New trades equipment will help set up students in British Columbia’s North with the skills they need for rewarding careers.

Students at Coast Mountain College, College of New Caledonia and Northern Lights College are benefiting from industry-standard equipment. The schools are among 19 throughout B.C. that each received $160,000 to buy up-to-date equipment for trades and technology programs. Government funding for this year totalled $3 million.

“Student success is the key ingredient to creating, building and maintaining the best B.C.,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training. “Our strong economy and the technology driving it are rapidly evolving. Investing in students, skills and state-of-the-art training equipment at our province’s post-secondary institutions is a win-win.”

Trades and technology workers are in high demand. The 2018 B.C. Labour Market Outlook projects about 82,300 tech-related job openings and about 71,000 trades openings in the province in the next decade.

 “Employment opportunities in the trades and technology sectors are increasing in every region of the province, helping to further B.C.’s economic prosperity,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology. “Training with the latest tools and equipment allows students to gain real-world skills that translate to the jobs of tomorrow.”

Quotes:

Jennifer Rice, MLA for North Coast –

“The needs and the opportunities for skilled tradespeople in the North continue to grow. New equipment is a fantastic addition to Coast Mountain College workshops and supports the apprentices and trades students who are such an important part of our communities.”

Ken Burt, president, Coast Mountain College –

“Our flagship trades programs help give students the training they need to create pathways to good careers and to meet the needs of local industry and businesses. Modern equipment ensures the skills they are learning in the classroom reflect the realities of their future workplaces."

Henry Reiser, president, College of New Caledonia –

“This investment in new equipment helps the College of New Caledonia offer high-quality programming and focus on the success of our trades students. Our highly skilled graduates will have up-to-date experience to meet the needs of local industry and employers.”

Bryn Kulmatycki, president, Northern Lights College –

“Northern Lights College’s trades and apprenticeship programs help students build the skills to become the highly trained workers industry needs. State-of-the art equipment ensures we’re giving our students the tools to succeed and take advantage of an incredible amount of opportunity in the North.”

Shelley Gray, CEO, Industry Training Authority –

“The experience trades students get in their classrooms, labs and kitchens is so important to set them up for successful careers. When students have access to the most-up-to-date equipment, it’s really building skills that employers need, and that will allow them to excel in their future careers.”

Quick Facts:

• Nineteen public post-secondary institutions throughout B.C. were awarded $160,000 in fall 2018, for a total of $3 million to buy trades and technology equipment.
• Equipment is now in place, benefiting students training for careers in the skilled trades and technology.
• New equipment includes an arc welder for Coast Mountain College’s heavy-duty program, laser alignment equipment for College of New Caledonia’s industrial mechanic program in Quesnel and a hydraulic and troubleshooting trainer for Northern Lights College’s heavy mechanical trades program.
• High-demand occupations in B.C. include millwrights, heavy-duty mechanics and carpenters.
• High-demand occupations in the tech industry include civil engineering, computer and software engineering, programming, web development and technicians.
• The $3 million in equipment builds on the $5.4 million that was provided to 15 post-secondary institutions for trades and technology equipment in 2017.