Lambton County Developmental Services (LCDS) is hoping a new Virtual Reality (VR) training option will attract more workers to the industry.
Labour Minister and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton was joined by Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey in Petrolia on Wednesday to announce $179,400 in funding toward the project.
The goal is to help 200 more people gain the skills they need to serve people with developmental needs. Initially, there will be four training modules, focused on medication administration, sling and lift, vehicle maintenance and a to-be-determined topic.
McNaughton said it's an innovative way to attract more workers to the sector which is currently understaffed.
"They're certainly still going to have to do hands-on training as well, but this will really supplement that training," said McNaughton. "We know that young people use a lot of modern technology and that really appeals to them. This is a tool in the toolbox to attract and retain talent in the developmental services sector."
LCDS Executive Director Nick Salaris said the goal of the VR program is to give people a taste of the job before they get into the field.
"What we've seen is that some people will get hired and, after their training or after their initial shift, they determine that maybe this isn't the field for them," said Salaris. "We're hoping we can expose people to a more lived and real experience and they'll know what they're getting into before their first shift."
Salaris said the program will also help them retrain their current staff.
"What we love about the project is that it's good for new employees and it's good for existing employees, it's something we can keep with us forever," he said. "We can use it for a multitude of purposes. Ideally, we can attract people to the field and keep them here, but we want the people here to remain trained and engaged as well. Our hope is to make this sector a sector of choice. So, if someone leaves this area and moves to another area, they have this training."
Salaris said there's a huge provincial waitlist to access developmental services.
"There are probably 15,000 or more people looking for some sort of support," he said. "That's not just LCDS, that is sector and provincewide. It would be nice to have maybe 50 or 100 more employees, but we might need 200 more employees based on how we're funded and how families are funded in the future."
Once training is complete for current LCDS staff and volunteers, modules will be made available to the public and job seekers at job fairs, conventions, and high school events.
There are around 250 employees at LCDS right now, and there is room to grow.
The agency serves 200 clients and families in a combination of independent living, foster-type living, and group accommodations across Sarnia-Lambton, and many of them require 24/7 support.
A news release from the province said more than 65,000 people in Ontario live with a developmental disability, such as autism or Down Syndrome, which can increase the risk for poverty, chronic illnesses, and a lower life expectancy.
-With files from Natalia Vega