The B.C. Industry Training Authority (ITA) has appointed Jeff Lekstrom as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective September 14, 2015. Lekstrom will be responsible for ITA’s customer service, industry relations, training delivery, and program standards activities.

Lekstrom was the Dean of Trades at Northern Lights College in Dawson Creek until 2012. Following that, he was the General Superintendent at Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold in Papua, Indonesia where he was responsible for the Nemangkawi Mining Institute. Lekstrom began his career as a Red Seal Welder and went on to operate his own welding business for 12 years.

Most recently, Lekstrom has been providing consulting services to ITA on the Pan-Canadian Harmonization project to standardize Red Seal training across Canada to enhance labour mobility.

“Jeff brings a wealth of leadership and trades training experience to ITA,” says Gary Herman, CEO, ITA. “His addition to ITA and the senior leadership team will benefit us and BC as we build a world-class apprenticeship system.”