To help mature workers in Tumbler Ridge get the training and support they need for future jobs, the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia will provide more than $100,000 to Northern Lights College to deliver the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW) program.

A total of 10 workers from Tumbler Ridge will benefit from the training, which will begin in September and finish in November 2016.

The TIOW training in Tumbler Ridge supports B.C.’s Community Transition Services efforts and is a direct response to the job losses that occurred due to major industry changes in this area. The residents were significantly impacted by the curtailment of their primary employers – Walter Energy’s Wolverine Mine, Teck Resources Limited’s Quintette Mine and Anglo American’s Peace River Coal Mine. B.C.’s Community Transition Services team has been working closely with community leaders and service providers, including Northern Lights College to provide training opportunities, as well as support to impacted workers.

TIOW is a successful cost-shared initiative between the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia. The provincial and federal governments launched the TIOW program in 2007 to assist vulnerable communities that are facing labour-force adjustments due to changes in the local economy. The program provides skills training and employment support to unemployed older workers, aged 55 to 64, so they can pursue longer-term jobs, further their education or get career training. This program not only benefits program participants, but will help local employers and their region as employers gain the skilled workers they need to transform their economy.

Each TIOW program is based on the unique demographics and economic outlook of the region. Because of this tailored approach to content and delivery, this program has been well received by both participants and employers. Since 2007, the TIOW has helped more than 4,300 participants, the majority of whom found employment or pursued further education after the program.

Quotes:

Mike Bernier, MLA, Peace River South –

“The coal mines were the lifeline of Tumbler Ridge for decades. It has been very challenging for our residents and their families who lost jobs because of the mine curtailment. The Community Transition Team has been very helpful in supporting us through this difficult period as we look for ways to transform our economy here in the future.”

Dr. Loren Lovegreen, vice-president, academic and research, Northern Lights College –

“The economic downturn in the Tumbler Ridge region has deeply affected the community, and as a stakeholder working with the Community Transition Team, Northern Lights College is very appreciative that the TIOW funding initiative will provide support for mature learners returning to school.”

Quick Facts:

• B.C.'s Community Transition Team provides support for resource-based communities experiencing significant job loss impacts, such as a result of the closure or downsizing of the community's primary employer or industry.
• Canada and B.C. have committed approximately $10.4 million to deliver the TIOW program from 2014 to 2017.
• The TIOW program is for participants in small communities of 250,000 or less that are experiencing high unemployment, significant downsizing/closures, unfulfilled employer demand, and/or skills mismatches.
• Since TIOW’s launch in 2007, more than 4,300 individuals have been assisted in B.C. to date.
• The B.C. Labour Market Outlook indicates that, by 2024, there will be nearly one million job openings in B.C. due to the growing economy and anticipated retirements. Eight out of 10 of these openings will require post-secondary education or trades training.

Learn More:

Targeted Initiative for Older Workers (TIOW): https://www.workbc.ca/Employment-Services/BC-Labour-Market-Programs-(JTST)/TIOW.aspx

Community Transition Services: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/economic-development/developing-your-community/services/community-transition-services

OECD international Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) study —The Canadian Targeted Initiative for Older Workers in Fort St. James, British Columbia: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/industry-and-services/local-economic-strategies-for-ageing-labour-markets_5jrnwqk5d4f7-en

British Columbia’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint: https://www.workbc.ca/Training-Education/B-C-s-Skills-for-Jobs-Blueprint.aspx

B.C. Labour Market Outlook 2024: https://www.workbc.ca/labour-market-information/b-c-s-economy/reports.aspx