Up to 36 Greater Vancouver residents will be receiving the training they need for jobs in their communities, thanks to the federal-provincial partnership under the Canada-B.C. Job Fund Agreement.

Approximately $342,000 has been allocated to YWCA Metro Vancouver to deliver the Admin Essentials program to train participants for employment in office administration, including general office support worker, administrative assistant and administrative officers.

Training dates vary with several intakes delivered between September 2016 and March 2017.

This training project is part of an investment of more than $12 million for 49 training projects benefiting about 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:

Suzanne Anton, MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview – 

“This training project delivered by YWCA Metro Vancouver will help women on the Lower Mainland pursue rewarding careers in their communities. This is just one of the many ways we are preparing British Columbians for nearly one million job openings expected in our province by 2025.”

Tim Blake, associate director, employment services, YWCA Metro Vancouver –

“The vision of the YWCA is achieving women’s equality, and supporting women to find sustainable work that enables them to work toward economic independence is central to this goal. The new YWCA Admin Essentials program offers women the opportunity to develop valuable skills and training that enables them to enter the workforce. We are delighted to be a part of this journey and witness the hard work and dedication of our participants to build the skills and confidence throughout the program to achieve the sustainable employment they desire.”

Elizabeth Jones, executive director, North Shore Multicultural Society –

“The North Shore Multicultural Society is a proud supporter of the YWCA Admin Essentials program. This program provides a much-needed opportunity for new immigrants to Canada to participate and successfully complete the program that includes a three-week practicum experience, which provides them with experience working in a Canadian work environment. We have had two practicum placements to date and feel that the success of this program was demonstrated through the practicum students whose level of confidence, work ethic, teamwork and ability to provide admin support to our team shined through.”

Quick Facts:

• B.C. is expecting almost one million job openings by 2025.
• Up to 596,400 job openings are expected in the Lower 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