Young people considering what skills they will need for tomorrow’s in-demand occupations will have an interactive, hands-on experience at WorkBC’s Find Your Fit tour stop at the Surrey Coast Capital Savings TeenFest in Surrey on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2015.

Find Your Fit features a variety of interactive career exploration activity stations - including welding, accounting, nursing, computer programming and more - offering youth a chance to try their hand at different skills. These youth, who are just beginning to think about potential careers, will be connected with WorkBC’s labour market information, tools and services. Parents, teachers and career counsellors may also benefit from the event as they look for ways to educate and support youth in their career exploration.

TeenFest is an exhibition for youth aged 12 to 18 years and their families. Members of the community are invited to participate in the event, which will take place at the Cloverdale Agriplex from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Find Your Fit is part of B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint commitment to re-engineer education and deliver the skilled workforce B.C.’s growing economy needs. It is an integral part of Regional LNG Energy Seminars currently taking place across B.C. More than 10,000 students have taken part in the province-wide tour so far at events in Prince George, Fort St. John, Terrace, Burns Lake, Prince Rupert, Delta, North Vancouver, Squamish, Campbell River, Nanaimo, Port Alberni and Surrey.

Quotes:

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

“Through the B.C. Skills for Jobs Blueprint, we are committed to preparing the skilled workforce that our growing economy needs. The Find Your Fit tour will ensure that our youth have the tools and resources necessary to consider the full range of in-demand occupations available to them.”

Peter Fassbender, Minister of Education -

“We’re working with school districts to make sure students have the opportunity to start career experiences earlier so they are better prepared for the Skills and Trades jobs of the future.”

Stephanie Cadieux, Minister of Children and Family Development & MLA for Surrey Cloverdale-

"Building a skilled workforce for the future depends on the youth of today. Through B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, we are committed to ensuring that British Columbians have the skills they need to be first in line for the new opportunities that await them.”

Quick Facts:

• By 2022, B.C. is expecting one million job openings in B.C. created by retirements and the province’s growing economy.
• More than 78% of jobs will require some form of post-secondary education, and 44% will needs skilled trades and technical workers.

Learn More:

To find out more information about Find Your Fit, visit: www.findyourfittour.ca

To learn more about WorkBC, visit: www.workbc.ca

For more information on B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, visit: www.workbc.ca/skills 

To find out more about the BC Jobs Plan, visit: www.engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/

To find out more about the Regional LNG Energy Seminars, visit: www.engage.gov.bc.ca/lnginbc/

For more information about Surrey Coast Capital Savings TeenFest, visit: http://teenfest.ca/welcome-to-fraser-valley-teenfest/

Media Contacts:

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