Cornwall, Ontario – This summer, the Take the Wheel mobile recruitment centre will be hitting the road. The next stop happens the morning of Saturday, July 10th, 2021, at the Food Basics parking lot located across the street from McDonald’s Restaurant in the east-end of Cornwall, Ontario.

There will be a transport truck parked in the lot near the Second Street sidewalk. Also, there will be a booth set up, where people can learn more about trucking job opportunities and win awesome prizes and swag, including hoodies, baseball caps, shirts, and more.

Take the Wheel Ontario is a regional partnership project led by Tri-County Literacy Council and is responding to the urgent shortage of truck drivers by promoting trucking career opportunities to women and youth in Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry, and in Prescott and Russell.

“From food, consumer good, supplies, and more – the trucking industry keeps the engine of the economy roaring. A shortage of truck drivers could put the brakes on economic growth,” says Project Coordinator Carolyn Eva.

According to statistics from the Eastern Ontario Training Board, 55% of employees are over the age of 45. Also, Statistics Canada data shows the number of drivers aged 25 to 34 has decreased from 18% to below 15%. Furthermore, according to Trucking HR Canada only 3% of Canada’s Truck Drivers, mechanics, technicians, and cargo workers are women.

“More women and youth entering the trucking industry will help address this labour shortage,” Eva explained. “We’ve had an opportunity to study this sector, and now we’re working on the implementation of solutions and strategy-based efforts that will lead more people into a career in transportation,” Eva continued.

Take the Wheel aims to educate people about how to enter the trucking industry and the various types of jobs related to the sector, including dispatch, mechanics, loaders, and more.

“Get your keys and get on the road to financial security,” says Project Planner Jason Setnyk.

“The trucking industry offers flexible work schedules, the opportunity to travel, and good-paying jobs. After a 6-week training course, most drivers start out making $50,000, and many students are offered jobs before they finish training,” Setnyk added.

Take the Wheel will be hitting the road throughout the summer. The next stop is Saturday, July 10th, 2021, at No Frills. The grocery store is located at 315 2nd Street East in Cornwall, Ontario. 

The mobile recruitment centre will be set up from 9 am to Noon.

Take the Wheel is an Employment Ontario project of Tri-County Literacy Council funded by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. For more information about Take the Wheel, follow them on Facebook and Instagram (takethewheelontario). Also, visit their website and sign-up for the newsletter: https://takethewheelontario.ca