From providing employment opportunities to Ukrainian newcomers and mentoring for jobs in aviation to opening pathways to careers in the arts, our commitment to surrounding communities has never been stronger
TORONTO, ONTARIO – After an extensive evaluation period, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) has announced the recipients of its 2022 Uplift Fund. Six organizations have received a total of $387,000 for programs designed to break down barriers to employment and cultivate opportunity for communities around Toronto Pearson.
The six 2022 organizations are:
Urban Pilots Network
The Urban Pilots Network’s Top Flyers Canada program prepares Black and racialized youth for entry-level employment with leading aviation agencies.
ACCES Employment
ACCES Employment’s Ukrainian Newcomer Assistance Program will provides employment service supports to recent Ukrainian newcomers, to help secure employment and succeed at meaningful employment in the GTA.
Brands for Canada
Brands for Canada’s Suitable Impressions Program is a first impressions-focused employment program that coaches participants to succeed in a job interview.
Blue Door Support Services
Blue Door Support Services’ Construct Program recruits, trains and employs motivated individuals to learn and work on-site with qualified tradespeople to prepare for a career in the construction industry.
JAYU
JAYU’s iAM is a free, eight-week employment arts and culture training program for equity-deserving youth which allows them to access career paths that would have otherwise been unavailable to them.
Shakespeare in Action
Shakespeare in Action’s Backstage Centre Technical Apprenticeship is an innovative performing arts technical skills development program that provides paid job training in theatre production for youth aged 15 to 30. Participants are mentored by industry professionals to gain unique and valuable experience they can bring with them into the workforce.
The Uplift Fund—part of the GTAA’s community investment program, the Propeller Project—has been investing and partnering in programming, advocacy and research to support local area residents to gain the skills, connections and opportunities needed to be meaningfully employed since 2018. Given the dramatic effects that COVID-19 has had on employment in the communities Toronto Pearson serves, never before has support of this nature been more important.
“We’re delighted to announce this year’s Uplift Fund recipients, who work to lift up the communities we serve,” said Robyn Connelly, Director, Sustainability and Social Impact, GTAA. “Although COVID-19 has had a significant impact on our business, it has also disproportionally impacted our neighbours. We’re looking forward to working collaboratively with these like-minded organizations to address underemployment, and in doing so support a strong post-pandemic recovery for the Greater Toronto Area.”
To learn more about the Uplift Fund and the 2022 funding recipients, please visit torontopearson.com/propellerproject.
About the Greater Toronto Airports Authority
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is the operator of Toronto – Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest airport and a vital connector of people, businesses and goods. Toronto Pearson has been named “Best Large Airport in North America serving more than 40 million passengers” for five years in a row by Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade representative of the world’s airports. In recognition of its Healthy Airport program, ACI has also awarded Toronto Pearson the “Best hygiene measures in North America” award for two years running, and Toronto Pearson was the first Canadian airport to receive ACI’s global health accreditation for its response to COVID-19.
For our corporate twitter channel, please visit @PearsonComms. For operational updates and passenger information, please visit @TorontoPearson/@AeroportPearson on Twitter. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
Contact
GTAA Media Office | media.relations@gtaa.com | (416) 776-3709