Thousands of students are preparing to start their post-secondary studies or training this week.

It was a pressing priority for Advanced Education, Skills and Training Minister Melanie Mark to get out early in her mandate and engage with students, faculty and staff at all 25 public post-secondary institutions in British Columbia.

The British Columbia government is eliminating tuition fees on Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English Language Learning (ELL) programs, opening the door for tens of thousands of people to upgrade their education and skills every year.

Post-secondary students at 16 colleges, institutes and universities throughout British Columbia will benefit from an investment of $1.3 million to raise awareness of the benefits of work experience among employers and students.

Students at colleges and universities on Vancouver Island will be encouraged to explore co-op opportunities to support their career ambitions.

Ten public post-secondary institutions will receive targeted funding to create short-term coding programs that give students the coding skills in demand by tech employers.

A $500,000 investment will establish scholarships at public post-secondary institutions that encourage women to pursue education that aligns with the needs of the growing tech sector in British Columbia.

The Province is providing $250,000 to continue to support the open education work being done in British Columbia through the Open Textbook Project.

More health-care seats are being added at three public post-secondary institutions on Vancouver Island through one-time funding of $345,000 to ensure that health demands for patients are being met in local communities.