Four public post-secondary institutions are partnering with seven Aboriginal communities in the Vancouver Island – B.C. Coast region to deliver programs that will help prepare 124 Aboriginal learners for jobs in the skilled trades and forestry.

Capilano University is partnering with the Lil’Wat Nation to deliver the Mt. Currie Aboriginal Sustainable Employment program that will help learners obtain industry certificates such as Occupational First Aid, Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) and Foodsafe.

The Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT), Okanagan College and the University of Victoria (UVic) and eleven Aboriginal communities in the region are creating six program partnerships that will help prepare 141 Aboriginal learners for a career in the skilled trades.

Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and the University of Northern B.C. are working in partnership with four Aboriginal communities to deliver four education and skills training programs to 67 Aboriginal learners.

The College of New Caledonia is partnering with six Aboriginal communities to deliver five education and skills training programs to help 79 Aboriginal learners in the North find and maintain employment in sectors facing skill shortages such as health care and skilled trades.

More than 30 Aboriginal communities in partnership with 14 public post-secondary education institutions are delivering education and skills training programs to help 581 Aboriginal learners secure jobs in sectors facing a demand for skilled workers.

The B.C. Centre of Training Excellence in Mining (CTEM) has made it easier for British Columbians to train for careers in mineral exploration and mining, thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed with five public post-secondary institutions in the province.

Premier Christy Clark announced funding toward an $80-million upgrade to the undergraduate teaching laboratories at the University of British Columbia that will allow more growth and opportunity in life sciences that support a range of vibrant sectors that contribute to a diverse economy.

An 18-month transition period is now over for post-secondary institutions in British Columbia to obtain the recognized quality-assurance designation, Education Quality Assurance, in order to host international students.