“This funding helps us reduce wait times for students wanting to train as power engineers and electricians at NLC,” said Dean of Trades and Apprenticeships Rene Tremblay. “It’s a great boost to these programs and ultimately industry in the region that requires workers in the skilled trades to keep their operations running smoothly.”
The province provided $361,600 in funding to NLC that will go to the following programs:
- Power Engineering: 16 Fourth class seats
- Electrical: 16 Level 1 seats
- Electrical: 16 Level 2 seats
- Electrical: 16 Level 4 seats
Government is providing $6.1 million for 1,429 additional critical-trades seats in 14 public post-secondary institutions throughout the province to reduce waitlists by an average of 44% for students entering trades that are in demand by a range of industries.
“These critical-trades seats match training with jobs in demand,” said Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson. “The shift in education and training to align with jobs in demand benefits students, employers and the provincial economy.”
An additional $150,000 in funding provided to NLC will help develop trades-training seats that support the skilled-labour requirements for the construction of the Site C Clean dam.
“We are delivering on our Blueprint promise to increase access to critical-trades training seats for in-demand jobs so British Columbians can find their fit in our diverse, strong and growing economy,” said Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour. “This strategic investment will help ensure British Columbians throughout the province have the skills they need to be first in line for jobs of the future and ensure we have the skilled workforce our economy needs.”
“Fulfilling the demand for the skilled trades is a priority for the ITA,” said Industry Training Authority CEO Gary Herman. “These additional critical-trades seats places us on the right track to ensure British Columbians have the skills to be first in line for the many opportunities coming our way.”
The seats will increase training capacity and reduce wait times in trades critical to a range of industries throughout the province such as construction, shipbuilding and ship repairs, liquefied natural gas, mining, as well as oil and gas.
The 1,429 critical-trades seats support B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint that was launched almost one year ago on April 29, 2014. B.C.’s Blueprint outlines how the Province is re-engineering the education system – from kindergarten through to post-secondary training and beyond – to make sure education and training aligns with B.C. jobs.