The Government of B.C. is boosting skilled trades training with $241 million over the next three years.
The “landmark investment” will double trades training funding and permanently strengthen B.C.’s trades-training system. This is the first major increase in skilled-trades training in nearly two decades.
“With this historic investment in skilled trades, we are not only investing to meet today’s needs, but we are laying the foundation for a thriving and prosperous future. Together with our partners, we are committed to ensuring more people in British Columbia can benefit from these well-paying, resilient and rewarding careers,” said Shelley Gray, CEO, SkilledTradesBC.
The investment will:
- increase per-seat funding for apprentice programs;
- address waiting lists for critical industrial trades, ensuring faster access to training;
- advance skilled-trades certification, beginning with crane operators; and
- as opportunities evolve, ensure workers can move easily between industries.
“To deliver the provincial capital plan and the many private-investment projects in B.C., we need more highly skilled and certified tradespeople,” said Brynn Bourke, executive director, BC Building Trades. “This funding will allow our joint board and union training schools to deliver on this and serve the needs of the industry. We welcome this historic investment in our trades-training system and we look forward to partnering with the government to foster the next generation of skilled-trade workers.”
With more than one million job openings expected in B.C. over the next decade (2024-2034), trades occupations are projected to be one of the top five occupational groups that account for nearly 80 per cent of projected job openings.
“This investment from the Province of British Columbia allows BCIT to deliver training to meet the growing demand for skilled trades professionals across BC and beyond – contributing to a stronger and more resilient Canada,” said Dr. Jeff Zabudsky, BCIT president.
