Seventeen students and apprentices from throughout B.C. were honoured last night as B.C. gears up to host the 2013 Skills Canada National Competition.

Two tentative agreements have been reached under the Cooperative Gains Mandate between the University of Victoria and the Professional Employees Association (PEA), as well as between the University of British Columbia and CUPE Local 2950, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology John Yap announced today.

Students at Thompson Rivers University's law school will enjoy new, state-of-the-art lecture spaces and upgraded facilities through a provincial investment of up to $7.4 million.

Students at the University of Northern British Columbia will benefit from improved and upgraded campus facilities, thanks to over $582,000 in capital funding that is part of government's $44-million investment in B.C.'s post-secondary infrastructure this year.

The Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) Observatory, run by the University of Victoria, will receive $8.9 million from government to support ongoing research activities.

The B.C. government is providing $28 million under B.C.'s Skills and Training Plan to expand and renovate trades training facilities at the Kelowna campus of Okanagan College, ensuring future welders, heavy-duty mechanics, electricians, plumbers and other skilled workers will get the training they need.

Future health professionals in Prince George will benefit from an additional student spaces at the Justice Institute of British Columbia to get the training they need as primary care paramedics to provide the high-quality health care B.C. families deserve.