Up to 29 British Columbians in Delta are getting the training they need for jobs in their community, thanks to a federal-provincial partnership under the Canada-B.C. Job Fund Agreement.

Approximately $340,000 has been allocated to the UA Piping Industry College (UAPIC) of B.C. to deliver the Skills Training in the Piping Trades program for youth, women, Aboriginal people and immigrants.

MLA for Delta North Scott Hamilton and the Industry Training Authority regional advisor visited students and instructors in the classroom, and toured UAPIC’s training facility.

This training project will prepare participants for jobs in the piping trades. Training is underway and is expected to complete by June 2017.

This project is part of an investment of more than $12 million for 49 training projects benefiting approximately 2,000 British Columbians throughout the province, thanks to funding provided through the Canada-B.C. Job Fund Agreement under the Employer-Sponsored Training stream.

The skills training projects support B.C.’s regional labour-market demands and provide opportunities to youth, women, Aboriginal people, immigrants and other eligible participants to receive training, as well as industry-recognized certificates or credentials.

Through the Canada Job Fund, the Government of Canada provides $500 million annually to the provinces and territories for investments in skills training. Under the Canada-British Columbia Job Fund Agreement, the province receives a total of $65 million per year — its per-capita share of the available funding.

The Canada-B.C. Job Fund helps ensure training programs give individuals the skills to enter and succeed in the job market. The Employer-Sponsored Training stream provides funding for project-based, time-limited, employer-driven training that leads to a job at the end of training. This includes targeted projects delivered by Aboriginal service providers, post-secondary institutions, industry associations, community groups, and private trainers that meet regional labour market needs. Employers also provide either financial or in-kind contributions to support the training.

Quotes:

Scott Hamilton, MLA for Delta North –

“I’m excited about the training program that is being delivered by the UA Piping Industry College. This program will help our youth, women, Aboriginal people and others who are under-represented in the trades start a rewarding career in welding.”

Al Phillips, RSE - executive director, UA Piping Industry College of B.C. –

“We look forward to contributing to B.C.’s growing economy by developing and training our future labour force through the training programs offered at UAPICBC and supported through the Canada-B.C. Job Fund Agreement. UAPICBC trains apprentices in the piping trades: welding, steamfitting, plumbing, sprinklerfitting; trades that are expected to be in high demand over the next 10 years; particularly with projects that have recently received approval, such as Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain expansion project. We have seen first-hand the career benefits and rewards that our students have experienced through these funded training programs; putting students in line for future jobs and lifelong careers.”

Quick Facts:

• B.C. is expecting almost one million job openings by 2025.
• According to the B.C. 2025 Labour Market Outlook, up to 596,400 job openings are expected in the Mainland/Southwest region by 2025.
• Two-thirds of B.C.’s job openings will be from retirements and one-third from economic growth.
• Almost 80% of job openings in B.C. will require post-secondary education.
• The B.C. government invests more than $7.8 billion each year in education and training.
• Through B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, $3 billion in training investments will be redirected to in-demand jobs over the next 10 years.

Learn More:

Canada Job Fund: http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/jobs/training_agreements/cjf/index.shtml   

British Columbia’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint:  https://www.workbc.ca/skills 

B.C. Labour Market Outlook 2025: https://www.workbc.ca/Labour-Market-Information/B-C-s-Economy/Reports.aspx