S K I L L E D T R A D E S
employers, workers, industry, labour,
schools, training providers, government,
municipalities and the
ITA are all working
together. Central to this effort is B.C.'s Skills
for Jobs Blueprint, which is designed to
help future skilled trades workers have a
seamless plan from high school through
post-secondary education and straight
into the workforce. The plan also aims to
support those seeking to gain a foothold in
the job market and people who face unique
challenges, such as those with disabilities
as well as at-risk and Aboriginal youth.
Several speci•ic strategies are in place
to •ill the upcoming job openings. The
ITA,
for instance, meets every other week with
deputy ministers from •ive ministries—
forming the Labour Market Priorities
Board— to assess and plan for the industry's
needs, and to shift training funding to
where it's needed most.
"We work with the training providers
around the province that we fund—14 public
post-secondary schools and 29 non-public
training providers—to train to meet this
demand," Herman says. "Making sure we
have the right people with the right skills at
the right time is our job."
There's a strong focus on attracting,
training, educating and retaining youth in
the industry. High-school students can apply
for the
ACE IT program (or Accelerated
Enrolment in Industry Training), which is
a dual-credit program enabling students
to earn credits toward their diploma and
technical training. The Secondary School
Apprenticeship program is dual credit as
well, and allows students to work with an
employer and get paid.
The
ITA has 15 apprenticeship advisors
on the ground around the province, some
of whom focus on Aboriginal communities.
The value of apprenticeship programs can't
be overstated.
"Employers sponsoring apprentices
