The Langley School District will receive $40,000 for trades training.
The B.C. government, through the ndustry Training Authority (ITA), has announced the funding for districts to help expand the Youth Work in Trades program.
School districts receive between $20,000 and $40,000.
Youth Work in Trades, formerly Secondary School Apprenticeship (SSA), is a dual credit program for B.C. students in Grades 10, 11 and 12. The funds support school districts in placing students with local employers.
The funding helps districts cover staffing costs to support and guide youth in securing jobs and employer sponsorship required to enter the trades apprenticeship system. It will also help youth transition from technical training to work-based training, and build further awareness of opportunities in the skilled trades among youth, parents, educators and employers in their communities.
Employment Minister Shirley Bond said the investment “will give students earlier opportunities to learn about the trades, will provide a clear path for students to discover, explore, train and work in the trades, and will ultimately yield better outcomes, including higher transition rates into full apprenticeships.”
The provincial government invests more than $94 million annually in industry training through the ITA. The ITA leads and co-ordinates British Columbia’s skilled trades system by working with employers, employees, industry, labour, training providers and government to issue credentials, manage apprenticeships, set program standards and increase opportunities in the trades.
“School districts play a key role in connecting youth with employer sponsors, and this funding will help ensure that the right connections are being made and that students are graduating with the right skills and knowledge to attain successful careers in the trades,” said Gary Herman, the ITA CEO.