highly skilled workforce ready to meet growing demand and keep Ontario resilient into the future. Through its $236 billion plan to build, the government is delivering critical infrastructure projects that communities rely on while connecting more people to stable, good-paying careers.
Quick Facts
The Level Up! skilled trades career fairs are open to all students, parents, educators and job seekers.
Last year, more than 58,000 people attended Level Up! career fairs across Ontario.
Since 2022, more than 140,000 people have attended the Level Up! career fairs, with total attendance expected to surpass 200,000 by the end of 2026.
Organizations can support the Level Up! career fairs as potential exhibitors or sponsors, with more information available by emailing LevelUp@ontario.ca or visiting LevelUpOntario.ca.
One in six job openings in Ontario will be in skilled trades-related occupations by 2034.
Quotes
"Ontario’s students deserve every opportunity to explore pathways that lead to rewarding, good-paying careers. Level Up! plays an important role in connecting classroom learning with hands-on experience. As Level Up! returns for a fifth year and reaches communities across the province, our government is helping more students make informed choices about their future while supporting the skilled workforce Ontario needs to grow." - Paul Calandra, Minister of Education
"From our roads to our hospitals to our homes, our province’s skilled trades workforce is building and protecting a prosperous Ontario. The Level Up! Skilled Trades Career Fairs are a fantastic opportunity for students and families to connect with our world-class postsecondary institutions and start planning good-paying, future careers in Ontario’s booming skilled trades sectors." - Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security
"Skills Ontario is proud to partner with Minister Piccini and the Ontario government to promote the skilled trades as a first-choice career path for Ontario’s youth. Level Up! Career Fairs play a critical role in engaging students, giving them hands-on exposure to in-demand careers, and helping them see the real opportunities these pathways can lead to. For more than 35 years, Skills Ontario has worked alongside the Ontario government to strengthen the skilled trades and help build the workforce of the future. Together, we are opening doors, inspiring the next generation, and equipping young people with the skills they need to succeed. We are proud to support Level Up! once again and look forward to another successful year." - Ian Howcroft, CEO, Skills Ontario
"Five years on, Level Up! continues to open doors for young people across Ontario, giving them real, hands-on exposure to the skilled trades and the careers they could build. The career fairs make that possible by connecting students and jobseekers directly with the tradespeople and employers shaping the work today. Skilled Trades Ontario is proud to deliver Level Up! alongside the Ontario government, and proud to support every young person discovering a career that is in demand, well paid, and built to last." - Candice White, CEO, Skilled Trades Ontario
