British Columbians are benefiting from post-secondary research projects that are helping create jobs, protect biodiversity and the environment, and keep people healthy and safe.

We all know about or have personally felt the effects of the forestry industry’s downturn over the last few years.

Students at Okanagan College will be encouraged to explore co-op opportunities to support their career ambitions.

The Ministry of Advanced Education is funding partnerships that connect Aboriginal students with education and training programs in their communities. These programs provide Aboriginal learners with work-ready skills such as basic computer literacy, as well as skills needed for jobs in sectors such as construction, tourism and education.

Canadians will be better equipped for the well-paying middle-class jobs of today and tomorrow as a result of a $13.8-million investment in the College of New Caledonia for a new heavy-mechanical trades-training facility.

Students at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) will benefit from hands-on learning opportunities following a government investment in new industry-standard trades training equipment, including replacement high-precision machining equipment.

The electrical and power engineering programs at the College of New Caledonia (CNC) will receive a funding boost of $151,600 from the provincial government to support in-demand occupations that support the provincial economy.

Northwest Community College (NWCC) is receiving $269,850 toward the purchase of new training equipment that will prepare health-care and trades students with the skills needed to succeed in the workforce.