More than 34 employers, apprentices, educators and Industry Training Authority (ITA) representatives were in Langley on Monday to celebrate youth apprenticeship and its employer sponsors in the Fraser Valley.
The event was part of the ITA’s inaugural province-wide Proud Sponsor of Youth Apprentices Tour to acknowledge employers dedicated to preparing workers to meet future economic demands.
It was held at the Coast Langley Hotel and Convention Centre.
The tour is being done in collaboration with school districts across the province to acknowledge local employers dedicated to training the future of trades in BC. With 80 percent of training taking place on the worksite, employer sponsors provide hands-on experience to apprentices, and constitute an essential component of the apprenticeship journey towards certification.
“The partnership efforts of both employer sponsors and school districts are crucial to the success of the apprenticeship pathway across our province,” said Gary Herman, the chief executive officer for ITA.
“Hiring an apprentice is about far more than giving students work experience hours—it is about preparing them for the workforce and passing on their knowledge to strengthen the skilled trades community.”
“Without the support of local businesses, these programs wouldn’t happen,” said Langley MLA Mary Polak.
“Thank you to all the sponsors for helping our young workforce.”
“We want our young people to be first in line for the wide range of jobs opening up in British Columbia,” said Fort Langley-Aldergrove MLA Rich Coleman.
“Thanks to our local businesses and apprenticeship programs, young people are gaining the hands-on experience needed to prepare them for a successful career.”
“It is critical for employers to invest in our youth,” said Donna Hais, a partner with Langley’s RW Wall Ltd.
“In today’s day and age, we need to be creative, innovative and proactive in attracting and engaging youth in our industry in order to meet the economic demands of our province.”