The Province is providing $253,500 as part of a Sector Labour Market Partnership project with the Quadrant Marine Institute aimed at identifying and assessing the obstacles associated with apprenticeship training in B.C.’s recreational-marine industry.

The Quadrant Marine Institute, as the contract holder, has been working with a diverse cross-section of industry partners since January 2017 that, among others, includes: West Coast Boatyard Association, Parkland secondary school Marine Institute, Industry Training Association, and BCIT, in an effort to evaluate the best training practices for apprentices within the recreational-marine industry.

The challenge of this industry is the wide-ranging scope of skills and knowledge needed to work on everything from small outboard skiffs and sail boats, to luxury yachts. The majority of the industry is populated by small businesses that specialize in certain aspects of service and repair, making it difficult for employees to offer the skills needed to match the demand.

The recreational marine industry is a subsector of the manufacturing sector, which is a key sector of the BC Jobs Plan and a significant economic driver for the province, generating $15 billion for B.C.’s economy and supporting more than 170,000 jobs.

The project will provide insight into the diverse on-the-job training that happens in the industry, and evaluate how to improve competency assessments to ensure the apprentices meet certification standards.

The Province is an active partner in building a sustainable industrial-marine sector. Through the B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, British Columbia is aligning training and education dollars with jobs in demand to ensure British Columbians are trained, qualified and ready for jobs in B.C.’s diverse and growing economy.

The Sector Labour Market Partnerships Program helps employers understand and respond to changing labour-market demands, and ensures that training and education programs in B.C. are aligned with industry’s labour market needs and priorities. The B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint is re-engineering our education and training programs towards a data-driven system that focuses our investment on jobs that are in-demand.

Quotes:

Greg Kyllo, Parliamentary Secretary for the BC Jobs Plan to the Minister of Jobs, Tourism, and Skills Training –

“Through the BC Jobs Plan, our government remains focused on keeping our province diverse, strong and growing, which includes our commitment to supporting a sustainable marine sector in B.C. This Sector Labour Market Partnership with Quadrant Marine Institute and the marine pleasure craft industry is one way the Province is ensuring that apprentices and mentors have the tools they need to build an educated and skilled workforce ready for the in-demand jobs of the future.”

Campbell Black, president Quadrant Marine Institute –

“Quadrant and its industry partners welcome the Province’s support that will build on B.C.'s reputation as a 'Marine Service Centre of Excellence'. Our small, dynamic industry contributes to communities in many areas of the province by providing challenging and rewarding careers. In concert with existing apprenticeship training, this project will help develop a stronger, sustainable marine service community through enhanced workplace training and skill assessment initiatives.”

Quick Facts:

• The Province recently committed $200,000 to the Association of British Columbia Marine Industries (ABCMI) to support the growth of B.C.’s marine sector in communities throughout B.C.
• More than $1.5 million from the BC Knowledge Development Fund has been invested to support manufacturing research and development in the province.
• $1 million has been contributed to programs to meet manufacturers’ labour needs, including a Refugee Training and Employment Program agreement that also benefits newcomers to B.C.

Learn More:

To learn more about career planning and B.C.’s Skills for Jobs Blueprint, visit: www.workbc.ca/blueprintbuilder 

To find out more about the BC Jobs Plan, visit: engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan

To learn more about Quadrant Marine, visit: http://www.quadrantmarine.com/

For more information on Labour Market Partnerships, visit: http://ow.ly/LmcJ30af7Yv