Communities throughout B.C. are launching partnerships with the B.C. government to study what’s needed in the workforce, including a survey on the best ways to get women into the trades in the West Kootenays.

Five organizations from around B.C. are receiving a total of more than $485,000 in Labour Market Partnership funding to carry out a wide array of studies regarding communities’ work force needs, now and in future. These include a range of projects, from the Working Options for Women survey in Trail and the West Kootenays to post-secondary training options in the North Fraser to providing a skills gap analysis for St’at’imc First Nations that will help address employment and training needs.

The following five organizations are receiving partnership funding:

• Greater Trail Skills Community Skills Centre: $49,000
• Regional District of Central Okanagan/Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission: $104,970
• District of Maple Ridge/Invest North Fraser: $110,900
• St’at’imc Government Services: $110,000
• Iskut Band: $110,840

Labour Market Partnerships are a component of the Employment Program of BC’s Community and Employer Partnerships fund for projects that share labour market information and increase employability throughout the province. Labour Market Partnerships fund projects that help employers, employee and employer associations, and communities develop ways to deal with worker shortages or changes in the job market. Projects that provide opportunities for people who are often disadvantaged in the workforce, such as Aboriginal people, people with disabilities and youth, are encouraged.

The Community and Employer Partnerships program is featured in B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint that helps align training and education with in-demand jobs and provides more support to people who are struggling to gain a foothold in the job market or who face unique challenges.

Quotes:

Minister of Social Development and Social Innovation Don McRae -

“Labour Market Partnerships like these are so beneficial to communities across B.C. It’s great that one of these partnerships is investigating ways to get women more involved in non-traditional jobs and two others are investigating skills and training needs for Aboriginal people.”

Greater Trail Skills Community Skills Centre business manager Michele Cherot -

“The Skills Centre is thrilled with the ministry’s approval of the proposal to identify and develop human resource practices and resources that support the entry and retention of women in non-traditional occupations.”

Quick Facts:

• In 2014-15, the ministry has committed to investing $331 million in employment and labour market programs under the Employment Program of BC.
• The Employment Program of BC is funded by the Province of British Columbia as well as the Government of Canada through the Labour Market Development Agreement.
• Funding supports 85 WorkBC Employment Services Centres throughout the province and the four components of the Community and Employer Partnerships fund:
  • Job Creation Partnerships
  • Labour Market Partnerships
  • Project-Based Labour Market Training
  • Research and Innovation

Who is eligible?

• Businesses
• Non-profit organizations
• Municipalities, agencies or territorial governments
• Bands/tribal councils
• Public health and educational institutions

Learn More:

For more information on Community and Employer Partnerships: www.workbc.ca/CEP

Find a local WorkBC Employment Services Centre: www.workbccentres.ca

Learn more about the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation: www.gov.bc.ca/sdsi

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Grant Kerr
Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
250 387-5635

BACKGROUNDER

Partnership studies provide jobs data to communities

The following Labour Market Partnerships will provide information to individual community organizations on where gaps can be filled in the employment market or in education.

• Greater Trail Skills Community Skills Centre:
  • A report will be written that includes strategies to better support women in non-traditional jobs to help address the growing shortage of workers in the resource and trades industries in Trail and the West Kootenays. The report will also summarize the participation rate of women in non-traditional jobs, as well as the best ways to encourage the recruitment of women into the trades. The Working Options for Women: Supporting Women in Non-Traditional Resource and Construction Sector Employment study will take 33 weeks and will wrap up on March 13, 2015.
• Regional District of Central Okanagan / Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission:
  • Provincial partnership funding: $104,970
  • The study, Growing in the Okanagan - 2020 Labour Market Outlook, provided information on labour and training needs over the next five years in the North and Central Okanagan and Okanagan-Similkameen, finding that employers in the region expect to hire more than 75,000 people in that time frame.
• District of Maple Ridge/Invest North Fraser:
  • Provincial partnership funding: $110,900
  • The North Fraser Labour Market Research Steering Committee has awarded a contract to R.A. Malatest & Associates Ltd. to research and assess the North Fraser Region, Maple Ridge, Mission and Pitt Meadows current labour market situation and anticipated labour market needs for the next five years. A final report will be produced by Oct. 11, 2014, identifying the top three opportunities for post-secondary, industry and business to work on a way to deliver labour market training in the North Fraser region recommending specific post-secondary/vocational training programs.
• St’at’imc Government Services:
  • Provincial partnership funding: $110,000
  • By March 31, 2015, St’at’imc Government Services will do a skills gap analysis to address current employment and training needs for the St’at’imc First Nations in the Lillooet, Pemberton, Whistler area.
• Iskut Band:
  • Provincial partnership funding: $110,840
  • By April 10, 2015, a report will be delivered outlining labour market strategy based on the results of a labour market survey and an in-depth skills inventory of Tahltan Nation members throughout B.C. The goal is to develop short- and long-term strategies to ensure that the Tahltan Nation is prepared to take advantage of the regional employment opportunities expected in the near future, including mining and LNG.

Media Contacts:

Grant Kerr
Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation
250 387-5635