British Columbia is boosting skilled-trades training throughout the province so people can secure family-supporting jobs created through major projects.

“This is about creating opportunity – giving more British Columbians the chance to train for good jobs with bigger paycheques and a more secure future,” said Premier David Eby. “Across the province, major projects in construction, clean energy, mining and advanced technology are moving forward, and we need to make sure British Columbians benefit. By dramatically expanding skills training, we ensure projects can move without delay, and that British Columbians are first in line for these jobs.”

During the next three years, the Province will double trades-training funding and permanently strengthen B.C.’s trades-training system. All this is possible through a $241-million fund, which is a landmark investment in skilled trades.

“Today’s historic investment strengthens our trades training system, one that is essential to building our province’s future,” said Jessie Sunner, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills. “When education and skills training respond to the needs of communities, we ensure that working people get better access to good-paying jobs and people in British Columbia are first in line for the opportunities that lie ahead. By doubling down on trades training, we’re ensuring we can deliver on major projects, grow our economy and secure British Columbia’s future.”

This milestone investment will:

• increase per-seat funding for apprentice programs;
• address waiting lists for critical industrial trades, ensuring faster access to training;
• advance skilled-trades certification, beginning with crane operators; and
• as opportunities evolve, ensure workers can move easily between industries.

“To deliver the provincial capital plan and the many private-investment projects in B.C., we need more highly skilled and certified tradespeople,” said Brynn Bourke, executive director, BC Building Trades. “This funding will allow our joint board and union training schools to deliver on this and serve the needs of the industry. We welcome this historic investment in our trades-training system and we look forward to partnering with the government to foster the next generation of skilled-trade workers.”

Collaboration with unions, industry and post-secondary partners is central to building the programs and workforce B.C. needs. Through these partnerships, the Province is expanding access to training that connects people with well-paying, high-demand jobs, and helping more people in British Columbia build secure futures, while supporting the labour force needed to drive economic growth.

Quick Facts:

• British Columbia has a record number of people registering as apprentices with nearly 50,000 registered apprenticeships and more than 11,000 high school participants.
• SkilledTradesBC oversees nearly 90 trades programs and funds nearly 28,000 apprenticeship and foundation-training seats at public, union and private institutions.
• Since 2017, seven trades have been introduced as skilled-trades certification trades.
• Nine more have been identified for future introduction, including tower- and mobile-crane operators.
• This is the first major increase in skilled-trades training in nearly two decades.

A backgrounder follows.