Up to 52 British Columbians from Prince George, Fort St. James and Kelowna are getting the training they need to become cooks and professional log truck operators, thanks to a federal-provincial partnership under the Canada-B.C. Job Fund Agreement.

Approximately $650,000 in total was provided to the Métis Nation of British Columbia and the Canadian Vocational Training Centre (CVTC) for two training projects.

Today, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour Shirley Bond, and Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris, along with project partners, visited students and staff in the Professional Log Truck Operator program in Prince George.

Of the total funding announced today, the B.C. government has allocated approximately $314,000 to the Métis Nation of British Columbia (MNBC) to train 12 Aboriginal, women and other participants to become log truck operators. The classroom lessons are taught in Prince George, with practicums in Fort St. James.

The curriculum and competency standards used in the training were developed by the BC Forest Safety Council with input from forest sector stakeholders. To deliver the program, MNBC has partnered with forestry industry training provider O’Brien Training. In addition, local employers including Pineview Trucking and Excavating Ltd., Marlo Logging Ltd. and K&D Logging Ltd are also providing mentorship support to students after their training.

In addition to the log truck operator program, the B.C. government has allocated approximately $336,000 to the Canadian Vocational Training Centre (CVTC) to deliver the Cooking Up Jobs program to 40 participants from Prince George and Kelowna. The training will prepare participants for jobs such as line or prep cooks. This program has three training intakes; the first cohort started in October, and the second will at the end of November, with the final group starting in late January 2017.

To deliver the program in Prince George and Kelowna, CVTC has partnered with the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43 and the Kelowna Italian Cultural Club, to give participants hands-on training in the kitchens. In Prince George, the food prepared by students will serve veterans and their visitors; in Kelowna, the food prepared by students will serve the local women’s shelter.

(flickr.com)

These training projects are 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 project 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:

Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, MLA for Prince George-Valemount –

“We are expecting nearly one million job openings in British Columbia by 2025 due to retirements and economic growth. Investment in skills training is essential to keep our economy diverse, strong and growing, benefiting both B.C. job seekers and employers. The Log Truck Operator and the Cooking Up Jobs programs will help British Columbians get the training they need for their future careers.”  

Mike Morris, MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie –

“The Professional Log Truck Operator training and the Cooking Up for Jobs program funded by the B.C. and federal government are great news for employers as well as residents in our community. Both of these programs are providing classroom and practical, hands-on training in the kitchen and on the road to students. Because of the detailed training they’re receiving, the students will be ready to start their careers after completing their programs.  

“Thank you to the Métis Provincial Council of B.C., and all the project partners for making this training possible for our participants. I wish the students best of luck in their training and future careers as log truck operators.”

John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes –

“Forestry is a key economic sector in our province, generating thousands of jobs for British Columbians. I’m happy to hear that part of the Professional Log Truck Driver training is being delivered in our community of Fort St. James.

“This program will not only helps forestry employers get the skilled log truck operators they need for their operations, but it also gives job seekers the skills they need to drive log trucks, load and unload safely in the future. This in turn keeps our roads safe for other drivers as well. Thank you to our training providers and the B.C. Forest Safety Council for supporting our students in their training, as well as future careers.”

Dardo Krueger, general manager, O’Brien Training –

“Taylor Professional Driving, under O’Brien Training, is pleased to participate in the Professional Log Truck Operator program. We thank the BC Forest Safety Council and its membership committees for drafting the standard that this curriculum was derived from. We also thank the Métis Nation B.C. and the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training for providing the funding to deliver this valuable training program. Together we are providing valuable training to teach drivers to deliver logs in as professional and safe a manner as possible. Our thanks to everyone involved, especially our students.”

Cal Purcell, president, Canadian Vocational Training Centre –

“It is indeed our pleasure to offer the Cooking Up Jobs program and assist individuals with obtaining employment as a line cook. The hospitality industry is growing at a great pace and we need to have trained and experienced people working in the industry. The Cooking Up Jobs program is designed for just this purpose and we thank the government for recognizing the need and providing the funding for this innovative program. We would also like to thank the Royal Canadian Legion for their participation with the program. It is community partnerships, such as this one, that benefit everyone involved. It is truly an honour to work with such an outstanding organization.”

Margaret Goings, president, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43 –

"The culinary program is a wonderful opportunity for the legion to try something new and different. It has been very successful and we are enjoying the young people in our branch. Chef Hamblin has gone over and above to make it enjoyable. And the meals are delicious!"

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Quick Facts:

• B.C. is expecting almost one million job openings by 2025.
• According to the B.C. 2025 Labour Market Outlook, up to 54,600 job openings are expected in the North Coast and Nechako, Northeast and Cariboo regions by 2025.
• Overall, up to 12,000 job openings in cooks and are expected in B.C.
• 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