The federal government will spend nearly $258.6 million over the next five years to train workers in key sectors, Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu announced Friday.

Speaking in her home riding in Thunder Bay, Hajdu said the government is “investing in training and supporting” skilled trades workers to ensure that communities “have the people they need to get the work done.” She singled out government’s new electricity strategy aimed at doubling the size of Canada’s grid and a recently announced $2 billion national heat pump rebate program as helping to drive demand for skilled workers. 

READ MORE: Feds to roll out $2B heat-pump rebate to help up to 820,000 households switch 

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of a Sectoral Workforce Innovation Fund a little over a year ago and the government opened applications for the program in August.

The fund aims to fill the gaps between workers’ skills and industry requirements in sectors like energy or critical minerals by funding projects that could speed up training or certification.

“These investments will help families lower their energy costs, create good, well-paying jobs and give the next generation a path to a secure and prosperous future,” Hajdu said in a statement.

The minister’s announcement comes a day after Ottawa unveiled $430 million in spending to help unions and other organizations cover costs for new training facilities and equipment.

READ MORE: Ottawa opens $430M in apprenticeship funding for skilled trades 

The Liberals have announced billions of dollars in spending to train up to 100,000 new skilled workers over the next half decade to support the government’s ambitious infrastructure agenda.

—with files from the Canadian Press