British Columbia is introducing a new funding program aimed at expanding skilled trades training and improving access for people in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
Through SkilledTradesBC, the province has launched the Look West Workforce Readiness Initiative, a three-year, $40-million program intended to support projects that address labour shortages, strengthen training capacity and help apprentices complete their programs.
SkilledTradesBC chief executive officer Shelley Gray said the funding will help communities such as Fort Nelson and other rural areas develop stronger training pathways by bringing together colleges, employers and local partners to create jobs and connect apprentices with opportunities close to home.
“This gives us a chance to work with rural communities and colleges to streamline training sessions in order to create new jobs,” Gray said.
“It’s important to keep in mind that anyone who completes an apprenticeship is ultimately looking for employment, so we need industry to be part of that because we are not just training people to train people, we are training to participate in projects.”
A key focus of the initiative is improving access to training for Indigenous people and residents of rural and remote regions, allowing more apprentices to train closer to home while remaining connected to their families and communities.
Eligible applicants include public post-secondary institutions, union-affiliated training schools and organizations that deliver Indigenous skills and employment training programs in B.C.
Applications for the Workforce Readiness Initiative opened June 15 and will be accepted until Sept. 15.
