Up to 36 British Columbians from Pemberton, Mount Currie and surrounding areas are 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 $429,000 has been allocated to Stillwater Consulting Ltd. to deliver the Silviculture and Wildland Firefighting Essentials training. This project includes classroom and field instruction, and will prepare participants for jobs such as wildland firefighters as well as forestry field workers with specialized skills in silviculture.

To deliver the training, Stillwater Consulting has partnered with several local employers including Timber West, Lil’wat Forestry Ventures, Hedberg and Associates and Tsain-Ko Forestry. These employers have provided safety gear and other equipment, training, instructors, training sites and mentoring support to help participants in their training.

There are three training cohorts; the first two cohorts started this fall and recently finished, while the last cohort will start in February and be completed in March.

This training 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:

Jordan Sturdy, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea to Sky –

“Firefighting and silviculture careers are very important to Sea to Sky communities and I am excited about the silviculture and wildland firefighting essentials training that is being delivered by Stillwater Consulting Ltd. This will not only give our residents the skills they need to become wildland firefighters and forestry field workers, but it will also help ensure we have the necessary human resources and skills available when needed in the region. I wish all the participants the best of luck in their future careers, and thank you to all of our local employers for your support of the students.”

Jody McInnes, president, Stillwater Constulting Ltd. –

“Stillwater Consulting Ltd. is proud to work with the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training to deliver this tuition-free training in the Pemberton area. Participants develop a diverse range of new skills that provide multiple opportunities for year-round employment in the forest and resource sectors. Stillwater continues to work closely with industry employers to identify employment gaps and deliver relevant, hands-on training programs to address these needs.”

Klay Tindall, Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures –

“We identified that both of our logging contractors – Southview and Lizzie Bay Logging – have an aging workforce and Mount Currie has a large number of Líl̓wat Nation members looking to upgrade their skills. Many people here find it difficult to move to the city to take advantage of training programs and therefore really benefit from training occurring close to home. All the training delivered through past PBT programs was diverse enough to provide prospective Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures employees with a wider skill set and gain the essential tickets required to work in the forest industry. Skills gained, like brush saw training, have made Líl̓wat Forestry Ventures one of the leaders in the Sea to Sky when it comes to vegetation management. This has allowed the company to work for more clients and on more contracts in 2016.”

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:

Stillwater Consulting Ltd.: http://www.stillwaterconsultingltd.com/

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