Eighty people from First Nations communities will receive training through a new Workplace Essential Skills: Bootcamp for the Construction Industry program.

Government is investing more than $468,800 through the Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement for the new program. Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond made the announcement as part of National Aboriginal Day celebrations at Klahowya Village in Stanley Park.

Training for the new program will be jointly delivered by Capilano University's Continuing Education Division and the Aboriginal Skills Group and held at the Lower Stl'atl'imx Tribal Council training facility in Pemberton. Program participants will gain workplace-based essential skills training that will help prepare them for employment, including:

• Essential skills assessments.

• Six weeks of full-time construction bootcamp training, including employment essentials, general trades occupations skills, construction trades occupational certificates, employment transition workshops and employment coaching.

• Culturally supported learning resources, all of which will help prepare them for employment.

Upon completion of the program, participants will have the skills they need to find work in both the construction and operations phases of local hydroelectric projects, including Northwest Stave River, Trethaway Creek, Tipella Creek, Big Silver Creek and Shovel Creek in the Harrison Lake area of the Fraser Valley Regional District.

Other partners in the skills training program include Stl'atl'imx Government Services, Sto:lo Aboriginal Skills Employment Training, TTQ Contracting Corporation, Land Sea Camp Services, CRT Construction and Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

Under the BC Jobs Plan and BC Skills and Training Plan, government is actively creating awareness and encouraging people to consider careers in the trades and technical occupations through an investment of $75 million for new capital and equipment to complement $500 million in annual investments in employment and skills training programs.

Quotes:

Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond -

"We know that there will be a million job openings in our province by 2020. Programs like this one are critical and will ensure that we have the workforce necessary to meet the demand. The students in this program will be given the skills they need to find work on major construction projects, and this is exactly what the BC Jobs Plan and BC Skills and Training Plan were designed to do."

Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation John Rustad -

"It's fitting that on National Aboriginal Day we are able to make an announcement that provides opportunity for Aboriginal people in our province. Today's announcement is another signal of government building capacity for Aboriginal British Columbians, helping them to gain the knowledge and skills they need to take care of their families, build their communities and be successful in their work and personal lives."

Capilano University president and vice-chancellor Kris Bulcroft -

"Capilano University is committed to working together with government, the private sector and First Nations organizations to eliminate barriers and foster access to learning. Programs such as Workplace Essential Skills support an environment for success for Aboriginal learners, not only in training opportunities, but in their lives, careers and communities."

Linden Pinay, Executive Director, Aboriginal Skills Group -

"We are pleased to support local employers, Capilano University and the Stl'atl'imx Tribal Council with Workplace Essential Skills programming. This type of program is key to sustainable jobs and secure employment."

Minsuk Choi, Executive Director, Lower Stl'atl'imx Tribal Council -

"By working with Innergex Energy and local employers on creating jobs, the Construction Workplace Essential Skills project will train 80 First Nations people this year for local work opportunities."

Quick Facts:

• Capilano University, through its Continuing Education Division, has extensive experience in the development and delivery of essential skills assessment and training and professional development.

• The university offers educational programming for learners of all ages, educational experience and socio-economic backgrounds, including First Nations and new immigrants, seeking entry or re-entry into the labour force or into post-secondary education.

• Continuing Education enrols more than 7,500 participants annually, including those taking part in specialized essential skills and workplace training programs.

• Over the next decade, there will be about one million job openings in B.C., 43 per cent of which will require trades or technical training.

• Under the Labour Market Agreement, the Government of Canada is providing the B.C. government approximately $66 million annually until 2013-14.

• The Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement (LMA) funds programs and services for employed people who are low-skilled and for unemployed individuals who are not eligible for Employment Insurance.

• As a direct result of federal LMA funding, thousands of British Columbians are receiving training that will advance their careers, assist in securing new employment and ultimately improve the social and economic outcomes of individuals in B.C. and Canada.

• The current agreement will expire on March 31, 2014, and B.C. is preparing to enter discussions with the federal government to renew this important agreement and ensure our province has the skilled workforce required to support long-term labour market needs and economic growth.

• For 2013-14, Industry Training Authority (ITA) Aboriginal Initiatives has targeted approximately $3.9 million towards trades training for 500 Aboriginal people in community-based partnerships throughout British Columbia.

• From 2008-2014, ITA received $14 million in funding through this agreement for trades training programs leading to skilled jobs for approximately 2,300 Aboriginal people.

• During the month of November, the B.C. government asked for ideas from citizens on the topic of building a skilled workforce. See what government is doing to put ideas into action: www.bcjobsplan.ca/ideas-to-actions/

Learn More:

Capilano University: www.capilanou.ca/ce/workplace-training

Aboriginal Skills Group: www.aboriginalskills.ca

Lower Stl'atl'imx Tribal: www.lstc.ca/

WorkBC skills training programs: www.workbc.ca/Education-Training/Programs/Pages/Employment-Programs.aspx

Industry Training Authority: www.itabc.ca

Canada-British Columbia Labour Market Agreement information: www.jtst.gov.bc.ca/labourmarketagreement/

BC Jobs Plan: www.bcjobsplan.ca/

BC Skills and Training Plan: www.bcjobsplan.ca/skills/

Ideas2Actions - results of the Skills4BC online discussion: www.bcjobsplan.ca/ideas-to-actions/

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799

Capilano University
Media Relations
604 986-7596