Students in the Surrey School District are connecting with skills and technology training development thanks to a $17,500 grant to the district from the Province’s Shoulder Tappers Program.

Surrey-Tynehead MLA Amrik Virk, Surrey-Cloverdale MLA Stephanie Cadieux, Surrey-Fleetwood MLA Peter Fassbender, and Surrey-Panorama MLA Marvin Hunt announced this today on behalf of Education Minister Mike Bernier. Students are receiving the supports, skills, and experiences they need for the jobs of tomorrow from the help of shoulder tappers―career co-ordinators and recruitment specialists.

These mentors are connecting students with innovative workshops and on-the-job opportunities in skilled-trades and technology careers, encouraging them with positive input and advice, and cultivating their passions.  

All 33 districts that applied met the requirements and received the 2016/17 grant. Twelve districts receive funding for similar programs under the Northern Development Initiative Trust and a further eight receive funding from the ministry as part of the Northern Opportunities Partnership or the South Island Partnership.  

The Shoulder Tappers Program supports B.C.'s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, which is re-engineering the province’s education and apprenticeship system so training dollars and programs are targeted to in-demand jobs. It also supports the #BCTECH Strategy―a key component of the BC Jobs Plan to support the growth of B.C.’s vibrant technology sector and strengthen British Columbia’s diverse innovation economy.

Quotes:

Amrik Virk, MLA for Surrey-Tynehead –

“British Columbia is on the fast track to becoming a world leader in technology and we need a workforce who can maintain this momentum. Our Skills for Jobs Blueprint is helping students who are interested in high-demand sectors, like technology, gain the skills they need to become that workforce through programs like Shoulder Tappers.”

Stephanie Cadieux, MLA for Surrey-Cloverdale –

“Surrey has the highest concentration of young people of any city in our province and shoulder tappers is exactly the type of program they need to guide them toward success.”

Peter Fassbender, MLA for Surrey-Fleetwood –

“It is not always easy match your talents with the right job in the workforce and this program helps B.C.’s students identify a clear start to their careers.”

Marvin Hunt, MLA for Surrey-Panorama –

“By giving our students the tools they need to be successful as soon as they graduate and join the workforce, we are equipping them with a clear advantage over their competitors in the global economy of tomorrow.”

Learn More:

Explore B.C.’s new curriculum: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca

Read the #BCTECH Strategy: https://bctechstrategy.gov.bc.ca/

Learn more about B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: www.workbc.ca/skills

The B.C. government has launched a new parent-engagement process to better understand how parents want to be informed of their student’s success from kindergarten to Grade 9.  Participate in this process by visiting: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/yourkidsprogress

British Columbians can also join in an online discussion about rural education by visiting: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/ruraleducation