Social Development and Poverty Reduction
As many as 30 eligible British Columbians will get skills training and local work experience to prepare them for jobs as specialized teacher assistants in the Lower Mainland.
This is a new Community and Employer Partnerships (CEP) project from the Government of British Columbia. Participant recruitment is focused on Indigenous people, people with persistent multiple barriers to employment and youth.
“This exciting project is a great opportunity for participants to get the skills training and experience they need to forge rewarding new careers as teacher assistants in B.C.,” said Jennifer Whiteside, Minister of Education and MLA for New Westminster. “Graduates of the program will make a difference as they support their students’ learning journey. I wish them well in their studies.”
The Province is providing more than $400,000 to Aware Society in New Westminster to deliver skills training and certification courses, in two intakes, of its Teacher’s Assistant Certificate – Inclusion of Indigenous Cultural Competencies program.
Participants will receive 19 weeks of employability, essential and life skills training, three weeks of work experience with local employers and two weeks follow-up support to assist in their job search. They will also receive teacher assistant certification training, as well as Occupational First Aid Level 1, Foodsafe and violence prevention certificates.
“Aware Society’s approach to providing age-appropriate Indigenous curriculum mandatory in schools, including teacher training, is in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action,” said C. Megan Brown, executive director, Aware Society. “Aware’s innovative method offers an Indigenous-centric exploration of culture and cultural identity, with a focus on the First Peoples Principles of Learning.”
Funding for this project is provided through the Project Based Labour Market Training stream of WorkBC’s CEP. CEP’s investments are targeted toward projects that support an inclusive economic recovery. CEP supports B.C. job seekers’ training and work experience, leading to employment in available jobs, and aids businesses and communities in addressing labour-market challenges. CEP invests $15 million annually in communities throughout B.C.
Full-time, group-based classroom and online learning for this project starts on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021. Project activities run through to Feb. 4, 2022. Anyone interested in finding out more about this or other CEP projects can contact their local WorkBC centre.
Learn More:
Learn how CEPs are helping local communities: www.workbc.ca/Employment-Services/Community-and-Employer-Partnerships.aspx
Learn how WorkBC can help find British Columbians jobs that are right for them: www.workbc.ca/rightforyou
Find a local WorkBC centre: https://www.workbc.ca/Employment-Services/WorkBC-Centres/WorkBC-Centres-Listing.aspx
