Eight public post-secondary institutions on the Lower Mainland will receive a total of $600,000 in funding to develop training and resources aligned with in-demand occupations for post-secondary students with disabilities.

“From the classroom to the workplace, government is helping British Columbians with disabilities access the training, resources and technology they need to secure employment,” said Burnaby North MLA Richard T. Lee on behalf of Advanced Education Minister Andrew Wilkinson. “This funding will give students with disabilities more opportunity to train for and build a career in a high-demand trade profession. It’s money well-invested.”

The Government of B.C. announced $1.275 million today for public post-secondary institutions throughout the province following the one-year anniversary of B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint. Each institution will receive one-time funding of $50,000 in 2015-16.

Lower Mainland recipients include:

• British Columbia Institute of Technology
• Capilano University
• Douglas College
• Emily Carr University of Art and Design
• Justice Institute of British Columbia
• Kwantlen Polytechnic University
• Langara College
• Vancouver Community College

Langara College will receive an additional $100,000 toward the Centre for Accessible Post-Secondary Education Resources (CAPER-BC) for accessible learning and teaching materials in math and trades. British Columbia Institute of Technology will receive an additional $100,000 toward the Post-Secondary Communication Access Service (PCAS) to support students with visual impairment or hearing loss. The Program for the Institutional Loan of Adaptive Technology (PILAT) will also receive $75,000 toward equipment and software to help students with disabilities. CAPER-BC, PCAS and PILAT support public post-secondary schools throughout the province.

The grants totalling $1.275 million also support Accessibility 2024, a 10-year action plan announced in June 2014 that includes goals, actions and long-term measures to make B.C. the most progressive place in Canada for people with disabilities.

Funding announced today will build on the successes of the $1.5 million provided by the Ministry of Advanced Education in 2014-15 for accessibility programming.

The provincial government launched B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint in April 2014 to align funding and programs with in-demand occupations. The Blueprint includes goals to provide better access to technical and trades-related training for learners with disabilities.

The Province also announced funding to help British Columbians with disabilities access assistive technology through the Technology at Work program to help reach their employment goals. The Neil Squire Society will receive $9 million over the next three years to deliver the new Technology at Work assistive technology program to support employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Technology at Work will provide assistive technologies, such as mobility supports, assistive devices such as alternative keyboards and voice input equipment, hearing devices and workplace modifications. The new program will complement existing employment programs, such as the Employment Program of BC. Technology at Work will also provide employers and organizations with information and connect them with assistive technology resources to help them better support their employees.

B.C. anticipates more than one million job openings by 2022; more than 78% of these positions will require some form of post-secondary education and 44% will need skilled trades and technical workers.

Learn More:

B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: http://ow.ly/KNAd8

Accessibility 2024: http://ow.ly/ASEha

A backgrounder follows.

Media Contacts:

Stacey McGaghey Jones
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400

BACKGROUNDER

Disability training grants help people succeed

Each of the following institutions received a one-time grant of $50,000:

• British Columbia Institute of Technology
• Camosun College
• Capilano University
• College of New Caledonia
• College of the Rockies
• Douglas College
• Emily Carr University of Art + Design
• Justice Institute of British Columbia
• Kwantlen Polytechnic University
• Langara College
• Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
• North Island College
• Northern Lights College
• Northwest Community College
• Okanagan College
• Selkirk College
• Thompson Rivers University
• University of the Fraser Valley
• Vancouver Community College
• Vancouver Island University

In addition, British Columbia Institute of Technology and Langara College each received a one-time grant of $100,000. The Program for the Institutional Loan of Adaptive Technology (PILAT) also received $75,000 toward equipment and software.

Media Contacts:

Stacey McGaghey Jones
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Advanced Education
250 952-6400